:WHEN THE DUMPING OF ‘POLITRICKS’ FOR ‘POLITICS’ BECOMES IMPERATIVE IN DEFENCE OF NATIONAL INTEREST

‘Politics’ according to the Oxford Learners Dictionary is defined as ‘the activities involved in getting and using power in public life and being able to influence decisions that affect a country or a society’.

In the pre-colonial days of the three main axes namely; Yoruba, Igbo and the Hausa the systems of government were different and the only ones that partly featured and reflected democratic traits was in Igbo land where the age grades met to collectively take decisions and  in Oyo where the Oyomesi acted as checks and balances.

The post -colonial era introduced the representative democracy where the country is governed and run through a well and properly defined systems and arrangements through the three arms of government viz; Legislative, Executive and the Judiciary with each playing independent and specific roles.

This development hampers the full utilization of the nation’s potentials and were it not hindered by such anti-growth traits the gains and dividends of democracy attendant with representative democracy would ordinarily have been well felt and enjoyed by Nigerians.

.The question is how do we ensure successful navigation from this ocean infested with the predators (tribalism, nepotism, corruption, religious bigotry, personal interest and aggrandizement and others) that have stood as obstacles halting the movement of the nation’s train to the desired Promised Land? Nigeria has missed the 19th century no doubt but must we flop the 21st? If the answer is ‘NO’ which it must be, then we must be thinking of a radical surgery to get the political scene purged of traits of ‘politrick’ which is detrimental to the nation’s interest and future.

A development that stands as watershed in Nigeria’s history was staged on March 28, 2015 when for the first time ever, a serving president who stood as a candidate in an election suffered an electoral defeat. An electoral umpire took what was hitherto believed to be a daring step of declaring the opposition candidate the winner of an election and the serving President the loser! No one could have imagined that such could be staged on the nation’s political scene so soon.

The election also recorded instances of serving governors losing senatorial elections while for the first time issues of indigenous claims to elective position got watered down as a man of Deltan names and origin and two people of Igbo origins won House of Reps seats in Lagos state.

The transformation of the APC from a leading opposition party to an incoming ruling party is phenomenal and it would for a long time continued to be a subject for discussion in the Political Science class.

While it is clear that the heads of the executive arm in the incoming government has emerged, a cloud of uncertainty still surrounds the identities of the would-be leaders of the National Assembly. Although members-elect of the National Assembly may feel it is within their exclusive rights to decide on those that would emerge as their leaders while the political parties would also naturally assumed the role of guiding members in the choice of leaders the truth remains that the entire Nigerians are interested and are eagerly awaiting the unveiling of the new set of leaders.

‘Zoning’ has different meanings to different people. To some it incongruously promote the dwarfing of merit for mediocrity as the one favoured by zoning arrangements might not ordinarily be well-equipped and intellectually sound like those denied right of contest through zoning arrangement.

The advantages of zoning could however be better explained via the issue of independent candidates being clamoured for in some quarters. Definitely, it would produce a cumbersome arrangement as many would contest in hundreds merely for the fun of participating in the game. Zoning therefore results in reduction of tension, fierceness of contest and other things that could over-heat the polity. It is instructive to note however that when the zoning option is wrongly used or abused owing to wrong choice of candidates the concerned people could be faced with the option of applying a corrective measure by opting to allow a popular choice emerge through voting such as the scene enacted in the House of Representatives in 2011.

The catapulting of the APC to national prominence was in a way Ashiwaju Bola Tinubu described it during the campaigns, a result of efforts by people to unite for a ‘common sense revolution’ the party therefore must strategize well to ensure proper management of the electoral success. Therefore the import implications of the saying that ‘the wisdom required in building a house is negligible when compared with the wisdom required in making it an abode’ should regularly exercise the minds of the party leaders. 

Leading the house or the senate is not a tea party affair, it requires picking a person who is charismatic and has the natural potentials, talents, gifts and gait to make an office function properly. The tenure of Senator Bukola Saraki as Chairman, Governors’ Forum is sill easily referenced as strong evidence that he will run an effective and efficient senate.

Senator Bukola Saraki as the Senate President would no doubt stand as the stabilizing factor for the government with the certainty and assurances that the pride and independence of the legislative arm would be jealously kept and sustained. His endowment with such qualities is inborn and inherent as his late father Dr Olushola Saraki served as the Senate Leader from 1979 to 1983 and successfully carried every member along inspite the political differences. The Senate then had 36 members who were members of the NPN, UPN 28, NPP 17, PRP 7 and GNPP 7. A dangerous precedent is however about to be set which is inimical and potentially positioned as a serious threat to the growth and survival of our democracy  taking into cognizance Nigerian politicians’ tendencies to readily exploit things to their advantages through mischievous intent. The aspirants for the Senate Presidency include Senator George Akume, Senator Danjuma Goje, Senator Bukola Saraki and Senator Lawan. The scramble for the senate presidency would definitely come and go and a man destined to occupy the exalted seat would eventually emerge but the actions and inactions of leaders of the different camps presenting candidates for the seat would later become a reference points. The race for the seat takes new dimension daily but the frightening aspect that is antithetical to the true spirit of a party that prides itself as providing platform for convergence of the progressives is however character assassinations. Some are already sponsoring campaign of calumny against two of the aspirants.

 Bandied round is the insinuation that two of the aspirants should not contest for the seat because they have pending cases relating to various allegations against them. It is clearly stated however and it is not open to debate that a man is considered innocent of an offence until proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction. In a political environment such as ours opposition group are ever ready to launch allegations against perceived political enemies and naturally it is normal to secure a place for such in the realm of insinuation and conjecture until a competent court of jurisdiction affirms the veracity or otherwise of such claims. While the case of Senator Danjuma Goje with the EFCC is still in court, the one involving Senator Bukola Saraki and the police has not got a clear direction.

It is therefore imperative that the matter be precisely delineated to get the people adequately informed about the facts surrounding the issue. Investigations revealed that Senator Bukola Saraki has never been arraigned before a judge for any criminal offence anywhere in the country till date. What the police did was a process of building up a case against him which is not unusual.  He was the one that  later approached the court on his own to stop the police from harassing him and all the matters he has attended in court has always been civil which had to do with elections and that is the truth.  Having being invited several times by the police without prosecution might obviously imply that there is no substantial evidence for his prosecution. He initiated the case in court to enforce his fundamental right and stop harassment from the police and when the court says he should report there, he promptly did and since then nothing happened. An arraignment in court is not even strong as an alibi to bar a man from contesting for an elective position not to talk of seeking for a position after election. The Supreme Court in Governor Ayo Fayose’s case  this year has also rested the issue of conviction by a court of competent jurisdiction when it interalia says mere indictment by an administrative tribunal is not a conviction recognized by law since such a tribunal cant be regarded as a court of competent jurisdiction.

The police has the right to investigate all allegations of crime whether it is politically motivated or genuine it is only when there is a primafacie case against the person that he becomes a suspect and when he is arraigned before the court and he takes a plea he becomes an accused person and when found guilty and he is convicted he becomes a convict. The police have the power to invite anybody for questioning and interrogation and it does not imply that the person is already guilty of the offence. We should note that even when a person is arraigned before a judge he could later be discharged and acquitted if there is no strong evidence to prove the allegations. And in the case of Senator Bukola Saraki it was only an invitation for interrogation by the police and the fact that somebody honoured police invitation and got interrogated can not be a bar to him or be what could be politically disadvantageous. 

 People would simply influence institutions to raise allegations against a potential rival for position, charge him/her to court and use such to achieve the aim of  his/her denial to the position and the case may later be discontinued since the desired aim had been achieved. It is important that leaders of the party should in their subconscious minds always remember that the party enjoyed massive support via the mantra ‘change’ ‘old things have therefore passed away and everything becomes new’ it is therefore a moral challenge to the leaders to purge itself of thoughts and fear of possible personality clash, clash of political interest, pursue of personal interest and other considerations. The leaders should be solemn in their approach to the air of complete self-satisfaction and of triumph currently reigning in the party. The leaders should regularly and willingly present for elective and appointive positions its shinning stars and those capable of further enhancing the chances of the party. 

 The point therefore is that the National Assembly deserves a leader who is eminently qualified to run an efficient and effective senate whether someone likes or hates his face ,party and national interest should be placed above personal interest at all times. What APC needs is a Senate President who can blend the old school with the new breed through good rapport with the two categories and classes of people.  One who is Hi-tech compliant, one who can blend with the youth and also has good experience and ability of flowing with the old breed conveniently.

 It is high time we created room for supremacy of ‘politics’ over and above ‘politricks’ because while the former has meanings that bears direct reference for good things and impacts in the lives of the people, the later has no meaning and it is just regarded as a game where personal interests and personal aggrandizement reign supreme since it exists merely as a coinage.  While the Democrat Party in USA could have searched for a white man as a presidential candidate, the oratory power and leadership ability and capacity of Barrack Obama got placed above myopic considerations and he emerged as the party’s candidate.  Am sure the party never for once regretted that such decision was taken.

In semblance with what currently obtains in the nation’s political circle, the reality is that even if you like his face or feels naturally uncomfortable seeing the face such action would not take away the naked truth that Senator Bukola Saraki is well-equipped with the wherewithal to run an effective senate, attract glamour and respect to the seat.  He with ease would also successfully put his leadership ability into use and galvanize members into being on same page with General Muhammadu Buhari on his transformation agenda, plans and programmes. Unlike what is obtainable in the executive where a man stands as the boss and others simply queue as subordinates, in the legislative arm, all the members have same and equal statuses and the leader is ordinarily picked to direct proceedings. A simple analogical deduction from such scenario is when one is chosen as a Class Captain in primary or secondary school; the position would not in anyway make him a senior to his classmates. It is important therefore that a man who is charismatic and could command the respect of members is presented as the head of the legislative arm. Needless to also remind the APC leaders that its main rival, the PDP, is waiting patiently in the wing with members above forty and it boasts of a numerical strength that can act as stumbling blocks.  While refraining from possible inference of casting aspersion on other contestants as they are also eminently qualified the truth must be told that settling for the Best is preferable to settling for the Good. Just like General Muhammadu Buhari’s former political foes saw the need to field a man who can fix the dwindling economy in him, it would not be out of place and indeed it would be strategic and wise politically to ensure the choice of the Senate President is zeroed on a man who can carry all members along irrespective of political affiliations and one who would act as stabilizing factor for the new government—Akinlolu Abayomi is an Ilorin based journalist.