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Turning Cross River State into a Political Grave-yard: To Pastor Mike Ahua: For Your Faith in Cross River State! By William Bassey william_etim-bassey@canada.com
Some will no doubt delight in the termination of Mr. Liyel Imoke's tenure as Governor of Cross River State but, then, received wisdom says you should not mess with a winning formula, so it will be intriguing to see what, if anything, changes this time around in a state where the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has built a power structure of colossal proportions that straddles the state.
Is there something new the political opposition can offer in a state that has enjoyed significant development in the last 9yrs? I don’t think so; the opposition parties lack a coherent theory of exactly how to develop the state, additionally, many of those in opposition have never had leadership in crisis, they also have a poor knowledge of democratic governance issues.
Where do we go from here considering the unenviable mess we now find ourselves in, anarchy or a new order? It is hard to fathom without coming across as being apocalyptic; our paradoxical attitude gives rise to deeper questions: What direction do we want our state to move in? What expectations do we have of our next governor?
Accordingly, I explore issues in the broader context of Mr. Imoke’s sacking and conclude that from the perspective of our - Cross River states - specific interests; it is smatter business to overwhelmingly vote Mr. Imoke back to government house Calabar. One essential theme shapes the structure of my position; the measured development of Cross River state in the last 9yrs.
Imperfect Democracy
The merit and demerits of democracy is an old debate that resurfaces from time to time, especially when political collaborators feel cheated. The challenge is that most people don’t understand that free or unfree, democracy is “mighty imperfect”.
Rigging, intimidation and outright violence sometimes liven up elections almost everywhere. So it is possible, against all odds, to feel a growing sympathy for Mr. Imoke over his sacking, not because of his political tribulations, but in the fact that he is still demonstrably a good man caught up in a circus.
While many neutral observer’s regard the 2007 gubernatorial elections in Cross River state as a relatively fluid one, some critics and members of the political opposition paint a grim picture of mass rigging and incompetence by election officials.
Yet, regardless of the accumulated effects of the courts rulings and of our historical burdens, it is as if something overrides the normal, sympathetic response Mr. Imoke’s sacking should elicit; it is the election blues of hate, hate and more hate, I suppose. That's when the nature of dialogue changes; hate and fear became renewed norms. This is evident as we continue the post mortem of Mr. Imoke’s dismissal. Consider that until Mr. Imoke’s sacking my email exchanges on Cross River state with acquaintances on various forums, websites and columns I sometimes write for was often marked by thoughtful disagreement, which I prize; but the sacking and my decision to support him precipitated sheer abuse; it seems the opposition was in a rush to blame Liyel Imoke, Donald Duke and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for every perceived political short-coming in the state.
It’s Nothing New
Politics is something that runs deep in a person's soul. Once bitten by the bug, especially if it occurs in childhood, it inspires a passion that will likely last for a lifetime despite all the heartaches. Personally, politics serves as a vital link to my heritage while also acting as a beacon for the present and something to look forward to in the future.
I first witnessed outright political intimidation, vote rigging and ballot stuffing in the National Republican Convention (NRC) and Social Democratic Party (SDP) days, in the Obalende wards (Eti-Osa Local Government Area), Lagos state. It awakened me to the stark realities of politics in general.
The inconvenient truth is that history is replete with electoral fraud and miscarriage of democracy; Marco Marcacci writes about the unsubtle methods of persuasion used to intimidate political opponents in “civilized” Geneva.
Does this make vote rigging and political intimidation acceptable? No it doesn’t, but it’s our situational reality; for Christ sake I personally witnessed irregularities by both sides at a ward in Calabar South during the local government elections, in 2008; besides, the Stronachs dominate and practically own my own local Ridding of Aurora (Aurora and Newmarket, Ontario) in “civilized” Canada.
Anyone who reads and reflects on the facts will recognize that Cross River state recorded 11 election related incidences; the lowest in the South-South zone according to a report released by the Centre for Environment, Human Rights and Development (CEHRD) in April 2007.
So those pushing for new elections in Cross River state on the basis of a naïve theoretical assumption that the opposition has something better to offer the state should please reconsider. Cross River state doesn’t need “bold”, “new”, reform plans and new political lackeys in office. We need greater focus on what has been achieved in the last 9yrs.
Liyel Imoke’s Maturation
It is almost as if the God of politics intervenes and makes sure another “political warlord” is not elected Governor of Cross River state in this political dispensation. No, Liyel Imoke isn’t the next coming of Aminu Kano or Obafemi Awolowo, but he sure is far above 'the Saminu Turaki Line'.
While some analyst and observers are still reticent to give Mr. Liyel Imoke credit as an dynamic governor, those who have gone up against him come out with a newfound respect for his composed qualities. While Donald Duke was charismatic and renowned for his hands on approach and occasionally polemic style by most accounts, Mr. Imoke has brought discretion, calmness and patience to the role.
In my opinion, his biggest success has been sticking to the collective vision to re-position Cross River state through ensuring a fair redistribution of wealth and the emergence of a middle class; privately, he insists he’s simply overseeing his own phase of a long-term collective vision for the state that we must now not derail in the name of democracy.
The Inconvenient Truth: Insignificance, Greed, and More Greed
Insignificance is politics darkest reality. It is a reality that can only be spoken of in hushed tones and observed with respectful, thoughtful contemplation. It is a reality that every politician must relegate to the farthest reaches of his mind in order to step into the political arena for there is always the very real possibility that insignificance lurks around the corner; to paraphrase my late father, "politicians fear insignificance most”.
Once upon a time, the mere rumour of Mr. Imoke’s removal meant that the old political warlords had gained an upper hand in the battle of political wills, but the thing about the old-days… is they’re the old days.
Today, it’s a different political ballgame in Cross River state. There are new “ball players” in town though the old political warlords remain near the top of the political heap, refusing to give in or go away quietly anytime they don’t get their way. But the reality is that they should ride off into the sunset with dignity realizing that time has done its work, and reality is stronger than memories and sentiments.
Conclusion
The termination of Mr. Liyel Imokes tenure as Governor of Cross River state by the Appeal Court sitting in Calabar on Monday, July 14 2008 is one of those moments when news become history.
Looking forward, we must seize this opportunity and time to define for ourselves what we want to make of our state in the knowledge that the true enemy of Cross River state is not the PDP, Liyel Imoke or Donald Duke, but under-development and ignorance.
Weary as he might look, Mr. Imoke is not despondent. He is, however conscious of the challenges that confront him.
The opposition will no doubt boast a conceivable argument to upstage Mr. Imoke come election day, but, then, the cold hard fact is that the Appeal Courts ruling is an over simplification of the truth since political processes are, after all, more complex than is reflected in voting patterns. Clearly, the courts’ ruling undermines the accomplishments which define Cross River states measured growth from 1999 to date.
D.C, July, 2008
W. Ernest Etim-Bassey is the Executive of Neo-Strategy Consulting.
w.etim-bassey@neostrategyconsulting.com |