If you are not a qualified radar controller you cannot sequence approach traffic. What happens if you make a mistake? In order to do what you suggest you would need some sort of endorsement on your licence and what you can do and cannot do must be clearly laid down in your local ATC instructions. I don't understand how "politics" can enter this situation??
At major airfields there are ground radars, which Aerdrome controllers can use for directing traffic on the ground, e.g. in poor visibility. Many towers have "approach" radars which may be used to monitor the traffic situation - to see which aircraft are on final approach, whether an outbound has turned the way you expected, etc., but they may not be used for any form of radar control. (Unless everything has changed since I retired!!).