Politics

A Case For Political Order In Nigeria

Published

11 years ago

March 25, 2013

Their authority was personal, derived from charisma or rank, so that the choice for the people, so far as they had a choice, lay between the demagogue and the general. Some were good, some were bad, but all lacked systematic political backing.

They were obliged, therefore, to rely on their wits or swords. The natural outcome of any regime without focus becomes either an entrenched tyranny or constant shifts and instability while freedoms are curtailed or abused on the plea that the autocrat or the one party state would be more efficient.

But such regimes failed to deliver the goods. Industrial and commercial failure became the order of the day, roads and educational institutions decayed, and the health system deteriorated, with corruption at all levels and sectors thriving.

The instability of the Nigerian state and its disappointing performance are due to the kind of leader who power poverty, corruption and crime in swollen proportions. They indulge in ill-conceived and ill-managed economic policies which produce crippling external debts.

This is against the principles of a strong economy, which is the prime element in political power and in the public glare, while economic weakness and inequality promote disorders.

The political independence and sovereignty of Nigeria had not been able to assuage the height of poverty plaguing the citizenry and remove dependence on other counties. The country’s trading system among other trading nations still suffers some barriers in tariffs and quotas as the economy weakens day by day, despite the fact that Nigeria has entered the international economy.

Worse still, the country’s economic ties with other nations are not properly protected due to the corrupt tendencies of our leaders.

Nigerian manufacturers are ill-equipped for international economic competition and they produce inelastic goods for which demand (except in the case of oil is less than world standards. The effects of economic recession is clearly marked on the faces of majority of the nation’s populace and there is desperate poverty, in some areas famine.

The rich are getting richer, while the poor soar in abject poverty. Governments at all levels have talked for decades about poverty eradication without implementing the policies.

The time is, therefore, ripe for new measures to be devised principally to rescue the country’s numerous industries and other sectors of the economy to create wealth for the citizenry and afford radical relief. The current ‘cold war’ and tensions among the ranks of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the country is a detraction from the main problems of the country.

The focus of the government should be rested upon chiefly paternalism and not plots to unseat one another for personal aggrandisement.

The purpose of democracy is to allow the citizenry-ruler or ruled to acquire special rights and enjoy the dividends of power trusteeship, because when leaders are installed after elections, what the electorate expect is service delivery.

Nigeria is rich in human and material resources and these resources are meant to be used to transform the lives of the people through the provision of infrastructure and poverty alleviation. The rules governing the country and its economy must be strictly and religiously enforced and adhered to since the emergence of a democratic rule in the country is seen as a blessing and not as a curse, hence it must be used to drive national development.

The political nature of Nigerians is that which seeks gratification and self-aggrandisement or greed, and where everyone is a law unto himself, thereby, creating a state of war of all against all. In this situation there is no leisure, no peace or culture but only constant fear of violent death.

The is unacceptable to the political order as it breeds hostilities and political disorder. There should be stainless respect and loyalty among the ranks of the ruling class. We must strive to get out of this political quagrnire bearing in mind that Nigeria’s democracy is still nascent and does not require political radicalism capable of truncating the system.

People feared democracy in Nigeria due to radicalism extremity of some players which had led to loss of lives in the past.

The best thing to a common good in Nigeria is the maintenance of political order which enables people to go about their selfish pursuits without destroying one another. “Government exist merely to maintain order for the physical security of its subjects,” says Hobbes.

According to him, the executive as the only beneficiary of an undertaking which other people have made among themselves, is a party to the contract to set up government and is obligated by the terms of the contract, especially to enforce the law of nature and the right of nature judiciously.

In the words of Abraham Lincola, “We have inherited a government that is of the people, by the people, and for the people. The right to participate in governing ourselves in order to protect our rights and promote our common welfare carries certain responsibilities.

Among these responsibilities are the need to develop the knowledge and skills to participate intelligently and the willingness to promote liberty and justice for all. It is the responsibility of the leaders to administer the programmes and policies laid-down for the restoration of the severely battered or damaged economy to make it essentially sound and skilled economy with powerfully engendered financial aid impelled both by generosity and fear of corruption and collapse.

Governments should find out or identify the immediate needs of the people through valuable economic surveys, bisect them for economic as well as political purposes.

Political culture is very important and too important to ignore. Our state and society have changed immensely since democracy came in but the underlying culture has remained recognisable the same.

There is, therefore, the need for our politicians and leaders to develop a potential lever to change their behaviours towards politics and governance.

Nigerians and the world at large are watching the roles of our political institutions and their impacts on the country and the people.

Recalling Nigeria’s history and political culture will go a long way in effecting change in the political activities of Nigerians and also strengthen the political system of the country.

History is beyond manipulation and culture is difficult to change.

Political parties in the country can operate differently but must understand that history and culture are important and determine the success or failure of a country or its democracy.

If the nation’s democracy is to function well, the thinking of our politicians and leaders must go beyond voting in elections and occupying positions. They should know that they are entrusted with great responsibility of serving the people and ensuring the delivery of democratic dividends.

Shedie Okpara

Politics

How We Saved N2.3bn From LG Reforms – Diri

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

Bayelsa State Governor, Senator Douye Diri, has revealed that the reforms initiated and implemented by his administration led to the saving of the sum of N2.3 billion for the local government councils.
The governor disclosed this recently at the opening ceremony of an orientation programme organised for newly-elected local government council chairmen, vice chairmen, councilors and principal officers at Perdis Hotel, Akenfa.
Gov Diri stated that on assumption of office in 2020, some local government councils were highly indebted and unable to pay salaries but his administration took measures that resulted in regular payment of salaries, execution of projects and saving of funds.
The Bayelsa State Chief Executive restated his call on the Federal Government to create additional local councils in the state, saying it was injustice for some states to have more than 40 councils and receiving monthly allocation from the Federation Accounts Allocation Commission (FAAC), while the state had only eight.
He charged the newly elected local government officials to make good use of the two-day workshop to equip themselves with the requisite knowledge to carry out their responsibilities.
The governor also called on them to work as a team to ensure that development was felt at the grassroots.
“Local governments as at 2020 were unable to pay salaries, particularly Nembe, Ogbia, Ekeremor and Sagbama. There was some form of dissatisfaction in the system.
“After I went through the recommendations of the Deputy Governor, whom I entrusted with investigating the local government, I wasted no time in approving the recommendations.
“The recommendations included the ban on loans from any source by local government chairmen without approval of the governor; compulsory savings by every council; and the division of balance after payment of salaries into 60 and 40 per cent respectively. One part was for compulsory savings and the other to project implementation and immediate commencement of computerisation of their payroll as well as compulsory quarterly award of projects by each council chairman.
“We found a lot of fraud in the local government system. But as it stands today, our councils have N2.3billion as a result of the combination of the factors of reforms and proper supervision of that tier of government.
“The breakdown is N400million compulsory savings while N1.9 billion for capital projects. This is aside from the one done by caretaker committees in terms of project execution within the short period they stayed”, the governor said.
Gov Diri assured of his administration’s commitment to support the councils to achieve their goals and expressed confidence that the new officials would meet the expectations of the people.
“We firmly believe that good governance begins at the grassroots level. That is precisely why we have gathered here to equip you with the necessary skills and knowledge to improve our local government administration and enhance service delivery.

Ariwera Ibibo-Howells, Yenagoa

Politics

Monarch Cautions Against Divisive Politics, Declares Support For Fubara

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

The Eze Oruamara/Regent of Okwuzi Kingdom in Ogba/ Egbema/Ndoni Local Government Area of the State, Eze Victor Afaka, has sued for peace among the political class in the State.
Eze Afaka made the appeal while speaking with The Tide on the sidelines of the governorship victory thanksgiving service by the Ogba Egbema /Ndoni Chapter of the Simplified Movement in Omoku.
He said Governor Fubara should be allowed to display the vision that God has given to him to govern the state.
According to him, since every administration has its term and tenure, the man presently at the helm of affairs in Rivers State must be given the opportunity to complete his own term and tenure.
“I advise politicians to sheathe their sword and allow peace to reign. Politics and governance have their terms and tenure. When it is your tenure, you have your vision to display; when you conclude that vision God has given you as a leader of your community or of a state, you step aside and leave the next person to display the vision God has given to him” he said.
The traditional ruler said he and his people, including the youth, women and the Ogbakor Egbema, decided to attend the service because of the excellent vision of Governor Fubara
“We are happy, Okwuzi people are in full support of the government, the government of His Excellency, Sir Siminalayi Fubara”, he added.
He said that the governor’s peaceful disposition to governance has endeared him to His Kingdom, noting that Okwuzi kingdom was already a beneficiary of the present administration’s purposeful governance as the Omoku/Okwuzi road abandoned 10 years ago, was nearing completion.
“ONELGA, Okwuzi are benefitting from his government.The road that was abandoned for ten years is being completed right now and we know that there are so many other things he will do for us”, he said.
While urging the state government to give desired attention to the Okwuzi General Hospital that is in a state of dilapidation, Eze Afaka entreated Governor Fubara not to be distracted, but to continue to promote peace and development across the State.

John Bibor

Politics

APC Stakeholders Storm Secretariat, Demand Ganduje’s Resignation

Published

3 days ago

April 26, 2024

The Tide

A group of North Central stakeholders in the All Progressives Congress (APC) has stormed the national secretariat of the party in Abuja, demanding the resignation of the National Chairman, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje.
Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the protesters said their demand followed his recent suspension by a faction of his ward executives and the alleged bribery allegation levelled against him by the Kano State government.
While they chanted solidarity songs and displayed several banners some of which read, “Ganduje must resign” and “Return the APC chairmanship to North Central,” the protesters appealed to President Bola Tinubu and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), George Akume, to consider returning the leadership of the party to the North Central.
Only on Tuesday, the Forum of APC State Chairmen had passed a vote of confidence on Ganduje, affirming their unalloyed support to him.
The protesters under the aegis of Concerned North Central APC Stakeholders lamented that the continued stay of Ganduje in office was a clear violation of the zoning principle in the party.
Mohammed Saba, who led the protesters, said unlike the 37 APC state chairmen, his people in the North Central have passed a vote of no confidence on the national chairman and equally demanded his immediate resignation.
Saba reiterated that the people of North Central felt betrayed when the position of APC national chairman was hijacked from them following the exit of Senator Abdullahi Adamu despite giving Tinubu the third highest votes after North West and South West at the 2023 presidential election.
He said, “We, the North Central APC Concerned Stakeholders, have resolved to unanimously agitate for our right and reclaim our mandate which was handed unto us by the National Convention of our great Party in 2022.
“Various sections of our constitution have established the procedure of replacing an executive member at all levels of the party in the event of death, resignation, incapacitation or expulsion from the party by any executive member.
“It is a fact that the emergence of Dr. Umar Ganduje as national chairman was done against the spirit and soul of the APC which is the constitution of our great party. This singular act has impacted negatively on us as a people in the North Central.