Edo And Nigeria’s Journey To Political Maturity
“While there is nothing wrong in appointing party members into government to help facilitate huge project implementation, the choice of party members should be additional to their having been found capable by their individual track-records”.
BY TONNIE IREDIA
In 1993, Nigeria conducted a presidential election that the world hailed as the best in the nation’s history. If 31years later, the famous June 12, 1993 election remains the nation’s best, it means Nigeria is yet to make any electoral or political progress in three full decades. Of course, there have been several processes and procedures introduced by the successive electoral bodies; indeed, the Electoral Act has been subjected to annual amendments, but there has been no substantial departure from the verdict of poor elections in the country. The problem is not difficult to imagine; the political class has refused to mature, with its members working assiduously to prevent election officials including judges and law enforcement agents from doing a good job. It is either they are using their privileged position to break rules without consequences or making sure they sabotage the autonomy of the otherwise independent election management boards. Put differently, Nigeria’s political class is yet to mature.
Hopes that the situation might improve are now deem following reports on the on-going arrangements for the next seasonal election – the Edo governorship contest of 2024. Ordinarily, apart from the nearness of the Edo contest as a reference point, Edo, which correctly calls itself the ‘heart-beat of the nation’ is traditionally a good barometer for measuring Nigeria’s politics. Students of history would remember that Edo and Delta which used to be known as Bendel state had made up the old Midwest region noted for its moderating role that ensured the existence of ‘One Nigeria’ amidst other groups clamouring to breakaway. A reading of happenings in Edo, is therefore a fair representation of the Nigerian situation. If politics in Edo is shown to be business as usual, it amounts to self-denial for anyone to seek to exempt any Nigerian community from the subsisting traits of political immaturity visibly observable from current political happenings.
Three major political parties appear ready to lock horns in the Edo contest. These are, the All Progressives Congress APC, the Peoples Democratic Party PDP and the Labour Party LP. Only yesterday, within the direct primary election to pick a flagbearer for the APC, complaints and allegations of imposition rented the air. In the PDP, which is the ruling party in the state, 8 out of the 10 aspirants have continued to protest the handling of the delegates congress held to elect three ad hoc members per ward. In the Labour Party LP, the aspirants have reduced drastically not only because of the high nomination fees charged by the party but also because of reported manipulation of the guidelines for the party primaries. But why is it so difficult for political parties in Nigeria to organize hitch-free party primaries? The answer is that Nigerian politicians are not democratic by nature and as such their political parties are incapable of embracing internal democracy within their own activities because no entity can give what it does not have.
However, there are two reasons why some analysts assumed that Edo politicians would probably lead the way to Nigeria’s political maturity. First, tribe and ethnic bitterness are not likely to be as intense in Edo state as they are in some other states. The component parts of Edo state are made up of indigenes who trace their ancestry to one source making it obvious that Edo people are one with several historical stories of how they are all brothers and sisters. To that extent, one does not expect excessive ethnic voting. Second, for the first time in recent history political aspirants to this year’s governorship poll is filled with outstanding citizens unlike in the past when parties presented unqualified people which they sought to impose on the people. In other words, Edo state has moved away from the old order where everyone saw election as a dirty and violent game. It was therefore expected that the arena would be sane enough for the people to begin to rely on some degree of personal track record to make their choices.
The contestants are without doubt outstanding figures in their own rights. There are at least four prominent members of the legal profession who by virtue of their learned status can show Edo the right way to go. There is Kenneth Imasuagbon, Asue Ighodalo and Omosede Igbinedion. In fact, Olumide Akpata, immediate past president of the Nigerian Bar Association is also in the race. Dennis Idahosa, a serving member of the House of Representatives is in the crowd with many other former federal legislators such as Omoregie Ogbeide-Ihama, Philip Shaibu, Omosede Igbinedion and indeed, a serving senator, Monday Okpebholo. Ex-governor Oserheimen Osunbor and his former deputy, Lucky Imasuen are also listed along with former Budget Minister, Clement Agba and Ex-APC state chairman, Retired Colonel David Imuse. General Charles Airhavbere another retired military chief is also a contestant. While other no less prominent aspirants are not listed here for want of space, what is obvious is that Edo people have enough outstanding people to choose from.
It is not that no great personalities showed interest in politics in the past, this is obviously the first time the state is recording a very large number. The few that came out in the past were usually schemed out. This time around no one is sure of what will happen. Will the choice of voters either at the primaries or during the election proper prevail? This is a difficult question because reports from the field are revealing the old godfatherism tactics in which the powers that be in the political parties usually coerce certain candidates to withdraw for aspirants who are not necessarily stronger ones. Bearing in mind that none of the parties recorded more than 30 aspirants, why can’t party leaders allow their members to determine the best instead of thwarting the ambition of some? If there are certain special cases where the principle of affirmative action may be useful, why can’t such conditions be front-loaded well before the contest begins?
Instead, political leaders in Nigeria relish the trend of shifting the goal-post in the middle of play? The APC for example started with no zoning, arguing that it was unnecessary. It looked like a strong point until the need to give advantage to a zone with no governor in the recent past suddenly surfaced. Why didn’t the process start with that? Unfortunately, the argument sells the point that elected governors cannot be trusted to keep their oath of office to solemnly serve as statesmen who should impartially belong to all. The same is true of the clamour for ‘home-boy’ in a state which every contestant belongs to as of right. Perhaps the most difficult challenge to the attainment of political maturity is the idea of ruling parties refusing to allow a level-playing field for all candidates to sell their election promises to all and sundry using state facilities like public media, stadium etc.
During campaigns, all contestants must embrace the culture of respect in political discourse. Instead of intemperate language, it is better to be civil at all times. Certain persons who are focusing on fake research findings to diminish the size of the majority should desist from testing the resolve of Edo south. Some progress has been made in the last 8 years in the application of technology in the state. Governor Godwin Obaseki has won some awards from stringent groups like the Nigerian Union of Teachers. Unlike other states that could not pay the minimum wage, Edo has maintained a higher minimum. Those who are not satisfied with Obaseki’s performance are entitled to their viewpoint but a better way to attain political maturity is for them to refrain from attacks while canvassing how they intend to do better if elected.
Edo, being a state made up of one people should elect the best candidate to the office of governor. Such a governor should avoid the old self-seeking game of his party members struggling to be the only persons eligible to serve. While there is nothing wrong in appointing party members into government to help facilitate huge project implementation, the choice of party members should be additional to their having been found capable by their individual track-records. Government should no longer be job for the boys if we are to attain political maturity – a trend where Edo can easily take the lead.
