Politics
Edo: Before The Bubble Bursts
In a democracy,
particularly in Nigeria, the major beneficiaries are politicians. They are the ones that form and control government, have unfettered access to the commonwealth, and decide who gets what. Ironically, politicians are the bane of democracy. That the military at various times interjected in the governance of the Nigerian State was as a result of high level of irresponsibility exhibited by members of the political class in the affairs of the nation.
It appears that the Nigerian politicians have not learnt their lessons in view of recent happenings across the country ahead of the 2015 general elections.
For the past one month, legislative activities in Edo State House of Assembly have been paralysed following the power tussle between the All Pregressives Congress (APC) lawmakers and their Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) counterparts. The crisis erupted when four APC legislators who decamped to the PDP went to a federal court to restrain the speaker from declaring their seats vacant as well as carrying out disciplinary action against them.
The court granted both prayers, but when the motion was argued by both sides, the court ordered that the speaker should still not declare their seats vacant pending the determination of the substantive suit.
However, the court vacated the order restraining the speaker and the House from suspending them for alleged misconduct on the ground that the court would not prevent an arm of government from carrying out internal disciplinary measures.
Following the vacation of the restraining order on suspension, the House met and suspended the lawmakers for alleged misconduct. However, these lawmakers refused to abide by the suspension order of the House neither did they go to court to challenge it. Rather, it was the House of Assembly that went to court to ask for an interim injunction, restraining the four suspended members and the police who were allegedly aiding them from coming into the House of Assembly.
The high court granted the order restraining the lawmakers and the police from going to the House.
Surprisingly, it was reported last Monday that the PDP lawmakers, including the decampees, forcefully broke into the hallowed chambers and held plenary session under the watchful eyes of more than 150 anti-riot policemen stationed at the Assembly complex where renovation work was on-going.
The PDP lawmakers in their resolutions called for the freezing of the Assembly’s account as well as directing all commercial banks and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to stop forthwith any transaction with Uyi Igbe-led APC lawmakers.
But the APC legislators in their sitting at the old Assembly chamber in Government House adopted a resolution, calling on international organizations such as Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) and the United Nations to come to their aid as the federal government seemed incapable of discharging its responsibilities to the citizenry.
The APC resolution was sequel to a consequential motion moved by Hon. Kabiru Adjoto representing Akoko-Edo who condemned the police for allegedly aiding the PDP lawmakers to hold their plenary session at the State House of Assembly.
The APC faction also called on President Goodluck Jonathan to take steps to prevent the breakdown of law and order in the State by calling on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Assistant Inspector-General of Police (AIG) Zone 5 and Commissioner of Police to deist from the alleged involvement in the Edo crisis.
As usual, there have been accusations and counter-accusations by the PDP and the APC over the crisis in the Edo State House of Assembly. The PDP has accused Governor Adams Oshiomhole of instigating the political crisis to prevent an official investigation into the findings that he had been squandering the state’s resources to finance his vice-presidential campaign, instead of settling down to develop the state.
A statement by PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Olisa Metuh said: “Having lost confidence and support of the people, Oshiomhole has resorted to violence and blackmail to intimidate and subdue in line with the APC agenda.
“The macabre dance playing out in Edo Assembly is an expression of defeatism or a terminal symptom of a decadent regime.
“What else would have prompted the relocation of the state legislature to Governor’s office on the stage-managed renovation of the Assembly complex if not a calculated plot to intimidate and compromise the lawmakers?
“We however with to inform the governor and the APC that the machinations will lead them to nowhere,” the statement said.
But in an interview with State House correspondents in Abuja, the Edo State Governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole said he didn’t need to destabilise the state to vie for the office of the vice president.
“If I want to contest for vice president, do I need to destabilize the government that I currently head?”
“So, they (PDP) have let the cat out of the bag, meaning that they are afraid of the rumoured ambition that I want to contest for vice-presidency. So, the point I want to make is that if I decide even to contest for the presidency, the PDP cannot intimidate me. I have the right to do so, if it is my conviction.
“It is unfortunate that some people want to put their individual interest above national interest, but I cannot be intimidated. I’m firmly on the ground and there is nothing to worry about,” Oshiomhole said.
He blamed the PDP and the police for the crisis in Edo State House of Assembly.
Worried about the spate of crisis pervading the length and breadth of the nation, one of the daughters of late politician, Chief Moshood Abiola (the man the world believed won the June 12, 1993 Presidential election in Nigeria), Hafsat, called on the spirit of her late father to help intervene on behalf of the country.
Hafsat who is the founder of Kudirat Initiative for Democracy (KIND), at the wreath-laying ceremony in commemoration of the 16th Anniversary of the late politician which was organised by the civil society groups, stated that the crisis bedeviling the nation had become pervasive and would require spiritual intervention.
“Daddy, the state of the nation today will sadden you. The crisis is just too much. Majority of the youths are unemployed. When you were around, you said you would take them out of poverty, but today majority of Nigerians wallow in poverty. There is a general feeling of insecurity in the country. Please speak to the creator on behalf of the country. Tell the creator we are in serious crisis,” she said.
We do hope that late M.K.O. Abiola and all others who paid the supreme price for the enthronement of democracy and good governance in Nigeria would hear the distress call from Hafsat and plead with the creator in the realm of the spirit to save the country from the misrule that has taken a toll on majority of Nigerians.
Reward Akwu
L-R: Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator Anyim Pius Anyim, Governor Adam Oshiomhole of Edo State and Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan of Delta State, during the meeting of President Jonathan with governors from oil producing states in Abuja, recently. Photo: NAN
The former two-term governor went down memory lane to recall how they founded the APC but were used and dumped.
In his words, “…those calling on us to join APC, we have agreed to join the APC but on clear agreement that protects and respects the interest of my party, NNPP and my political movement, Kwankwasiyya. No state where you go that you don’t have NNPP and Kwankwasiyya. We have gubernatorial candidates, senatorial candidates and others.
“We are ready to join APC under strong conditions and promises. We will not allow anyone to use us and later dump us.
“We were among the founding fathers of the APC and endured significant persecution from various security agencies while challenging the previous administration.
“Yet when the party assumed power, we received no recognition or appreciation for our sacrifices, simply because we didn’t originate from their original faction.
“We are not in a hurry to leave the NNPP; we are enjoying and have peace of mind. But if some want a political alliance that would not disappoint us like in the past, we are open to an alliance. Even if it is the PDP that realised their mistakes, let’s enter an agreement that will be made public,” Sen. Kwankwaso stated.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has dismissed long-standing claims that he once sought to extend his tenure in office, insisting he never pursued a third term.
Speaking at the Democracy Dialogue organised by the Goodluck Jonathan Foundation in Accra, Ghana, Chief Obasanjo said there is no Nigerian, living or dead, who can truthfully claim he solicited support for a third term agenda.
“I’m not a fool. If I wanted a third term, I know how to go about it. And there is no Nigerian, dead or alive, that would say I called him and told him I wanted a third term,” the former president declared.
Chief Obasanjo argued that he had proven his ability to secure difficult national goals, citing Nigeria’s debt relief during his administration as a much greater challenge than any third term ambition.
“I keep telling them that if I could get debt relief, which was more difficult than getting a third term, then if I wanted a third term, I would have got it too,” he said.
He further cautioned against leaders who overstay in power, stressing that the belief in one’s indispensability is a “sin against God.”
On his part, former President Goodluck Jonathan said any leader who failed to perform would be voted out of office if proper elections were conducted.
Describing electoral manipulation as one of the biggest threats to democracy in Africa, he said unless stakeholders come together to rethink and reform democracy, it may collapse in Africa.
He added that leaders must commit to the kind of democracy that guarantees a great future for the children where their voices matter.
He said: “Democracy in Africa continent is going through a period of strain and risk collapse unless stakeholders came together to rethink and reform it. Electoral manipulation remains one of the biggest threats in Africa.
“We in Africa must begin to look at our democracy and rethink it in a way that works well for us and our people. One of the problems is our electoral system. People manipulate the process to remain in power by all means.
“If we had proper elections, a leader who fails to perform would be voted out. But in our case, people use the system to perpetuate themselves even when the people don’t want them.
“Our people want to enjoy their freedoms. They want their votes to count during elections. They want equitable representation and inclusivity. They want good education. Our people want security. They want access to good healthcare. They want jobs. They want dignity. When leaders fail to meet these basic needs, the people become disillusioned.”
The dialogue was also attended by the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Dr. Omar Touray, Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah of the Sokoto diocese of Catholic Church among others who all stressed that democracy in Africa must go beyond elections to include accountability, service, and discipline.
The Rivers State House of Assembly yesterday resumed plenary session after a six-month state of emergency imposed on the state by President Bola Tinubu elapsed on Wednesday midnight.
President Bola Tinubu had lifted the emergency rule on September 17, with the Governor of the state, Siminalayi Fubara, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and members of the state assembly asked to resume duties on September 18.
The plenary was presided over by the Speaker of the House, Martins Amaewhule, at the conference hall located within the legislative quarters in Port Harcourt, the state capital.
The conference hall has served as the lawmakers’ temporary chamber since their official chamber at the assembly complex on Moscow Road was torched and later pulled down by the state government.
The outgone sole administrator of the state, Ibok-Ete Ibas, could not complete the reconstruction of the assembly complex as promised.
Recall that on March 18, President Bola Tinubu declared a state of emergency in Rivers following the prolonged political standoff between Fubara and members of the House of Assembly loyal to the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike.
He subsequently suspended the governor, his deputy, Ngozi Odu, and lawmakers for six months and installed a sole administrator, Vice Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (rtd.), to manage the state’s affairs.
The decision sparked widespread controversy, with critics accusing the president of breaching the Constitution.
However, others hailed the move as a necessary and pragmatic step.
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