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Can People Democratic Party { PDP} Be Seen As A Catalyst For Participatory Progressive Democracy In Nigeria ? By Benjamin Ogbebulu
Nigeria as a nation celebrates her 47 th independence anniversary come 1 st October 2007 and with the present on going democratic consolidation in Nigeria, some ambassadors have been recalled by president Yar Adua PDP administration and would not be at there foreign postings to commemorate this year independence with Nigerians in the Diaspora . While some Nigerians resident abroad who at one point in time had visited their embassies for one reason or the other but were treated unprofessionally and with contempt might question the role of Nigeria embassies abroad when some of these embassies have been found not to represent and protect their interests in their domains, and for those ambassadors who have discharged their responsibilities professionally , they would be sadly miss and this writer and those Nigerians they have dealt with professionally in the past wishes these ambassadors all the best in their future diplomatic services and endeavours.
While Nigerians awaits the appointments of Ministers and foreign ambassadorial postings, Nigerians in the Diaspora look forward to diplomats who among other things will carry out the followings:
- Help Nigerians citizens in difficulties, or in diplomatic needs when the occasion arise - To represent Nigeria and Nigerians in their domain of service - To act as a link between the Nigeria government and that of their respective foreign countries - To look for opportunities for trade between Nigeria, Nigerians and Foreign countries - To bring Nigerians and their foreign counterparts together via diplomatic means - To be the eyes and ears of Nigeria government in their foreign postings - To advise and help Nigerians abroad who might want to do business in Nigeria and Nigerians who might want to do genuine business with their foreign counterparts - To advise, or give consular assistance to Nigerians in extremely difficult situations: perhaps they have been robbed, attacked, been arrested, had an accident, or have simply lost their passport.
Honest forward looking Nigerians are aware the international damage some unscrupulous elements among us abroad have committed and still committing but vast majority of Nigerians abroad are law abiding , hardworking and good ambassadors of our country and will continue to work in partnership with present government to move the nation forward.
NIGERIA DEMOCRACY
Nigeria, like the United States, is large, complex, and heterogeneous and practise similar presidential systems of government with the United States. The newly president Yar’Adua PDP government has ahead of him a four- year term to move Nigeria forward with the bi cameral National Assembly , House of Senate of more than 100,{ three senators each from the 36 states} and House of Representatives of over 400 members distributed among all the states in Nigeria. The independent Judiciary has at the apex of its federal structure a supreme court the highest body similar to the House of Lord in the UK Parliamentary system of Government. Also, each state has a governor{ and, parallel to the vice- president , a deputy –Governor } similar to American presidential system of Government. Ministerial and ambassadorial appointments requires senate screening and confirmation and Nigerians expect to see qualified, competent and forward looking men and women given these political appointments.
To deepen our embryonic democratization, President Yar’Adua PDP administration must encourage civic involvement and Nigerian politicians must give way to a society that rightfully demands that its representatives and institutions are more accountable and transparent than ever before. Presently, Nigerians are disillusioned and civic involvement has fallen and PDP and other parties have a task to renew their respect for democracy and restore people’s sense of pride in their community because a situation where a candidate decamped to another party to contest for a governorship election under this new party , campaign against his old party , dumped the new party and eventually took a commissionership in the old party he once discredited makes people wonder if such politician have got principle and question his integrity, pride and loyalty if any. All political parties in Nigeria need to encourage civic involvement and ensure trust in political parties and democratic process.
To consolidate our democratic process, we need to examine ways of enabling all parties to reach out to their own members and to voters, making them more effective at listening and engaging with public opinion which is lacking in Nigeria political parties. PDP as a party should seize this renewal to reconnect not only with its members but also with voters. Political parties like the PDP need to engage more closely with local communities as part of moves to improve democracy and participation.
Participation helps build better communities, promoting trust, responsibility and democratic engagement. PDP under President Yar’Adua need to evolve to harness the skills and experience of our communities, young and old. The party and other parties need to do more to connect politics and people by allowing people to participate, air their views locally, nationally and internationally. Partnerships with party will leads to party development process that could builds toward comprehensive party manifestoes and pave way for the party to be more responsive, transparent and accountable to the people. The concept among politicians that the “majority will have their say, and minority will have their way”” should be discarded as this causes friction, distrust and divisive which will not do the party any good as seen nearly in all political parties in Nigeria.
For effective participation for policy making, PDP party and other parties should involve their foreign chapters and assist these chapters to fund their activities. Foreign chapters should organise seminars, symposium and invite their foreign politicians if need be to give lectures on developmental topics that could help Nigeria to grow democratically. Awards should also be given to politicians who distinguish himself or herself in helping the nation to grow politically, economically, culturally and academically. The network should be opened to all members interested in the party’s policy development with the aim to ensure stakeholders are not left out . Party like PDP should includes in their party manifestos a concept of new party with a vision- mobilising Nigerians human and natural resources under a national plan for the progress of the country to curb poverty which remains endemic and conspicuous and marginalisation in the country.
PDP AND NEW NIGERIA
There is a school of thought that believe there is no easy solution to our national problems. Where there is a will as the saying goes, their will always be a way . Time and effort will be required both by the government and people to accelerate the wheel of progress in the country and PDP party should put into effective equitably use of its private-public partnership philosophy and a practical poverty alleviation programme. The starting point should be our belief that community must equip itself to take charge of its own destiny and no longer be ruled by market forces beyond its control. PDP party should diversify Nigeria economy and encourage other sectors like Agriculture, steel and small scale industries to grow. The parties like PDP and people should work for an active democracy, in which men and women as responsible citizens consciously and professionally assist in shaping the surrounding in which they live, and allow taking part in deciding how the community’s wealth should be used for the progress of the country.
TASK FOR THE NATION
PDP Party must energise and modernise our industries and the aim should be simple, Nigerians want full employment: a faster rate of industrial expansion: a sensible distribution of industry in the country: an end to present road decadence, chaotic traffic and transport system: a brake on rising prices and a lasting solution to our balance of payments problems. These aims can only be achieved and secured by a deliberate and continue massive effort by the government to modernise the economy, to consolidate its structure and to develop with all possible speed the advanced technology and the new science –based industries with which our present and future lies.
THE NEED FOR A NATIONAL PLAN
To facilitate the reforms, each industry should know both what is expected of it {regulation} and what it can expect {benefits} in terms of export, investment, production, and employment. Farmers should be encourage and subsidised with the establishment of commodity commissions to supervise and regulate the main imported foodstuffs and to balance imports with home production.
SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
If the government is to get a dynamic and expanding economy, it is essential that new and effective ways are found for injecting modern technology into our industries. The government should encourage industrial research and development in Nigeria by allocating funds for these projects. Government should set up a research body or provide funds for students in universities to undertake research/es to discover new products and process for both local and international markets. But to get more rapid application of new scientific discoveries in industry, new measures are urgently required from president Yar’Adua PDP administration, who should establish more new industries , either by public enterprise or in partnership with private industries in line with the party policy program. The redefined and restructured PDP Party under President Yar’Adua should be effectively and efficiently be seen by Nigerians soon as the party of the people and should ensure that the standard of people begins to improve for better .
BENJAMIN OGBEBULU BA, MBICS is an administrator, political activist and writer based in London, England.
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