Education
Abuse Of Democratic Process
Precisely, on June 3, 2013 I wrote on the Nigerian Governors Forum’s election which is widely believed to have been won by the Rivers State Governor, Rt. Hon Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi. Governor Amaechi polled 19 votes to beat his challenger, Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State who had 16 votes.
But shortly after the result of the election was made public by the Director-General of the NGF, Mr Aishana Okauru, the pro-PDP group led by Governor Godswill Akpabio declared Governor Jang as the new chairman of the NGF.
Governor Akpabio even denied that he voted in the election that returned Governor Amaechi as the authentic chairman of the NGF. But the truth was unveiled when the video-recording of the election was shown on television. Indeed, Nigerians were really stunned and stupefied by moral bankruptcy exhibited by the so-called leaders that had been entrusted with the destiny of this great nation. Infact, they made a mockery of democracy and abused the scholarship of educated Nigerians as 16 votes were considered to be higher than 19. In a democracy majority carry the day and not vice versa.
While many Nigerians have spoken and written extensively on the danger of this new electoral formula propounded by Jang and the gang the presidency appears to be thinking differently as the Jang group is obviously favoured and treated with dignity. Although the presidency has severally denied involvement in the power tussle that has polarized the NGF, its actions speak volumes.
Since his re-election as the chairman of the NGF, Governor Amaechi has been subjected to one form of torture or the other. First, he was suspended by the National Working Committee of the PDP for a flimsy reason of disregarding the directive of the party leadership in the Rivers State to recall elected officers of Obio/Akpor Local Government Council who were suspended by the State Assembly for alleged fraud.
Secondly, security personnel attached to government functionaries in Rivers State were withdrawn by the Police Commissioner who has shown disrespect to the person of the governor by his words and actions. The Police Commissioner in one of his press briefings in Port Harcourt described the State Governor as a tyrant and dictator. This is unacceptable in an organised society. The Governor of Rivers State is the Chief Security Officer of the State. Therefore, his primary responsibility as clearly stated in the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is to protect the lives and property of the residents of the State. It is for this reason that Governor Amaechi on assumption of office on October 26, 2007 declared war against the cult groups that unleashed mayhem on the state. He conquered and restored peace in the state through the support and cooperation of security agencies. Rivers people could sleep with both eyes closed.
With the political crisis rocking the State, Rivers State is gradually returning to the path of insanity and lawlessness. One can appreciate why the Governor has lost his cool with the Police Commissioner, Mbu Joseph Mbu whom he has severally accused of hobnobbing and coquetting with his detractors who are bent on destabilizing the state to create room for a State of Emergency.
In spite of the growing concern both within and outside the country over Governor Amaechi’s travails his persecutors are doing everything humanly possible to unseat him against the wishes of the people and at the expense of the nation’s fledgling democracy.
Political pundits are of the view that the fracas that erupted at the State House of Assembly last Tuesday that left some of the “honorable lawmakers” with battered heads was targeted at Governor Amaechi. It is undemocratic for five members of the House who are loyal to the Minister of State for Education, Hon Nyesom Wike to declare the impeachment of the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Otelemaba Dan-Amachree without the support of two-third of members of the state legislature.
Observers have argued that the action of the five lawmakers was informed by the disposition of the PDP and the presidency in undermining democratic process by foisting leadership on the people. This explains why the leadership of the state chapter of the PDP hurriedly congratulated Hon. Evans Bapakye Bipi (Ogu/Bolo Constituency) whom the group of five declared as Speaker. But what the party fails to realize is that some of the undemocratic measures being employed to victimize perceived enemies of the presidency could be used by the opposition against it.
The Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) has already set the stage by calling for the impeachment of President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
In a statement issued in Lagos by its National Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the party said by his abhorrence of the rule of law and majority rule, the latest indication of which is his unmistakable support for renegade lawmakers who are fomenting trouble in Rivers State, the president has become a danger to democracy and be shown the way out in accordance with the constitution.
“UnderPresident Jonathan’s watch and with his tacit support, a few lawmakers dictated to majority of members of the Ogun State House of Assembly, which was locked for a long time.
“Under President Jonathan’s watch, the Nigerian Governors Forum was sabotaged by minions who declared a governor with 16 votes a winner over the one who scored 19 votes, in an injurious blow to the concept of democracy
“And under his watch, five lawmakers, out of 32 have become majority and simply because they have the backing of the presidency, are now given police protection to disrupt proceedings of the House . As we write Rivers State has been taken over by current and former militants who have been unleashed to destabilize the State and cause a breakdown of law and order to pave the way for the imposition of a State of Emergency.
“This cannot and must not be allowed to continue, hence our call on the National Assembly to move quickly to remove the source of the crisis. Since this is no longer an intra-party dispute and because of its potentials to set the country on fire, we called on civil society groups, professional bodies and ordinary Nigerians to rise up and defend the rule of law and the supremacy of the constitution, ACN said.
Of course, the ACN is not bluffing. The party is aware that the nation’s democracy has been bastardized to the extent that an elected officer can be impeached with the snap of the fingers. if five out of 32 members of the State House of Assembly could claim to have impeached the Speaker, it is very possible that the constitution can be violated to pave the way for the impeachment of the president with an infinitesimal number of lawmakers.
However, Nigerians have condemned the legislative rascality exhibited by the lawmakers under the watchful eyes of the Nigeria Police.
While the National Assembly has taken decisive steps to check the escalation of the political crisis in Rivers State the federal government must be told not to play politics with security of lives and property of the people of the state.
Finally, Nigeria is greater than any individual or a group of persons. Our politicians must tread with caution.
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