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Politics, simply defined, is the jostling and interplay between groups and individuals with the goal of obtaining and controlling the levers of government.
By whichever models, socialist or liberal democracy, the conduct of the game of politics is guided by set rules and conventions. It is as well as, played within the frameworks of philosophical or ideological foundations.
At every point in its political journey since independence in 1960, all the variants of Nigeria’s political architecture have been patterned after the western liberal models of democracy. It was the Westminster parliamentary system in the First Republic, 1960 to 1966 and, the presidential system from the Second Republic, 1979 to 1983, the still-born Third Republic, 1992 to 1993 through to the ongoing Fourth Republic, 1999 to date.
However, while Nigeria is, supposedly, practising the Western models of democracy, the country’s versions have always been negatively tainted in ways that make democracy look more of a caricature of all its known universal features.
For one, political parties in Nigeria are not as such, ideologically defined. They are so amorphous and fluid that they are virtually, only different from each other by their names. This is the explanation for what is called “decamping”, in the nation’s political parlance.
In retrospect, the First and Second Republics can be referred to as the golden eras in the nation’s political trajectory. The political parties of the periods, exhibited party discipline, focus and commitment as well as, an overriding culture of altruism.
For example, Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s Action Group (AG) of the First Republic and its successor, the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic were built on a modified variant of socialism with a local character. It was welfarism with cardinal focus on free education and poverty eradication.
The party’s members elected or appointed to public offices, strictly adhered to its ideology by faithfully implementing its enshrined policies and programmes either as governors, ministers or parliamentarians. In government, the Free Education programme was the flag ship of the party’s socialist ideological thrust.
The Aminu Kano’s Northern Elements Progressive Union (NEPU) in the First Republic and its reincarnation, People Redemption Party (PRP) in the Second Republic were established on the radical ideological flank of emancipation of the masses, the “Talakawa” from age-old feudal repression.
In frameworks of the party’s socialist ideology, the PRP’s governors, late Abubakar Rimi and late Abdulkadir Balarabe Musa, pursued radical and populist policies and programmes in Kano and Kaduna states, respectively, in the Second Republic.
Ahmadu Bello’s Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) made no pretences about its conservative ideological bent which primarily centred on the mobilisation of people in the North and the projection of the region’s interests at the national stage
Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe’s National Convention of Nigerian Citizens (NCN), later the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) in the First and Second Republics, respectively, projected the postures of a republican and a pan-Nigerian nationalist party. However, it was in practice essentially a regional party.
Besides the exceptional incidence of the 1951 cross-carpeting in the defunct Western Regional House, a watershed with devastating consequences on the country’s history, political parties in the First and Second Republics showed relative discipline that engendered stability. Incidents of defections were not as rampant and whimsical as they are done in the present times.
As a result of strong political parties with disciplined membership, the defunct Western, Eastern and Northern regional governments of the First Republic built vibrant and self-reliant economies within a short space of time. It was groundnuts, cotton, hides and skin in the North; cocoa in the West; rubber and oil palm in the East.
Nigerians similarly experienced monumental developments during the Second Republic, 1979 to 1983, due to the culture of discipline and single-minded commitment of the politicians of that period to the task of implementing the manifestos of their respective political parties.
Among others, GNPP’s late governor Muhammed Goni of old Borno state; late Abubakar Rimi and Balarabe Musa of the PRP in the old Kano and old Kaduna states, respectively; late Lateef Jakande of Lagos state; late Pa Adekunle Ajasin of old Ondo state; late Sam Mbakwe in the old Imo state; late Shehu Kangiwa of old Sokoto state and Professor Ambrose Ali of the old Bendel state were all governors of the Second Republic who bequeathed enduring legacies in infrastructure development.
Paradoxically, in spite of the stupendous financial resources available today, our political parties and politicians cannot hold the candle to their predecessors. Instead of advancement, the country seems to be on the reverse gear. The reasons are not unconnected to the emergent nature of the political parties and the characters of those driving political affairs.
Today, there are practically no ideological lines of demarcations between the political parties. Because, it is just a matter of nomenclature or, name change, a politician who jumped from one political party to another would have no difficulties or, problems of adaptation.
It is a negative commmmentary that altruism is not any more a motivation in politics. Rather, material and all sorts of mundane, pecuniary goals are the primary motivations. Politics is seen as an entrepreneurship with profit-making as the propellant.
The glaring lack of the elements of etiquettes and morality in politics, is, logically, one of the explanations for the breath-taking level of corruption and the scorched earth battles fought by our politicians in their scramble for electoral victories.
Understandably, the politicians who are reaping from the prevailing decadent order would be averse to any efforts at changing the status quo. But, for self preservation and the superior good of the country, that is precisely what the present political class must do to avert a catastrophic doomsday.
One of the ways of effecting the needed change is the enforcement of the extant constitutional provisions on defections. Sections 68(1) (g) and, 109(2), unambiguously stipulate that an elected legislator at the federal and states legislatures who desires to change his or her political party, MUST have to first, vacate his/her office.
Things cannot go on this way. Something must have to give. Because, for as long as party politics is conducted in wilful disregard to laid-down rules and moral obligations, for that long, will the universal benefits of democracy or, representative governance continue to elude our country.
Sixty-six years after attaining independence and given all the basic resources available, Nigeria should, ideally, have gone up much higher on the global ratings of progress on all facets of human endeavours. This is especially painful, in view of our experience of enjoying an unbroken reign of democracy from 1999 to date.
…Aghedo, Secretary, Forum of Nigerian Professionals in the UK
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