Those who have been full of praises for the outcome of the presidential and national assembly elections may have to pause for a while. The elections have largely been adjudged free and fair though they were not without peculiar problems.
Despite these, there seems some understanding that we should let go especially given the heated political temperament that characterized the campaigns. There seems some consensus that no sacrifice should be considered too much for the corporate survival of the country. So has been the understanding. At another level, encomiums have been showered on the country for not falling for earlier predictions, much of which was on the negative side. These testaments have dwelt largely on the prospects of the successful conclusion of the elections to deepen democracy on these shores. President Goodluck Jonathan’s commendable move of going ahead to congratulate Gen Buhari even before the official results were announced attest to this new thinking largely on the acceptance of defeat.
Much of the comments locally and from the international community have focused largely on the prospects of the new development charting a new path for democracy not only in this country but Africa as a whole. It is a different kettle of fish if this turn of events was foisted on Jonathan, done out of his volition or thrust on him by an intricate web of contradictions. The fact remains that these monumental decisions and events have taken place and they will for a long time, shape the direction and perception of Nigerian politics.
They will form the new basis for assessing elections and their outcome in this country. But to what extent can we push the optimism that this singular act is all that is needed to redirect the attitude of our people on political matters for the better? How far can we push the idea that given the same set of circumstances, or a slightly different configuration of events, another leader in Jonathan’s shoes will behave the way he did? In effect, how far can we carry the optimism that democracy will be deepened by the singular action of Jonathan?
Perhaps, insights into these posers can be gleaned from the attitude of some politicians since the results of the presidential election emerged. Reports from across the country have been a plethora of sundry politicians parting ways with their political parties in a new found love for the winning party, the APC. Even before the governorship and state houses of assembly elections were conducted, many chieftains of the ruling party, the PDP had started decamping to the APC. Matters were not remedied given that key among those decamping were very prominent people in the PDP. Some of them even ran for the governorship tickets of their parties while others hitherto held important political positions.
And we ask, what has happened or what new things have they suddenly seen in the APC that they had to ditch their parties so soon after? What interests are more likely to have weighed in favour of such precipitate actions? How much does selfish interest count in this calculation and where is it likely to lead us in the quest to grow democracy? These are some of the moot questions. The way they are resolved will chart the future on the prospects and growth of the democratic culture.
No doubt, we are in a democracy. Some of the pristine tenets for which democracy has become the fastest growing development paradigm are its capacity to offer unlimited freedom to the people. Key to this is the freedom of choice; the freedom to decide which party to belong. So those who are decamping are still within their inalienable democratic rights and no attempt is being made in this column to deny them of that.
However, this right cannot escape public scrutiny since all are concerned with the growth and stability of those attitudes that can make democracy endure. This is more so given the positive sentiments that have come to be associated with the success of the presidential and national assembly elections. It would therefore appear that the mad rush to decamp to the winning party a few days after the elections smacks of indecent haste. For one, it portrays those involved as people lacking in principles. Ideally, political parties ought to offer alternative persuasions to the electorate. The alternatives which the APC offered were there before the elections and all those who believed in them had ample time to take a decision. And many did.
For another, it is nothing but obvious interests that are largely self-serving that propelled those decamping after the results of the presidential election had been declared. Among these are political contractors and fortune seekers. In this category are those who eye the enormous resources at the control of the central government. Buoyed by the huge corruption in official quarters, the thinking is that it will still be business as usual and you need to gravitate to the center to have a share of the national cake. That has been our problem. That is why it has been difficult to talk of principles in Nigerian politics. It is for the same reason that politics has become the biggest industry in this country attracting into its fold sundry contractors and the criminally minded that switch camps without giving a hoot. It is for the same reason that competition for political offices has remained very rancorous and deadly.
Ironically, these set of people have captured political power in many states and would not let go. They will go to any length to ensure they remain relevant. The illegal monies they have acquired have become their greatest strengths and it is difficult to wish them away. The APC is within its rights to admit the new decampees. After all, it will be happy to increase its membership so as to gain advantage over its opponents. But the optimism about the growth of democracy may be threatened if this trend is not carefully watched. We may inevitably be gravitating to a one party state as was almost the case when the PDP held sway. It took the combined efforts of some committed Nigerians to float a strong opposition through mergers to save the situation.
That visionary action has today paid off in the successes of the APC. Now, if we again find ourselves in a situation where there is no strong opposition, we would have reversed the huge efforts to give Nigerians two credible alternatives. That will detract substantially from all the optimism about the growth of democracy in this country. It will also speak of something fundamentally wrong with our politics and with us as a people. But the expectations of these desperate politicians can be checked without denying them the freedom of a party of their choice. They can be discouraged by the incoming administration ensuring probity and accountability in public offices.
These are the challenges facing our democracy. They can be checked through a decisive war against corruption and devolution of powers to make the center less attractive. Only then, can we discourage fair weather politicians and shameless contractors from gravitating to the winning party.