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To Utilize the Power and Beauty of Democracy By Victor E. Dike
Many of the politicians in Nigeria are democrats in words, but not indeed. Very few of the politicians are people of “integrity and credibility,” but others are “thieves and looters” who always harp on democracy to fool the public, but would not act like democrats. This group does not understand what democracy means, and money, not ideology, control what they do. And the situation gets worse by the day! With this group controlling the affairs of the nation democracy may not take root in the society. Therefore, the people should utilize the power and beauty of democracy to send them back to the villages where they belong.
Abraham Lincoln provides the ideal and unambiguous definition of democracy, as “The government of the people, by the people, for the people.” But today, the dictators in Nigeria have redefined democracy with their anti-democratic activities that are colored by greed, corruption, and selfishness. In a true democracy the people have some input on how the society is run (their opinion sways policy actions). No president would do anything without checking the pulse of the society. Amending a national constitution is a Herculean task that involves wide consultation and input of the people. And all items to be amended would be debated and accepted by the people (the majority), and not by a few.
The opposite is the case in Nigeria where a few political gods are currently re-writing the national Constitution for a particular individual. If one may ask what is democratic in the third-term plot? What is democratic in amending the Nigerian Constitution to extend Chief Obasanjo’s stay in power? What is democratic in cracking down on opposition? What is democratic in rigging elections to remain in power? One cannot ask enough questions here!
The people must understand their roles in the problem, and they should take responsibility for the subtle ways in which they have aggravated the already bad situation. As already mentioned, there are very democrats in the society and many of the so-called democrats are taking part in the third-term absurdity that is currently tearing the nation into shreds. Before this time, almost all the ethnic groups in the society have been clamoring for “power shift.” But if the groups have “common destiny” they would not let such abuse to go unchallenged. Sadly, the ambition of one group to rule others is a “clog in the wheel” to building a “common interest” in Nigeria. And this is now threatening the passive majority (the victims of this misdeed). However, this has given the Chief Obasanjo and his associates the power to insult, bully, and intimidate the people, instead of addressing their social problems. But this group does not seem to understand that leadership by intimidation does not augur well in a democratic society.
In a well-structured and truly democratic society the Vice-President is supposed to win the party’s nomination to run for the office of President at the end of the term of the incumbent President. But because of Chief Obasanjo’s crude and crooked sit-tight politics he has been undermining the interest of the Vice-President and his supporters. As the rumored third-term plot started to become a reality the crack between the two began to develop into a gulf. And any person connected with Atiku (or against the third-term agenda) risk being arrested by EFCC, the police, and the State Security Services. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is yet to unveil its own plots (but the society knows that it is up for something).
Recently, security officers working for Chief Obasanjo prevented some “eminent Nigerians” (including Atiku) from having a meeting at the Sheraton Hotel Abuja. At the meeting, which was relocated to one of the Governor’s lounge, Atiku condemned the third-term bid, and thereafter declared his interest in running the office of President in 2007. Since after that havens have come loose, and the PDP has threatened him. As mentioned earlier, any person or organization connected with Atiku, in one way or another, has been in the “Black book” of the presidency. It was thus reported that the “Radio Freedom 99.5 FM” in Kano that is said to broadcast “in 10 languages” was shut down because it is perceived as part of the opposition to the third-term plot. Just last week PDP thugs molested the Vice President in Lagos (and also stormed his private house). What crime did Atiku commit? He is opposed to the President’s sit-tight agenda!
However, any person working for the president is doing everything right, even if they take a human life! Former Minister of Youths Development (Ms. Funke Adedoyin) and former ADC for Atiku Abubakar, are now standing trial for belonging to an unlawful organization (Turaki Vanguard)? (Activities by the opposition are branded illegal, but all the groups sympathetic to his third-term plot have free passage to haven). What makes this organization unlawful? Again, because it is against the third-term plot!
In his undemocratic desperation to actualize the third-term agenda, the PDP chairman (Col Ahmadu Ali) has ordered all PDP members who oppose the third-term absurdity to quit the party. Yet, Chief Obasanjo who is the leader of the party thinks he is a democrat. Is he protecting the right of every Nigerian to express his or her opinion? Intolerance of opposition runs contrary to the ideals of democracy! Nigeria is a good country, but “one bad apple” as the old cliché has it, “ruins the bunch.” The politicians should follow their good conscience and decamp to other parties. Col. Ahmadu Ali and General Obasanjo cannot lead Nigeria alone; leadership succeeds only through the people!
Chief Obasanjo wants the world to believe that whatever he does is for the interest of Nigeria. At a forum recently he notes “Everything I do now is to protect Nigeria's interest and if that will cost me my life, so be it.” Nobody will be glad to see the President die in office, but “You will die any way” (when the time comes). However, what interest is OBJ protecting? His misdeeds, which are now turning the country upside down, show he is a democrat only in words. Is maneuvering and manipulating the people with Ghana-Must-Go bags to remain in power in the interest of Nigeria? The society does not need “a life president” to survive! With the necessary institutions in place Nigeria will continue without an individual.
During his recent visit to the United States pressures were on him to take a position on third-term plot and the subversion of the Nigerian Constitution. But he rattled on the VOA and CNN, as he tried to deny his dubious ambition. On the VOA he says, “For now, it [third-term]is not the cards.” And on the Cable News Network, the dictator notes, “I am not a manoeuverer, I am not a manipulator. I am a democrat.”
Ha ba Chief Obasanjo! Who are you kidding? You are all the bad things you think you are not: a dictator, a tyrant, a manipulator, and a crook. There is no atom of democratic values in OBJ! As a crook he has maneuvered everything that could not be maneuvered in a normal society.
Does Chief Obasanjo and associates think that Nigerians are fool? Are the third-term operatives working without his knowledge? He seems to be suffering from political amnesia! Everybody knows he has been preparing grounds to sack Atiku in the same manner his gang attempted to abduct Chris Ngige of Anambra. His thugs burned, destroyed, and looted government property in Anambra and the Police were mere passive bystanders! And the police repeated such behavior recently when the Vice-President was assaulted in Lagos.
In a free society, the people have the fundamental right to freedom of association, assembly and to express their opinion, no matter how distasteful it could be. But in Nigeria this right is reserved only for the PDP thugs and the third-term supporters. For instance, the rally organized by a faction of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Enugu recently went on without any person being molested or harassed. And those who gathered in Port Harcourt to thrash the Nigerian Constitution had a maximum police protection. The fundamental human rights of the people are being trampled upon and the recent US report indicated that. It is not that the US said so; any person following his political summersaults knows that his administration is colored by crude political power struggles and human rights abuses, intrigues, corruption, intolerance, and thwarted promises.
The police should protect the rights of every Nigerian because the country belongs to everyone! The people should utilize the power and beauty of democracy and speak up against the evils in the society and the “Machiavellian Doctrine” of “the end justifies the means.” As Wole Soyinka says “The man died who keeps silence in the face of tyranny.”
Not long ago, Sandra Day O'Connor, a former US Supreme Court Justice, warned the citizens of the United States that the “US risks edging near to dictatorship” because of the “rightwing attacks” on the judiciary. And she urged the people to speak up and protect the judiciary (The London Guardian, March 13, 2006). President George W. Bush, although not a saint, did not threaten her life, or force her to retract her comments. But any person who made such damning comments in Nigeria would be forced to retract it or “face the music.” Examples abound. The judge who attempted to restrain Ibrahim Mantu and his gang from acting on the 1999 Constitution later retracted what was already reported in the Newspaper. And recently, Peter Odili who has been a staunch supporter of Chief Obasanjo made a “sincere” comment on the third-term plot that surprised everyone. “Seeing a situation where a man is running one race, he hasn’t finished that race, he starts running another one, it is crazy; isn’t it?” But he quickly made a “U-turn” when he saw a sledgehammer hovering over his head. These rogues are only democrats in words, and not indeed! How can Nigeria develop the culture of democracy and imbibe its values and norms under this environment? Nigerian should stand up and fight for true democracy!
In a true democracy power belongs to the people. And good leaders work with the people, and not to intimidate them. If the political gods in the PDP are not working with the people they should revolt by decamping to other organizations. It is anti-democratic to intimidate anybody who does not support the third term agenda. In a true democracy a politician votes on any policy according to his or her ideological inclination; but ideology has no place in Nigerian politics.
Rule of law is the pillar of democracy. And to ensure this, the judiciary should be truly independent, so as to interpret the law of the land for ‘amicable resolution’ of grievances. The court could give orders restraining parties to a dispute from acting until the court allows (and such orders must be obeyed). But the federal government and its agencies are known to be flouting court orders. The Supreme Court judgement on the Lagos State council funds that the President ignored was serious. And this is inimical to the growth and survival of democracy! Yet, the sycophants think he is a democrat!
The people should not allow individuals with “terrorizing anti-democratic tendencies” to manage Nigeria’s democratic process, because the consequences could consume the nation. Chief Obasanjo’s tyrannical tendencies make him very dangerous. Leaders in truly societies listen to the voices of the people and do their wishes (most of the time). But OBJ does not listen to the people and does not care about their feelings! No leader lasts long by ignoring, undervaluing, and underrating his or her followers! Any person who is expecting him to miraculously transform into a democrat is simply dreaming!
The “se-elected” politicians are doing bidding of the god without considering the impacts of their actions on the society. (For obvious reasons they fear life outside political office.) And OBJ is dangling “carrot and stick” to get them on his side (and the ordinary citizen are given or promised some pecuniary rewards; even a bag of rice could sway their mind). These activities could lead to a serious social revolt or another military incursion into Nigerian politics. Chief Obasanjo and his associates take delight in violating other people’s rights with their ill-gotten wealth and crude powers, instead of protecting and taking care of their social problems. Some could argue that there is greater poverty and social upheavals in Nigeria today than during the Abacha years. Nigeria appears to be moving back to the dark days of the military. All these are dangerous signs!
The opposition should work harder to make democracy survive in Nigeria; there is a complete collapse of democratic values in Nigeria. The creation of new political parties is not a sign of democracy; the architecture and reasons for creating these parties are faulty. They cannot withstand pressures. To wage a serious opposition the plethora of political parties should merge into a formidable organization with a common purpose. Only true democrats can transform the humdrum political environment into a vibrant one that can nurture democratic norms and values and create dynamic leaders that can make better policy decisions for the society.
Nigerians should first employ all democratic means to stop Chief Obasanjo and the third-term rogues, but if they are not deterred through democratic means they should adopt other means necessary (no matter how crude) to get them packing at the end of his term. And any person involved in the third-term plot should be treated as an enemy of Nigeria!
Chief Obasanjo should not be allowed to stay beyond 2007. The anti-third-term members of the National Assembly should begin to look into his dossier to see if he has committed any impeachable offences since 1999. (With endemic corruption and selfish and undemocratic activities, it is certain he has some skeleton in his cupboard). Not long ago, there were newspaper reports of bribery offered to some members of the National Assembly to support the third term plot. One wonders why “a government that appears to have zero tolerance for corruption” do something like that? As some analysts have already suggested, it is not a bad idea to commence an impeachment proceeding without delay.
Finally, for democracy to survive in Nigeria the politicians should stand on their feet and utilize the power and beauty of democracy to improve the loots of the poor masses. They should learn, grow, and change so as to remove the barriers to true democracy (lack of political ideology, bad leadership, ethnicity, and corruption, etc) in Nigeria. They should communicate better with their constituencies (good relationship with the people matters) to build trust and respect that will enhance the process and quality of policymaking. The politicians should play proactive (and not reactionary) politics. This is only possible in a society where political ideology directs a person’s political activity. Because of their autocratic tendencies, many of the politicians in Nigeria are democrats in words, not indeed. Therefore, the people should not sit idly by and wait for the gods (or God) to intervene while these political catastrophes (the third-term plot and crude constitutional amendment) loomed. Since the die-hards that are murdering democracy are not listening, the society should team up to stop their desperate efforts to hang on to power, by utilizing the power and beauty of democracy (or any other means) to remove them!
Victor E. Dike, CEO, Center for Social Justice and Human Development (CSJHD), in Sacramento, California, is the author of Democracy and Political Life in Nigeria (Zaria, Nigeria: ABU Press, 2001; forthcoming, second edition).
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