Politics
Political Killings And Survival Of Democracy
Political assassinations have become the major outcome of political violence in Nigeria to the extent that most individuals and groups see the adoption of assassination as necessary means to settle political scores.
To worsen the situation is the dismal effort of the security agencies in bringing culprits of such dastardly and gruesome killings to book. The police are quick to attribute such reported cases of political assassinations to armed robbers without any proper investigation and verifiable evidence.
However, the ineffectiveness of the national security agencies, the inter and intra-party squabbles and the bloody political war that loom in some states such as Plateau are posing great danger to Nigeria’s democracy.
Many Nigerians have viewed with sadness, the inclusive poor level of police investigation into the various cases of political assassinations that have remained mystery till date. The inability of security agencies to resolve such killings, many believe is likely to threaten not only the Nigeria’s democracy but the upcoming political and electoral activities preparatory to 2011 general elections.
An activist and co-ordinator, Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD), Port Harcourt, Patrick Naagbanton said “This culture of impunity of political killings and assassinations will continue because there is no judicial repercussion against previous killings in Nigeria to deter or serve as a deterrent to other culprits”.
While many Nigerians believe that the end has come to political assassinations, another page on the trend was opened Monday, January 25, 2010 when a prominent politician and Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in the 2007 Election, Otunba Dipo Dina was shot dead by yet unknown gunmen near Sango Ota in Ogun State.
The notable philanthropist and politician was shot by suspected assassins near the Covenant University on Ota Idi-Iroko Road while returning from Abeokuta Ogun State capital to his home in Lagos.
The late politician, it would be recalled was locked in a fierce legal battle with the incumbent Governor of Ogun State, Chief Gbenga Daniel of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) over the outcome of the conduct of the 2007 Governorship Election in that state.
The killing of the politician came one week after scores of people were injured as a result of clash between supporters of the Governor Gbenga Daniel and another opposition candidate in the 2007 Governorship Election in Ogun State, Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) in Ibadan Oyo State capital shortly after court of Appeal Ibadan adjournment in the Election Petition filed by Senator Amosun against the victory of Chief Gbenga Daniel.
Indeed there have been polarisation of PDP into factions in Ogun State with factional groups juxtaposing for political powers come 2011 in the State.
According to the Environmental activist, Patrick Naagbanton, the situation in Ogun State is all about political power tussles without necessarily the political class evaluating the impact of such power struggle and tussle on governance, security of lives and democracy.
“My understanding of the political power tussles in Ogun State is that, there is power tussle between the Governor Gbenga Daniel’s camp and the Obasanjo –Dimeji Bankole, House of Representatives, Speaker’s Camp. The latter camp is probably looking forward to using a compromise opposition candidate to deal with the former camp through the judicial process,” Naagbanton declared.
But even as Nigerians are asking who killed Dipo Dina, the police have attributed the killing to armed robbery attack.
According to the Ogun State Commissioner of Police, Alhaji Musa Daura, the killing of Otunba Dipo Dina has element of robbery and element of assassination, but Action Congress leadership in South West believes the killing rather has political undertone in view of Otunba Dipo Dina long political battles in Ogun State with the incumbent Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governor, Otunba Gbenga Daniel.
Meanwhile, Human Rights Lawyer and President West Africa Bar Association (WABA) Femi Falana has described Daura’s comments on the killing of Otunba Dipo Dina by armed robbers as very hasty and irresponsible.
Femi Falana said that “hasty conclusion made a huge mockery of investigation by the police.” Though the Federal Government had condemned the gruesome murder of the politician, it directed the police authorities in the country to fish out and prosecute those behind the killing.
Media aide to Acting President, Ima Niboro reportedly said “we are committed to ensuring that the days where our citizens whether prominent or not are usually felled by gunmen of whatever discipline are gone forever”, adding that the relevant intelligence agencies must rise to the occasion.
However, with this assassination, the list of unresolved murder in Nigeria has swelled. There is generally high level of insecurity in the land. What this portends for 2011 general election is the ink in the blood of most Nigerians. Most disturbing is that political assassination have become a regular feature in Nigeria.
The assassination of Dipo Dina and many unresolved killings in the country, to say the least, is not healthy. To fair-minded Nigerians, the nation is descending progressively into a land where anything can happen and there will be no accountability. Both the police and judiciary must rise to the challenge of the occasion. Since the record of previous mysterious assassinations, no court of law has ever convicted any culprit to serve as deterrent to any would-be hired assailant.
The security system in Nigeria should be improved upon to guarantee the sanctity of life. The political class should be re-oriented on issues, not self interest that can not promote healthy politicking.
According to Naabulobari Naazigha-Lue, State Chairman, committee for the Defence of Human Rights, frantic efforts should be made to get illegal weapons off the hands of certain political chieftains and thugs, while the police should intensify efforts at checking the movement of arms and ammunition as Nigeria moves towards 2011 polls.
Governor Douye Diri has set a target of at least one million votes for President Bola Tinubu in Bayelsa State in the 2027 presidential election, while charging the newly inaugurated All Progressives Congress (APC) State Campaign Council to prioritise reconciliation, party unity and collective electoral mobilisation.
Governor Diri gave the charge at the inauguration of the 20-member campaign council at the APC secretariat in Yenagoa, where he warned that internal divisions could undermine the party’s efforts to secure victory for President Tinubu and other candidates at the federal and state levels.
Governor Diri urged party members who were not appointed to the council to support its activities by taking the APC’s message to communities, wards and polling units across the state.
He specifically charged the campaign team to mobilise at least one million votes for President Tinubu, arguing that Bayelsa’s voting strength had increased and should be reflected in the 2027 election results.
“I give you a target that in Bayelsa, we must not bring less than one million votes for Mr President. You are going to campaign, and you have a lot to talk about the President. He has done so much for our people,” the governor said.
He listed the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway, the second phase of the Nembe-Brass Road, interventions in the power sector, federal appointments for Bayelsa indigenes and the establishment of the Ministry of Marine and Blue Economy among the achievements the campaign should present to voters.
The governor particularly praised President Tinubu for the coastal highway project, arguing that it reflected federal attention to the development needs of coastal communities.
“No president, alive or dead, has remembered the coastal people and coastal states to say let us do this signature project from Lagos to Calabar. The first president to think about it is Bola Tinubu, and those were the demands of the Ijaw people,” he said.
Governor Diri also expressed hope that a second term for President Tinubu would provide an opportunity to advance demands for fiscal federalism, greater resource control and state policing, which he described as longstanding aspirations of the Niger Delta.
He said the President had shown indications of addressing some of the demands of younger Nigerians and argued that re-election would allow the administration to consolidate its reforms.
The governor further cautioned campaigners against personal attacks and abusive exchanges with political opponents, insisting that the APC should focus its campaign on issues, policies and achievements.
The governor’s mobilisation directive comes amid criticism from the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has questioned his commitment to President Tinubu’s re-election campaign, alleging that APC campaign billboards erected across Yenagoa promote other party candidates without featuring the President.
The PDP, through its Publicity Secretary, Mr Ikaebimo Mark, said the billboards showed Governor Diri urging voters to support APC candidates for the National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections without identifying President Tinubu as the party’s presidential candidate.
Mr Mark described the omission as an indication that the governor was not fully aligned with the APC’s national leadership.
“When we said that the governor, Senator Douye Diri, is not supporting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, we knew exactly what we were saying. Now Governor Douye Diri has erected APC campaign billboards across Bayelsa State without Tinubu’s picture. He is even afraid to associate himself with the photograph of the presidential candidate of his own party. How can this governor claim to be supporting President Tinubu?” he said.
The PDP, however, maintained that the governor’s public campaign posture raised questions about his commitment to the President’s re-election bid. Its allegation over the billboards now places the issue of the relationship between the state APC leadership and the party’s national campaign among the political questions likely to feature in Bayelsa’s preparations for 2027.
The PDP’s allegation has introduced a fresh political dimension to the APC’s preparations in Bayelsa, even as Governor Diri publicly called on party leaders and members to close ranks and mobilise support for all its candidates.
“Every person picked as a member of this campaign council was carefully scrutinised. I want to tell you that our campaign team is loaded. We parade the best candidates among all the parties in Bayelsa State, and there is no doubt about that,” he said.
He urged members to remain focused and united, warning that political opponents could exploit any divisions within the party.
“Our unity is very important because they would want to feast on our disunity. We will not give them that opportunity. Please, as you carry out this assignment, do not take your eyes off the target,” Hon. Ogoriba said.
SP Edafe explained that during the meeting, the organisers were briefed on the identified security threats and advised against embarking on an open-road procession.
Instead, the police reportedly recommended that the political activities be conducted at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
However, the Command alleged that the organisers disregarded the security advice and proceeded with the road procession.
Meanwhile, the Delta State Government has condemned the political violence that erupted in Asaba, the state capital, on Saturday, confirming that one person was killed while four others sustained serious injuries.
The government described the incident as unfortunate and unacceptable, warning political parties and their supporters against actions capable of threatening public peace, security and democratic participation in the state.
In a statement issued by the Commissioner for Works (Rural Roads) and Public Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, the government reiterated its zero tolerance for political violence, intimidation and other forms of political misconduct.
Mr Aniagwu said the government had repeatedly cautioned political parties against engaging in activities capable of disrupting the peace, insisting that the incident could have been avoided if the organisers had followed security advice.
According to him, the police had advised the organisers to cancel the proposed street march and instead conduct their political campaign at a designated venue where adequate security arrangements could be provided.
He expressed concern that the advice was allegedly disregarded, resulting in a confrontation that claimed one life and left four other people seriously injured.
The government subsequently called on the police to conduct a thorough investigation into the circumstances surrounding the violence and ensure that anyone found culpable is brought to justice.
Mr Aniagwu further warned that the state government would not tolerate politically motivated attacks against any individual, regardless of political affiliation.
He maintained that Delta State remained safe for residents and visitors, stressing that the government would not allow the actions of individuals or groups to undermine the prevailing peace and security in the state.
The government also urged political parties, their leaders and supporters to conduct their political activities within the confines of the law and demonstrate respect for human life, public order and the rights of other citizens.
The latest development follows an attack on supporters of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) during a political procession in Asaba, which reportedly left several participants injured and campaign vehicles vandalised.
The government’s condemnation comes amid growing concerns over political violence and the safety of opposition supporters as political activities intensify ahead of the 2027 general elections.
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