By Alex O. Atawa Akpodiete*
Political Scientists have defined democracy as government of the people, for the people and by the people. Inherent in that definition is participatory government. In other words, the people must have a say in who governs them. Theocracy, as practiced in Biblical Old Testament times, is government by God through prophets without an actual earthly king. Once you enthrone earthly kings that rule over the masses, you have moved into aristocracy.
Nigerians are familiar with military dictatorship, even when disguised as pseudo democracy as practiced under the short-lived IBB and Abacha regimes (third and Fourth Republic). This is akin to Oligarchy which is government by a few people. In today’s Nigerian democracy, godfatherism and imposition of candidates are off-springs of oligarchy.
In the jostling for political office come 2015, there has been clamoring and bemoaning whether candidates are imposed on party members. This begs the question: are we really in a democracy? Imposition may be slightly different from a consensus candidature because it is assumed that all the other aspirants and possibly delegates have arrived at an agreement.
The ruling Peoples Democratic Party has apparently adopted President, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GCFR as their sole candidate for the presidential election on February 14, 2015. To the extent that the day is Valentine’s Day, it could arguably be an expression of the party’s love for him. On the opposition side, the three other main parties have not stated anything about who their presidential flag-bearers will be. In the main All Progressives Congress (APC), two old time war horse or journeymen politicians, former head of State Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) and former vice President Alhaji Atiku Abubakar have declared, while we are waiting for both the governor of Kano State Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso and the Edo State Comrade Governor Adams Aliyu Oshiomhole to possibly throw in their respective hats into the race.
There is also speculation of whether the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Alhaji Aminu Waziri Tambuwal will defect from PDP to APC and thereafter, declare his intention for the number seat in the country. Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Fashiola, SAN is a potential wild card for APC. The founder and former Publisher of Leadership newspaper Sam Nda-Isaiah has also left no doubt about his intention to occupy Aso Villa under the banner of APC, although some pundits question the true intentions of the Minna-born pharmacist.
Labour Party (LP) may also not field a Presidential candidate just like in 2011 when they adopted President Jonathan. All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) may follow suit and do the same again, especially since most of the South-Eastern ibos have adopted President Jonathan, hoping that the region will produce the President in 2019, for the first time in the history of Nigeria. Some critics have stated that APGA and LP are really offshoots or obfuscated extensions of PDP, which point may have been buttressed by the recent decamping to PDP of the current LP Governor of Ondo State Olusegun Mimiko and erstwhile Anambra State Governor (and former APGA BoT Chairman) Peter Obi.
The national Assembly is no left behind in the fray. The Senate President, Major Gen. David Mark (rtd.) is rumored to have been adopted as the sole candidate from his Benue constituency, meaning they want him to return unopposed for an unprecedented fifth term. Speculations are rift that they want to make sure he is well positioned to take over from President Jonathan in 2019, based on his loyalty and military experience considering our security challenges.
On the governorship races across the 32 States that are expected to conduct elections on February 28, 2015, the same scenario seems to be playing out. Governors are endorsing and anointing candidates, while saying emphatically that they have not done so. A particular governor stated that although he does not know who will be his successor, he knows those who will not succeed him. I guess the God factor is eliminated. Suppose God wants someone that the governor “knows will not succeed him”? What about the choice of the people?
While some states have claimed that there is no zoning under PDP, states like Abia have witnessed their governor stating categorically that Abia South will produce the next governor. In fact, His Excellency Theodore A. Orji “Ochendu” has even narrowed it to a particular region. Akwa Ibom & Rivers States have insisted on the nebulous “equity/power shift.” Delta State is still somewhat unclear, but the pendulum seems to be swinging to Delta North Senatorial zone, although the predominant Urhobos in Delta Central are not going to accept it lying own. Even a recent meeting of Anioma Stakeholders with President Jonathan this past week has not clarified the matter. The group led by the Asagba of Asaba Prof. Chike Edozie, although championing the cause of an Anioma governor for Delta State in 2015, has refused to let the public know who are the supposed three aspirants they want to project (or impose).
At the recent South-South integration committee meeting held at PDP legacy House in Maitama, Abuja, which I attended as a House of Representative aspirants, along with three Delta governorship aspirants (Dr. Esther Uduehi, Prof. Sylvester Monye & Prof. Izegbu), the party clarified that there are no endorsements or automatic tickets for anyone. In other words, all aspirants will be given a level playing field. Of course, the presidential ticket is exempted, even though Dr. Balewa, the son of the late and only Prime Minister of Nigeria (Alhaji Tafewa Balewa), has indicated his interest in challenging President Jonathan for the PDP ticket.
All these means is that democracy in Nigeria is still growing, but faces some grave dangers. A major death knell to democracy will be imposition of candidates. Next week I want to look at Rented Crowds: The Fallacy of Democracy.
Let all the parties beware!
*Rev. Akpodiete, a public affairs analyst writes from Asaba.
