The Nation Newspaper

Tag: democracy

  • Democracy and duress

    It’s one thing to be declared the winner of an election; it’s another thing to be given a certificate of return to reinforce the declaration. Some election candidates who were declared winners don’t understand this. They think the declaration should be enough to get the certificate.

    It is interesting that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is interested in how election winners were declared winners. Take the case of Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha of the All Progressives Congress (APC), who was declared winner of the Imo West Senatorial District election held on February 23. When the Returning Officer, Prof Innocent Ibeawuchi, alleged that he was forced to declare Okorocha the winner of the poll, the allegation changed the situation.

    Ibeawuchi had told reporters that he was held hostage from 7pm on February 24 till 11am the following day.  He was quoted as saying:  “I was compelled to announce the result which was inconclusive. I am a man of integrity and it is not true that the governor slapped me but I was held hostage by agents working for him. I was manhandled and I thank God I came back alive.”

    Of course, the professor’s claim that he had declared Okorocha winner “under duress” calls into question how the governor won the senatorial election. It is striking that there are others like Okorocha whose election victories are doubtful because the returning officers involved were allegedly forced to declare them winners.

    INEC’s National Commissioner, Information and Voter Education, Mr Festus Okoye, said the commission had received similar reports concerning the National Assembly poll in Oju/Obi Federal Constituency in Benue State, as well as the House of Assembly elections in Niger and Akwa Ibom states.

    He told reporters in Makurdi on March 22: “The commission has not given a certificate of return to anyone from Obi/Oju, the same thing with Agaye state constituency in Niger State. There is also another state constituency in Akwa Ibom. So as of today, there are four areas where declarations were made under duress and we said we will not give certificates of return to those individuals.”

    “Some of them are already in court,” Okoye added, which means the public should expect riveting drama when the returning officers and the election candidates concerned tell their stories in court. A certificate of return should not be in the hands of an election candidate whose victory was declared under duress. Democracy is not about duress.

  • Terrorism, identity and democracy

    I start  and stand  today  with  the view  that  with regard  to Democracy  one man’s  food  is another  man’s  poison.  I  also lace that with  the dictum  that a  hero  in  an environment  can  be a villain to others,  in the same environment. Given  the title  of today’s  piece  it is not difficult  to guess the events  that engaged  my thoughts  and agitated  my mind  on the world  scene in the last  week.  These  are happenings  in the world at large  that have tasked  peaceful communal  living under  democracy  as we practice  it in various  parts of the world including Nigeria.

    These events have raised serious doubts about how democracy  is getting on with the rule of law and  are challenging the virtues of tolerance, and respect for dissent which have hitherto been the main selling point of democracy as the best ideology in the world as we know it today.  It  is  not  an issue  or development  that can  be explained  away  by apologetic concepts  like the Clash  of  Civilisations  or  the End  of  History,  because  these are  issues  that  have arisen  unexpectedly  in various  parts  of  the world  seemingly  unexpectedly  but in reality  were    bound  to  happen  sooner  than  later,  given the unusual  scenarios  that  preceded  them.

    For  today’s  analysis  I will  like to give  my own  definitions  of the concepts  I  have  chosen  for discussion,  namely  Terrorism , Identity  and Democracy,  mainly  for  today’s  discussion.  Which means I cannot  be held accountable  for  any  different  meaning thereafter.  Just  like the Nigerian Chief  Justice  Fatai  Williams ruled  that his  judgement  in the infamous  two  thirds  of  13 case  cannot  be taken  as a precedent  in  one of  Nigeria’s  many post  election  cases  that  make  you  wonder if  post  election verdicts  were  about  events that happened elsewhere and  not  in Nigeria  right before  our  eyes. This is  important  to  note especially  as we  enter  the season  of  post election litigations in  Nigeria.  This  undoubtedly    is  a very  lucrative  festive season  for  the  Nigerian  legal  system  and  the  judiciary.

    Not  to  mention the  ebullient array    of  Men  In  Silk called Queen’s  Counsels  elsewhere,  but  more  famously  prodigiously known as  SANs –  Senior  Advocates  of  Nigeria  –  in  our  great nation. This  then  is the background  of  my  conceptual definitions  today.

    I  define  terrorism not  only as killing of innocent  people  for whatever  causes  or motive  but  all  violations of set  rules  and values  of  democracy by  force  within  the state or  polity. I define Identity  as the nationality or  tribe  which  sets  one set of  people apart from another within the nation  state.  I  also define  democracy  as  government  of the people,  by the people and  for  the people  flowing from  free  and  fair  elections.

    Given  these  definitions  then  let  me highlight  the incidents to illustrate  them.  The first  is the prevalent  charge of militarization  of the last 2019  elections in  Nigeria  and the introduction  of the dubious  terminology  of’  inconclusive elections ‘ in many states  of  the Federation.  The  second  was the slaughter  of innocent  people in Europe  namely  New  Zealand and Netherlands  and the use  of such  tragic  events  for propaganda  and  electoral  campaign  by  Turkey’s  President Tayyip Erdogan. The  third  is the state of  leadership of  Nigeria’s  temple of  justice, the Judiciary as  we  enter  the era  of  post  election  litigation, after  surviving  or sailing    through  the much feared  era  of  post election  violence ,  literally  effortlessly.

    Let  me state  clearly  that    I  put  militarization  of politics, especially  elections  on the same pedestal  as terrorism by  Boko Haram  or  ISIS.  I  hold  the same view  on inconclusive elections when  it is  apparent  one side or  the other  is on the verge of  winning.  This  is because all involve the dehumanization  of  human  beings. One  – that    is terrorism – does  this  bloodily  and with blood  letting . The other  does it by killing the  voters    right  of  choice  of  those to give power to rule them. Both  castrate  human  values    and  make  nonsense of  the rule  of  law  and a mockery  of  democracy.  In  the last election  it  was apparent  that the state  was being  used  against the state in the deployment  of soldiers  to  guarantee  the security of  the elections  so  that people  can  go  out  to  vote. They went  out in the presidential  elections and stayed indoors in the state assembly  and  governorship  elections. That  is  not how democracies  work  and Nigeria  is  Africa’s  biggest  democracy.

    In  Rivers  state the Army  issued  a statement  to  accuse INEC  of bias.  It  must  have  been  hard  pressed to  do  that  and  the statement  was  bitter  and  had  a tinge  of betrayal  by INEC. That  incident  should  be probed  further  to know who  betrayed democracy and if  the referee, which  is  INEC  took  sides  in the election.  Such  actions  are  subversive  of  democracy and  are treasonable  as elections,  free  and fair,  are  the source of legitimacy, which is the end product  of  democracy  and which becomes  questionable when  elections are not free  and  fair  or are  abandoned to favor one group  of  contestants  or  another.

    Voters  in any  democracy should  not  be intimidated  or deterred from  coming to  polling  booths.  Such  actions are  as bad  as plain  rigging  and stand  shoulder  to  shoulder  with terrorism in devaluing  and  dehumanizing  voters and  humanity in the march towards  inequality  and  justice  which  are  the essence of any democracy.

    The  killing  of  worshippers in two  mosques  in  New  Zealand and three people  in a tram  in Utrecht in the  Netherlands  are  both tragic  and  condemnable  and the  leaders in both nations have shown that such  acts  are  not  part  of their  culture  or  way  of  life.  But  the truth  is that  the issue  of  identity  and  nationalism are  behind  both  events.  The  killers  are  really  mad  but they  are basically  mad  at  the influx  of  migrants  into their environment.  Such  killings are totally  uncalled  for  as  voters have a right  and duty  to vote  out pro or  anti migration  political parties  at  elections when  they  become due  and  that explains why new  parties  are  coming  to  parliaments  based  on these  anti immigration  concern  of  those  who think  that the EU  is for Europeans and  no one  else.  Yet  it is equally  objectionable the way  the Turkish  president  is  politicizing  the  issue  and making it look like  a religious  warfare. That  is blatant escalation of  religious  hatred  and is  dangerous  for  world peace  and  Turkey’s  Erdogan  should  be called  to order in the comity  of  nations.

    Thirdly  one  cannot  but  wonder  how  the judiciary  would handle our post  election  petitions  and litigations  when  it  is virtually  headless.  The  Acting  CJ  reportedly  defended his appointment  by saying  he was right  to make himself  available  for swearing  in because  he  is acting  and the Substantive CJ is just on  suspension.  But  the suspended CJ is  also  on trial  for  false declaration  of  assets. Yet  justice  on political  petitions  need a transparently  free  and fair  environment  to  thrive  and justice  must  not only be done  but  be seen  to  have been  done.

    For  now  given  the configuration of  leadership  of  our judiciary in this    election    petition  era,  one  can  only  repeat that  ancient  saying  that ‘the hood  does  not  make the monk. ‘ Which    really    is  a great  pity.  Once  again, Long live the Federal Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Elections, power and democracy

    The much  awaited  2019  elections  have come and gone and the APC is still  the ruling party  and President  Muhammadu  Buhari  is still  in power  even  though  his defeated opponent has gone to the courts  to  contest  his electoral  victory. That  in  a nutshell puts Nigeria in the league of nations  where  the rule of  law prevails  and  constitutionalism,  transparency  and accountability  are  the indices  of  the  march  into  democracy, the prevailing norm  and ideology  of  our  time.  Really  in  spite of  all  the problems which  beleaguered  our 2019  elections  I  feel proud  of the fact that it has come  and gone  peacefully  and the transition and Inauguration  are  up  and  coming.  I  say  this sincerely without  any  sarcasm  and insincerity  and you will  soon see  why.

    To  appreciate  what we have achieved  as a nation  on these elections  you  just  have  to  look at events in many  nations of the world  today  which  just went through elections or  are contemplating new  ones,  to know that  we  have achieved our  own indoor  miracle in landing in one piece  as a nation. Even  as the winners  and victors  celebrate  and the losers  count their losses and moan  in silence, wondering why their  luck  deserted  them  so much, this time  around. We  are  lucky  that  Nigerians  feel a sense  of relief  that the elections  have come  and gone  and  we are still  at  peace with each other despite the gloomy  predictions of  some so  called civilized nations and observers  who  have  come to  view  our elections as tourists in a foreign  zoo  in Africa.

    When  indeed  their own  brand of politics  and  values especially  on gay  rights  and sexual  equality  have turned their  environment into an arena of  cultural  Marxism versus  the rest, in a way  and manner  that shows  the decay  and decadence of  the democracy  they sold  so  gladly  to  us at  colonialism  and  globalization.

    I  therefore  want  to  highlight political  events in the US, Britain,  and    Venezuela  to show  that  comparatively  we have managed our politics  and elections  better  than  these  places. And like the lizard  that    landed flat  on its stomach  from  a great height  proverbially  said,  we  can  congratulate  ourselves  even if  no  one is going to applaud  our  electoral  feat.  Which again  I  say  with  all  seriousness is  no  mean  feat.

    Let  us  look  at  America  or  the United  States  of  America  [USA] which  some  have dubbed the Divided States of  America  [DSA] because  of  the deep  division  in the American  society  since the election of President Donald  Trump  in the 2016  presidential elections two  years  ago.  I  read  an  article recently in which the writer  was appealing  to liberal  and conservative democrats alike    in the US  to try and see  the other  side’s  point of  view instead of  seeing  those  with a different  point of view as devils incarnate.  The  writer  in particular  frowned  at  the slander, insult  and ridicule  with which  a section of the American  press covers the presidency  of  Donald  Trump  who  too believes  that  the press  is Public Enemy  No  1  and  has  tarnished  their professional  integrity  by calling them  fake news. The  point  I am  making is that two years  after their  presidential  elections Americans  are still at each others’  throat  over Russian meddling in the election  even  as they prepare  for  the  approaching  2020 presidential  elections. Yet  the US embassy  in  Nigeria  behaved as the international  albeit    unofficial  referee  of  our  2015 elections in which  power changed hands  and the 2019  election in which  power  was  consolidated,  with  Nigeria  maintaining  its head  as a nation  and  living up  to its motto of unity in diversity.

    In  Britain  where  Brexit  holds  sway in terms of  political discourse  and confusion, one  can  only feel  sorry  for Parliamentary  democracy  because the Brexit debate  and debacle has  shown  the Achilles  heel  of this  type  of  democracy. Indeed the  British  Parliament  has overreached itself  and has shown that  too many debates    lead  to  verbosity  and that  in the end breeds  confusion  and  leadership  misdirection. The  British  PM’s Brexit  Plan,  amended and not, has  been  defeated  several  times and yet  she is  planning another one even  though the Opposition leader  has suggested  a  general  election to choose  a government that    knows  what  it should  do  on Brexit.  Quite  interesting was the veiled  threat  by the Speaker  that  he would  veto a discussion on the PM’s  next  Brexit  Plan  if he sees  that the plan was just  the earlier debated  one  with  just  a change  of words.

    Worse  still  was  the observation by  an  MP  that  the PM said  it would be undemocratic to have  another referendum on leaving the EU or  not. Yet the PM did  not  see  it  undemocratic  to bring a defeated Brexit  Plan  for  debate  twice  or thrice. Again  the lesson  is that Britain  bungled a democratic  process  that was uncalled  for  because some of its  party  leaders  have  a false sense  of  Britain’s  importance  and relevance  in  the world. Yet despite  the  appalling  failing  voice  of its PM  in  Parliament no one  especially  no  gentlemen dared  query  her physical  capability for  leadership  because  that would be sexist  challenge.  That is  how  far  British  civilization  has  led itself  even  as they too sent observers  to  watch  our elections when  they  do  not know what they  want to do with the result  they  voted  for  with  Brexit.  Really,  charity  could  begin at home in Britain.

    In  Venezuela  there  is  confusion after  the last  presidential elections  of 2018  which the Speaker of the National  Assembly claimed  was rigged  and  which  the incumbent  President Nicolas Maduro  claimed  he won.  The Speaker Juain Guuado    proclaimed himself president  and the EU  and  US  have  recognized  him  as Interim  President  while  the incumbent  president  has thanked the military  for  standing by him and keeping him in  power.  Venezuela is  a socialist    country  and  China, Russia and  Turkey  are backing  the incumbent  and newly  elected  president.    Since  the election over 3m  Venezuelans  have fled    the  country.  So there is no peace in Venezuela  since their  last  election  in 2018 as they have two  internationally  recognized  presidents.

    In  effect  then  while  we  may  moan  about  our  many  electoral shortcomings  and  inadequacies  over these 2019  elections, we as a nation can  thank  God    for the peaceful elections we  just  went through.  This  does  not mean  we have swept  our  problems with our peculiar brand of democracy where  might is right  under the table. It  is a way  of thanking  God  that it could have been  worse. Once again, long live  the Federal  Republic  of  Nigeria.

  • Democracy with diarchical overtones

    THOSE who have long suggested that Nigerian democracy exhibits diarchical overtones may not be far from the truth. Increasingly, diarchy, which is defined as a form of government in which power is held by two supreme rulers or two governing bodies, is manifesting in Nigeria in a way that is no longer dubitable. Both the Nigerian military and the Nigeria Police make their presence powerfully felt in the polity, so much so that the people have become accustomed to their imperious and periodic interventions in governance and politics. Indeed, at various times, the two security establishments have often summoned political leaders for peace and good behaviour parleys where the Riot Act is read to them. Clearly, the military and the police still find their role as subordinate institutions to civil authorities strange and repugnant.

    So far in this Fourth Republic, there is no state where the police, especially during election periods, do not summon the political class to extract a commitment for peaceful politicking. The political class, which should be directing and instructing the police, however, dutifully obeys the summons and often signs documents binding them to certain rules of behaviour. While they have rarely summoned the political class, the military on their own often prefers to issue notices instructing or warning politicians to abide strictly by certain rules of electioneering. Only last Wednesday, the Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai, a Lt.-Gen., couched his warnings to the political class in the guise of alerting thugs and militias to the readiness of the military to deal with those who might wish to import strange and unlawful elements into yesterday’s elections.

    The problem, it must be emphasised, is not whether the intentions of the police and military are noble, but that they often act in ways that render permission from any supervising authority redundant.  In a democracy, it is expected that the civilian heads of the military, to wit, the Defence minister and his minister of state, should address issues dealing with the political class, knowing full well how anomalous it is for the military to directly address politicians or the civil populace. More than 20 years after the military relinquished power, they have yet to exorcise the overlordship they exercised over the system from their veins. But because the federal government has yet to appreciate all the dynamics of civil rule, and have operated a unitary system of government in which the military and police are seen as integral to the projection of power, it has not quite put in place measures and systems that would preclude the security services from directly addressing and instructing the country’s political class and civil leadership.

    These diarchical overtones may explain why Nigerian presidents are still entitled to a military aide-de-camp, which in the 1970s began with an officer of the rank of lieutenant under military rule, but has steadily risen unbelievably to the rank of colonel under civil rule. In tandem, governors at the state level have police aides-de-camp. The absurdity has trickled down to local government chairmen who are now also accompanied by policemen serving informally as their aides-de-camp. These may not strictly be indications of diarchy in the sense argued by Nnamdi Azikiwe, but it is definitely an overtone.

    In his book, Democracy with Military Vigilance, Zik responded to Military Head of State Yakubu Gowon’s request for ideas concerning what form of government should succeed his government, by suggesting that a five-year diarchical interregnum would be appropriate. Gen. Gowon had obviously been stalling over the transition to civil rule. The great Zik had suggested that a diarchy should be enthroned for five years in the first instance, and subsequently reviewed depending on the progress made. The former governor-general was heavily criticised for his suggestions, but the military took note, and in one form or the other over the years, appeared to introduce elements of diarchy into the transition programme.

    It is not only absurd for the president to have a military aide de camp, it is a waste of military assets and a ridicule of the art of government to press a whole colonel into service for that purpose. This absurd diarchical overreach is a distinctly Nigerian culture, a culture sadly noticeable only among a few other backward African countries. It should be discontinued. More importantly, the appalling habit of the military independently insinuating themselves into civil governance in the name of keeping the peace and securing the country, especially through the issuance of threats and warnings and periodic anti-crime operations, must be recognised for what they are: unacceptable and disingenuous continuation of military cum diarchical tendencies.

    Let the civilian heads of the military class address the public whenever the need arises. As the recent horrendous brutalisation of Shiite protesters in Abuja also shows, the military must discontinue the habit of spontaneous deployment of soldiers in the streets. Such deployments, which have become commonplace, discredit the military, undermine service discipline, corrupts governance, and in fact endangers and distorts democracy as well as subverts the constitutional powers and authority of elected governments. Even the supposedly acceptable deployment of soldiers in highways and troubled inner cities through operation this and that merely postpones the tough task of grappling with the diminution of the police.

  • In defence of democracy

    SIR: One may sometimes wonder why things continue to fall apart for Nigeria since the return of democracy in 1999.Why is a government meant for the people (the majority) catering for the needs of the few (the minority) ? Why is nearly half of the population living in extreme poverty in spite of the surplus wealth of the nation? Why is unemployment still looming large…?

    There are reasons for this. One of which is election of incompetent leaders to manage the nation’s affairs. Prof. Chinua Achebe pithily captures it this way; “the trouble with Nigeria is simply and squarely a failure of leadership…the Nigeria problem is the inability of its leaders to rise to responsibility, to the challenge of personal example which are all mark of leadership…I am saying that Nigeria can change today if she discovers leaders who have the will, the ability and vision”.

    Here is the question that needs to be asked and answered, again. Have we discovered leaders with “the will, the ability and vision” as we cast our vote in the next few days?

    Undoubtedly, this election will be a defining moment for the country. It will determine the future of the giant of Africa. Nevertheless, we have reasons to be hopeful and confident that it will usher in leaders with the will, ability and vision to make Nigeria a haven of opportunities for all its citizens regardless of social or economic status, creed, ethnicity or what have you.

    We need not worry or fear as long as we know that Nigeria’s problems are too vague and vast to be viewed through the dark lenses of ignorance and too complex for us to move away from it through the wheels of gut feelings. As we head to the polls on Saturday, let us remember that our problems can only be surmounted if our actions are not rooted in “criminal complacency, intellectual indolence and superficiality” as Chief Obafemi Awolowo captured it in a press conference marking the launch of his book “The Strategy and Tactics of the People’s Republic of Nigeria” in 1970.

    The democratic system in operation has given us (the  masses) an  important role of  selecting leaders so that the political class including the power-drunk among them become impotent to manage public affairs like a private one. We should therefore not misuse this huge responsibility and opportunity that comes once every four years.

    If our capacity to make rational and right choices is why we adopt democracy and conduct elections, let now be the time for the will of the people and real societal demand to prevail over any selfish interest. Let now be the time we will vote based on a reasoned analysis of ideas, options and choices. Let this 2019 general election put us in the threshold of prosperity.

    Let’s vote wisely! God bless Nigeria!

    • Abdulquadri Toyeeb, Kwara State.

  • NeoColonialism, militarisation, and democracy

    In  global  diplomacy this week France  and Italy, staunch  allies in the EU  and  NATO  were  at each  other’s throat  over migration, with the Italians blaming  French Neocolonialism  for  the death of Africans fleeing   through  the Mediterranean  into  Europe.  In   Nigeria,  former  President Olusegun Obasanjo  continued his assault  on the  reelection bid  of  President Muhammadu  Buhari. Just  as   the   government  continues  with the prosecution of the nation’s CJN  over  false  declaration  of assets   after  brushing aside  legal  irritants and constraints in the law courts  to derail  the governments’  resolve.  These  issues  have  broad historical, economic  and ethical    underpinnings  that we shall  examine in all ramifications today.

    As an African and Nigerian following  global  development  and history   diligently  I was very  pleased  with the spat  between Italy  and France over  African migrants . Indeed  the two Italian  Vice PMs,  Luigi   Di  Maio,     Matteo  Salvini   in the populist  coalition in power in Italy  have not given  French  President Emmanuel  Macron  any  breathing space over the issue of migration.  One of them Di  Maio said  if  France  had decolonized  as it should Africans will   be in Africa  and not be lying dead in the Mediterranean.  Which  is a real  home truth not only   for  Macron’s  France  but  also to Theresa  May’s    Brexit   ridden  Britain  which  colonized  Nigeria.  Indeed I intend  to    show  that British  decolonisation  ineptitude  and  shoddy  hand over of power to  Nigerians is as blamable  for Nigeria’s  present  political  woes.  Just  like the Italians  are blaming France for  Africans  fleeing poverty  and dying  on  the Mediterranean  sea.  Indeed the fact  that  the major  and persistent   critic of the re election of  our    president  was once a military   and civilian president,  just like the president he is  attacking for ineptitude,  shows  clearly  how militarised  our  democracy  has become  since Independence  in 1960 . Again,  that too   is   obvious   in  the way and manner   that  the British not  only  decolonized  poorly    al  but  also    entrenched,  deliberately   an insidious and precarious Neocolonialism  in  Nigeria .

    In  the  case of the  CJN trial  and the efforts  made  by the CJN’s  lawyers  to stop  the trial, it is clear  that  the accused  has  something to hide. Otherwise  why  can  he not  see  that he cannot be a judge  in his own case?  The  CJN cannot be a referee  and  a player  at  the same time as that is against  the principle of natural  justice.  Surely  a CJN  should   know  that  as well as what  to  do to  avoid further  opprobrium on this  matter. QED

    We  go  back  to the condemnation of France   by Italy   for the global  migration problem  especially  with regard to  Africa.  According  to reports Matteo  Salvini    leader  of the Italian   League  said’ In  Africa some take wealth  from the continent and the people  and France  is one of them ‘.  That  is  the truth  but the fact that it is being said by  a EU  leader  makes it very  important.  France  has protested by summoning the Italian Ambassador in Paris.  But  that is like fake  news  because  France is  guilty  as charged.  In  real  fact  the French  have  always  been  in charge of  IMF,  the bank  used   by the west in giving aid to developing nations  including   African  nations.  The  last  two MDs  of  the IMF  including the present  one, Christine  Legard  were from France   and  the IMF  is on record  as ruining  the governments of  Sfrican nations including  Nigeria  by giving loans  with crippling conditionalities  which  created  failed  states like Somalia .  France still  has troops in African  nations to make them  toe its line or risk their leaders  being removed.  It  happened  in Ivory  Coast recently  and Gbagbo  is still in ICC custody even  after  being  cleared  at  the trial   in the Hague    for lack  of evidence.  It    may  be  poor  consolation  and  a  belated  one too  that an  European  nation  is blaming another for  exploiting  African  nations under  colonialism  and neo  colonialism.  But   then   the truth  has prevailed and France  must  at  least  show some  compunction or  shame   instead  of  being hypocritical  about  its  shady  past in Africa.

    Britain  too  should  share  part  of the blame with France  for exploiting  Africans  and creating the poverty leading to  African   migration to Europe through the Mediterranean. In  this case I hold  Britain responsible  for  the lopsided  democracy  it left  Nigeria with and the census  figure  that environmental,  geographic  and demographic  indices.  Nigeria’s  political and parliamentary  seats   and representation have  been based  on these census  figures  and that  has created a dangerous  tension  that gave one part of the nation an  advantage over the other.  It  has led to many  military intervention led by Northerners and has ensured  that the North has had  more leaders  at  the center  than  the   south.

    In  addition globalisation has  also  brought in democratization hand in hand  with  marketization  and  privatization. All  of which  have led to immense increase in the gap  between the rich  and the poor resulting in poverty  and  dismal  growth for  Nigria.  The  military interventions  also  created a class of supper  rich former military leaders  who  were able to shed their  braided  hats  and boots   for  flowing gowns and  toga  to  take over  our  governments   and legislature as senators and MPs.  Corruption  and rigging  of elections  have  become our  political  culture.  That explains  why  the loudest  critic  of the system  of politics  we  run  is also  the   biggest  beneficiary  and is  never  satisfied  with  the status  quo.  Yet  in furtherance of  the   ruling clique  motto  of  espirit de  corps   or   dog   does  not eat   dog,  the mighty  critic  still  attended a meeting of former Heads of  States  and still  shook  hands  with the man he said  was  sick in mind  and spirit.  At  least  he could  have stayed  away  and avoided  contamination  with those  he has assigned to hell for leading the  nation astray and into  perdition  so eloquently  in his   last  two salvos  against  this same government  that hosted him in Abuja.  But  then  such  is the nature of  our democracy bequeathed  to us  by  the  British and spoon  fed  by them in supervising rigged  elections  with  international  observers whose governments  are always the first to congratulate  the successful riggers.  That  in a way  explains the glee I feel  at British embarrassment over Brexit.   A  situation where our former colonisers  do  not know  where   or   what    they  want  with  the EU over Brexit   could   be  very   embarrassing and   shameful   for  those  who  operate  the Mother of  Parliaments .  Certainly  with  the benefit of hindsight  the British  should  know in their Brexit  overdose  and inebriation ,  that those who  sow the wind of colonialism must  reap  its whirlwind.  Surely   the chicken  has come home to roost  for  British  colonialism. Just  like the Italians  told  the French  on the issue of African  migrants fleeing poverty  and dying  in the Mediterranean.  Once  again, long live the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria.

  • Democracy, checks and balances

    I had a very brief but interesting discussion recently with Nigerian veteran legal luminary  Alhaji  Femi  Okunnu  in which  I disagreed with his observation that the  Prime Minister in a Parliamentary democracy is more powerful than  the President in a presidential  system of government.  We  could not conclude the discussion   but events in the world at  large  this week  seem  to  focus on our points  of divergence in that discussion and that  is  what  I want  to dilate on today   as  that  really influenced the choice  of  today’s topic.  Let  me first  reel  out the events before I  treat  them  individually. The  firsts  is  the ding dong battle in the British Parliament   this week  that  bloodied  the nose of the British  PM Theresa May  but  failed  to deliver the ultimate  knock  out  blow to throw  her out of office  and out   of  power.  The second  is the arraignment  of  Nigeria’s  CJN   for  malpractices  on declaration of assets by the government in a move that is not only alarming but disturbing on the eve of the 2019  elections in which   the judiciary  headed by the CJN    is expected  to be the final  arbiter on  post  election petitions and grievances.

    The third  is the clever  strategy of US House  of  Representative Speaker Nancy  Pelosi  not  to  invite US President Donald Trump  to  the  State of the  Union Address    on the grounds  of security  arising from  the US President’s  action of closing down  government unless  and until  the House  of  Representatives   allows    him  to have funds  to build  a border  wall  against  Mexico  on security  grounds. Really    I  find the three  topics  very  appetizing  for  some good  analysis.

    We  go back  to the turbulent scene  this week on Brexit  at  the British Parliament.  The  first  vote on the PM Brexit  deal  as proposed was a crushing defeat  for the PM the worst  for any government in ages. But  it was a deal that was always like a still  born  baby or a casualty  brought in dead   for   the British PM and the margin of loss over 200 votes reflected  the dismal  prospects  for her deal.  She  was however  not the only  casualty. The second  was the Opposition leader Jeremy  Corbyn who  gloated over  the deal  defeat  and called for  a vote  of confidence  which  also  predictably  failed  for the  simple reason   that  MPs, both  for  or against  the deal,  would  rather  fall  on their swords  than  see Jeremy  Corbyn  emerge  as the British  PM  at  this point  in time, Brexit  or no Brexit. In  addition Corbyn   had underestimated   the fear of MPs   at  this point in time to go  back for  a renewal of their mandates from hostile Constituents pissed   off with politicians handling of  the last  referendum that gave birth to Brexit. Effectively  then MPs  on both sides of  the divide on the PM’s deal  buried the hatchet   and dealt  Corbyn’s No  Confidence  vote  another defeat albeit  with a much lower margin   than  the PM’s   deal  death.

    The  lesson  here to me is that  in a Parliamentary  democracy, MPs  run  the show to show  that  Parliament  is supreme   and  can  intimidate  both  the cabinet  and opposition to  submission if the need  arose as we saw   this  week.  That to me makes accountability and transparency more  readily and speedily  available in the open debate and votes   as  displayed at the British  Parliament  over Brexit  recently.

    We  go   next  to the tango  between two  arms of Nigeria’s presidential  system  of government, namely  the executive and the judiciary  over  the   arraignment  of the  CJN  at  the Code of  Conduct  Tribunal. On  the surface  this would look  as  a political ploy  by the government to silence or intimidate  the judiciary.  But  are  judicial  officers  above the law?  My  answer  is no  and as the law says, those who come to equity must  come with  clean hands. Anyway  the saying is  also  apt  and relevant  here  that Caesar’s  wife must  be  above reproach  and Caesar’s  wife  is  the arraigned CJN   whose  defence  largely  rests on ignorance  or timing of the law. Yet  as a legal  juggernaut he should   know   that ignorance of the law is no excuse,  especially  in the inner  recesses of our temple of justice where he presides.

    It  is pertinent  to recall  here   that the executive took on the  legislature when  the Senate President was arraigned before  the same tribunal  for  similar  charges connected with declaration of assets. The Senate  President was eventually  cleared at the Supreme  Court.  Was that a case of those in glass  houses throwing stones when  they should  not.? Anyway  the  senate  president  survived  the   ordeal  and lived  to fight another  day. It  is now  the turn  of the CJN to fend  for  himself with  his  well known  legal  erudition which  got him  to the pinnacle  of  his profession which  also  preaches very  firmly that nobody  is above the law.  This  trial  promises  to be the greatest  rumble in the jungle in our temple of  justice that  will  definitely keep  our political  system on tenterhooks  as we face the all important 2019 elections.  Nothing  demonstrates  the challenges  of  our presidential  system  and its delicate  balance of power  more  than  the trial  of  the CJN   at  the CCT. It    is like the law itself   is   on trial in  Nigeria    in  a bid to establish  the rule of law in our fledgling democracy. It   certainly  is a situation that  beggars   description in terms of ethics and morality  which  is the basis of the law  in any society, including  Nigeria.

    We  end  up  with  the Nancy  Pelosi strategy  to steal  the thunder of Donald Trump  over the State of  THE Union Address which  any   US  president  looks  forward to in delivering before  a Joint  Congress. Pelosi who  has purview in inviting the president has cheekily  suggested the president could do it from the White  House  because  staff  to provide security  for the  event  have not been paid. Which  is like Nancy  Pelosi  telling the American  President – Play  me foul –  on  security –  and I play  you  tricky, and that  is a quotation from the book Kidnapped  by R L Stevenson  that I read in secondary  school. In  plain  terms the House Speaker is telling the US President  that he does not have a monopoly of aggressive  and disruptive  political  actions in his quest  to  keep  his campaign promises  and that what is good  for the goose  can  be good for the gander. Which  is vintage political  tit  for  tat.  Once again  long live the Federal  Republic of  Nigeria.

  • Buhari seeks respect for democracy in Gabon

    President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday called for respect for democracy in the oil-rich west-central African nation of Gabon.

    He made the call following reports of attempted military takeover in the country.

    According to him, the era of coups in Africa is over.

    Buhari, in a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and publicity, Garba Shehu, said “The military officers in Gabon should understand that the era of military coups and governments in Africa and indeed worldwide, is long gone.

    “Democracy is supreme and the constitutional stipulations on the peaceful change of administration must be respected.

    Read Also: Buhari: Tinubu’ll be fully in charge of my campaign

    “That is the only way we can ensure peace and stability not only within the country but also in the region.” he said

    President Buhari, who is also the ECOWAS Chairman, urged military officers with political ambitions to resign or face their constitutional role.

    He also enjoined the people of Gabon to remain on the side of peace, security, stability and democracy in their country.

  • Democracy in Nigeria

    Prospects and Retrospect

    Retro-perspective

    A new year is often a period of renewal and rejuvenation; of renewed faith and boundless optimism. You remember those who could not make it to this point, the heroic and the noble who fell to the grim reaper and you begin to entertain the plausible thought that you might have been spared for something. Hope springs eternal in the human breast.

    In the circumstance, it is not a wise or nice thing to begin the New Year with bleak prognosis about the state of the nation and partisan recriminations about which group, sect, profession or people have done the most damage to the nation. Nor is it polite and politic to dwell on the savage nature of the post-colonial state in Nigeria. This is like adding to the burden and torment of an already overburdened and tormented populace.

    Yet with a make or mar presidential election which may redraw the psychological, ontological and sociological map of the nation suddenly closing in like a monstrous apparition, we cannot afford to go to sleep with our eyes closed. After twenty years of operation, by far the longest stretch in the history of the nation, civil rule and democracy are beginning to show signs of unaccustomed stress and tension. There is no road map or navigational compass.

    Once again, the ship of state has entered uncharted waters. This is in the nature of the nation-state paradigm. The current Brexit imbroglio that has virtually crippled purposeful governance in Britain must open our eyes. Judging by the ill-bred conduct and anarchic comportment of the British ruling class, a ruling class famously dismissed as a failed elite by Bagehot of The Economist, you would have thought that the UK is a recent nation-state. But they have been at it for over five hundred years.

    In the event, we can either roll up our sleeves, come up with original and creative ideas and ideals to reinvent the ailing nation-state paradigm in Nigeria or we can resort to anarchic temperamental outbursts, ethnic baiting, hate-suffused intra-tribal vitriol and empty grandstanding. This will not make the tempest to recede. In all likelihood, and without any ill-will towards whoever wins the forthcoming election, the storm is likely to proceed at furious pace. This is because what faces us is a fundamental systemic gridlock.

    It has been said that people make history but not under the circumstances of their choice. This historic truism remains as valid as ever. It is also a historic certitude that individuals often fight valiantly and heroically for a cause only to find that what they have fought for is not quite what has happened. It is then left for the struggle to resume in other frameworks.

    In order to gain durable insights into the Nigerian conundrum, it is important to develop a longer perspective of history and its oxymoronic formulation of “the long revolution”. A long revolution is a contradiction in terms but this is often how human history unfolds with a calm and annoying lack of hurry and haste.

    It is what French historians call “la longue duree “, a longer view of history which cannot be accessed in the din and devastation of immediate battle and which allows us a slow-motion view of national contradictions as they unfold and reach their denouement. It is an engaging and engrossing drama indeed with the nation itself as spectacular theatre. We must now turn to this.

  • Let’s humanise our democracy

    SIR: Democracy is a system of government that guarantees and prioritizes the rights and freedoms of citizens in a state. It ensures that the people choose who governs them through periodic elections. Leaders in a democratic system emerge through the consent of the people, thereby ensuring that leaders are people with legitimate mandate. It is on this premise that legitimacy is seen as the cornerstone of every democracy.

    Legitimacy derives its meaning in a political system by the surrenderingof citizens’ rights to the state, with the expectation that the statewill guarantee the people their rights and freedoms.

    Democracy from time immemorial has always been centred on the people ofa state and their willingness to surrender some of their rights and privileges to the state for the greater good of the society. This is thelogic behind the practice of election. Humanism on the other hand is thethreshold of democracy. As it relates to politics, it is a situation whereby citizens of the country donate and will their individual strengths, rights and privileges to a group of people so that thesepersons can in turn take care of their needs. This is what is commonly referred to as sovereignty of the people.

    A state therefore is madestrong through the people and a people’s strength is defined by its government. Politics in its ideal sense is business transacted with the currency of humanism. Humanism is a philosophical and ethical stance that emphasizes the value and agency of human being and the preservation of the dignityof man. To be in politics presupposes that one is a human; to be humanimplies that one is an offspring of another human. Being human is notjust living but having the consciousness that you exist because otherslive and if you must live then others must be made to live through youractions and sacrifices.

    Politically speaking, leaders are leadersbecause they carry the burden of people around them. A leader in itstrue sense is a burden bearer, someone who is obsessed with a passionfor meeting humanitarian challenges in the society. It is within thiscontext that the idea of democratic humanism takes its root.

    Democratichumanism stems from ethical values such as justice, fairness and equity.These virtues are manifest in a political system in forms of constitutionality, the rule of law, respect for the human dignity and accountability.

    Democratic humanism as a political concept is the affirmation of the supremacy of the worth, dignity of the individual over and above everyother priorities of the state. It is a system that it is opposed totyranny, corruption and cronyism. One of the essences of democracy is tohumanize man and the primary responsibility of government is to protectthe lives and rights of citizens. Leaders therefore are watchmen andwomen assigned with the task of humanizing society and protecting citizens from all forms of prey that endanger human from living a life of dignity.

    Unfortunately in Nigeria, the idea of humanism within the political turfseems alien. Politics is being practiced with little or no regard forthe sanctity of human life. It is sad to observe that political playershave ascended to dizzy heights of desperation, thuggery violence andpolitical wars in the pursuit of their aspirations. In the past monthsin Nigeria, innocent citizens have been maimed; properties destroyedwhile hollowed democratic institutions have been desecrated owing toactivities of politicians. These acts of shenanigan by politicians constitute democratic sins and political immorality within the context of democratic humanism.

    Politicians in Nigeria should appreciate thatthe foundation of our nation is made strong on the collective worth anddignity of the citizens. So each time a citizen is debased the strengthof the nation diminishes.

    Those who use state power arbitrarily, to suppress, persecute, inconvenience and deny dignities of other citizens should realize thatthe power they exercise is made possible because other citizens agree todonate their rights for the sake governance. All leaders must bear inmind that power comes with the moral responsibility to be ethical andact justly. Nigeria’s political system is in dire need of leaders whowill not just profess to be democrats but democratic humanist.

    Our task as citizens of Nigeria, whether as leaders of followers, is to freeourselves from the bondage of self-centeredness by broadening our circleof compassion and ploughing daily on the soil of communalism towards a national harvest of hope, peace and love.

    • Wealth Dickson Ominabo,

    Twitter @wealthdickson