A Stubborn Bid To Remain In Power

A Stubborn Bid To Remain In Power

Fr. Gerald M. Musa

It is interesting to see the drama and the intrigues that take place when African leaders are about to complete their term of office. For example, in 2000, Frederick Chiluba of Zambia set the stage to go beyond his mandate of two terms, until the parliament threatened to impeach him. President Bakili Muluzi of Malawi made an attempt to force his way to a third, until the court wielded its power and stopped him from amending the constitution. Obasanjo’s well known attempt towards third term was also an ambition that was scuttled by the courageous intervention of the National Assembly and pressure groups. The on-going crises in Zimbabwe are as a result of Mugabe’s obstinacy to quit power when his time was up.

Tenure elongation is no longer news in Africa when one considers a litany of African leaders who have overstayed their welcome in the leadership of their countries. Gaddafi of Libya is 40 years in power, Mugabe of Zimbabwe 29, Mubarak of Egypt 28, Biya of Cameroon 27, Museveni of Uganda 22, Jameh of Gambia 14. Democratic Republic of Congo (Zaire) suffered for 30 years under the dictatorship of Mobutu Sese Seko until he was forcefully removed from power. Mamadou Tandja of Niger Republic is already seeking for a ticket to join this infamous league. At the root of this problem is the failure of most African leaders to distinguish monarchies from a democratic government.

Once upon a time, an African leader, Ali Solih, who ruled Comoros Island from 1976-78 was so much overtaken by power that he began to claim divine rights. He said to his people: “I am your god and teacher. I am the divine way, the torch that lights the dark. There is no god but Ali Solih.” These words are reminiscent of a paramount ruler who has assumed the position of a god. Rulers who adopt this kind of ideology are not hard to find in Africa. Analysts of Africa’s post-colonial history identify poor leadership as a major problem that continually sets the continent backwards. The exercise of absolute power, power tussles and self-perpetuation are problems that have resulted to the wars and social upheavals in countries like Angola, Somalia, Uganda, DR Congo, Liberia, Cote d’ivoire, Madagascar and Chad. Unfortunately, these problems have turned into a vicious circle that has slowed down our recovery from the hangover of colonialism.

Mammadou Tandja of the Republic of Niger is presently taking the initial steps towards self-perpetuation. He has begun to give deaf ears to his people, as well as local and international organisations calling on him to re-think his agenda for a three-year extension of his presidency. He explains the purpose for which he seeks the three-year extension as an opportunity for him to complete some infrastructure projects which include hydro-electric dam, oil refinery and the uranium mine. These reason sound good, but the implication of the extension can be devastating to the country. It means the national constitution of Niger Republic has to be changed or modified for the president to get the mandate for the extension. This action can set a bad precedence for any president coming afterwards as he would be inclined to follow the same wrong path. Any future president of the country can therefore predicate his self-perpetuation bid on the need to complete unfinished business.

Tandja’s bid for an extension is a mission to self-destruction and is likely to becloud his modest achievement as president. During his ten years in power he re-connected Niger with the international community, and focussed on economic development and a reduction in government spending. His achievement has endeared him to the Talakawa (the poorest of the poor) of Niger who testify to having tasted the good fruit of his government. Interestingly, the clamour for the extension of his tenure (Tazarce) seems to be supported by a cross-section of the Talakawa. The poor people who give their support fail to realise that when this battle for power retention goes really bad and violent, (God forbid), it is they who will be at the receiving end and not the families of the powerful politicians. As a former member of the country’s supreme military council, and as a former Ambassador and Minister in Niger, Tandja has played key roles in the history of his country and it is only proper that he quits the stage for up-coming leaders who would take the country to a new direction. Tandja’s stubborn determination to hang on to power puts him on the same the path with those African leaders who begin well as great messiahs and end up as megalomaniacs.

The handwriting is already on the wall that Niger is on the brink of a catastrophe. This government of Tandja, which is calling for a referendum on the amendment of the constitution, is already getting a stiff resistance from the people. The opposition parties have described this move as a coup and the Supreme Court has declared the referendum illegal, since doing so will violate the oath which he took at the assumption of office. Tandja is very busy at the moment devicing new ways to counter the opposition that is coming from different directions. As it is expected, his first targets have been the judiciary, the media and other institutions that stand between him and his ambition. Already, he has disbanded the national assembly, dissolved the constitutional court, arrested opposition leaders, and closed some media houses. Street demonstrations organised recently, show that more people in Niger are set on a collision course against the dangerous move of the present government.

It is true that a country can amend its constitution when there are enough reasons to do so. However, the big worry comes from the fact that other African countries have had a bad experience with this kind of issue. A referendum for the amendment of the constitution in Niger, as it has been in other African countries, is likely to end up as an exercise in futility. There is no guarantee that the referendum will not be stage-managed or manipulated to suit the whims of the government in power. President Yar’adua presently has a lot of internal problems in his hands and is unlikely to pay adequate attention to external matters such as this one. However, we know too well that major crises that affect Nigeria’s immediate neighbours, affect Nigeria indirectly in the long run.

The present leadership of Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) under President Yar’adua must take the issue of the Republic of Niger much more seriously. The ECOWAS in their meeting last month only threatened Niger with sanctions if it behaves undemocratically. It is not clear what the community implies by undemocratic behaviour. Nevertheless, there are already more than enough evidence indicating that Niger has thrown the tenets of democracy to the dogs. Presently, the pillars of democracy are displaced in Niger because the president has sent the national assembly packing. The constitutional court is stripped of its power and the media, which is the watchdog of society, is under fire. What is left of democracy when a country is no longer guided by the constitution but by presidential decrees and when the opposition lacks the freedom of expression?

The African Union is making an effort to promote the Unity of the African people, but the big challenge before the Union is to speak with a strong and a united voice against leaders with despotic tendencies. The action of the union would definitely make more impact than the intervention of the ‘superpowers’, including France, who are likely to be more interested in which government best protects their economic investment in Niger, than in what is best for the progress of the people of Niger. Wars and any violent political crisis in Niger can be averted by a strong intervention now because a stitch in time saves nine.

For peace to continue to reign in Niger, the current government must bow at the expiry of its tenure this year. In a radio call-in programme, a citizen of Niger advised his president in the following words: “Shugaba Tandja, muna rokonka, ka bar iko kafin ikon ya barka” (President Tandja, we beg you to quit power before power departs from you). This admonition is brief and yet very wise. Nelson Mandela at the expiry of his first tenure in 1999 spoke to the Daily Nation, a Kenyan paper: ‘I must step down while there is one or two people who admire me.’