The year started on a note of optimism. The cloud soon began to gather. Now over, how did the great political events go? Deputy Political Editor EMMANUEL OLADESU reviews the turbulent year.
For almost 365 days now, the country has been in self inflicted turmoil. The lopsided federal polity is tormented by its own undoing. Unable to resolve the contradiction of steering a plural, diverse and heterogeneous society like a pseudo-unitary formation by its residual class of egocentric, militarist-civilian clique of rulers bent on converting the vast territory into personal fiefdom, the power-loaded centre and beggarly component units wobble on in unmitigated constitutional disaster. The puzzle is the worth of the Nigerian citizenship.
The most remarkable event of the year was the general election and installation of new government that has failed to show convincing signs of capacity to combat poverty, squalour, unemployment and insecurity ravaging the country. It has been a year of sporadic bombings, gross ineptitude on the part of the federal government and wasted expectation on the part the public. The orderly transfer of power underscores miniature political stability that has eluded the trembling amalgam of incompatible nations in an involuntary, uneasy and unsteady cohabitation. No doubt, elections reaffirmed the status of the fragile democratic nation-state, but without the prospects of restoring the spirit of nationhood in the foreseeable future.
Election petitions
The electoral reforms of the administration, despite falling below expectation, and global standard, closed the integrity gap. Unlike the 2007 electoral terrorism, there were fewer litigations arising from this year’s exercise. The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the electorate took the credit. However, the major disputation came from the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) presidential candidate, Major-Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (Rtd), who prayed the tribunal in vain to quash the victory of President Goodluck Jonathan. The temple of justice disagreed, hipping in the bud the longstanding ambition of the former military ruler to bounce back to power, 27 years after he was ousted in a palace coup by the evil genius, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida (Rtd). Other petitions arising governorship and federal and state parliamentary elections are being heard by tribunals, but devoid of the 2007 media glitz.
The presidential election sparked off violence in the North and some spots in the Southsouth, where it was believed that CPC was edged out by the Presidency. Lives and property worth billions of Naira were lost. More painful was the tragedy that hit the serving corps members who acted as electoral officers in troubled spots. Their gruesome murder elicited mass condemnation by stakeholders who advocated the scrapping of the National Youth Service Scheme (NYSC). Following the riots and destruction, a panel headed by Sheik Lemu was set up by government to unravel the immediate and remote cause of the mayhem.
Following the election, the process of power shift from the conservatives to progressives in the Southwest was complete. There was a change in tide. The polls also affected the composition of the National Assembly leadership. PDP Senator David Mark retained his seat as the Senate President. A new House of Representatives Speaker Aminu Tambuwal replaced Hon. Dimeji Bankole, who failed at the elections in his Egba Constituency. ACN emerged as the leading opposition party in the country, leaning on its stronghold, the Southwest, where it now has five governors and enlarging its coast through the in-road it made into other regions.
The outcome of the polls reflected largely the wishes of Nigerians. In Kano State, PDP truncated the ambition of the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) to hold on to power. In Nasarawa State, CPC displaced PDP, despite its power of incumbency. In Imo, All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) sacked PDP from power. In Oyo and Ogun States, ACN triumphed over PDP. In Lagos, ACN still maintained its relevance.
Since 2007, Nigeria had adjusted to staggered elections. Thus, elections did not hold in Sokoto, Adamawa, Bayelsa, Edo, Ondo, Cross River and Kogi in April. Kogi’s polls have been held, with ACN kissing the dust before PDP. Preparations for governorship elections in other states have started. The polls would hold next year. Local council elections should normally trail general elections. But except few states, including Lagos, state governments deliberately shy away from holding grassroots elections, despite the constitutional provision that democratically elected local governments are fully guaranteed. This has created doubt about the status of the council as the third tier in the federation.
INEC moved swiftly to assess the 64 political parties after the April elections. For failing to field candidates for the 2011 general elections, its hammer fell on seven political parties. The INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, struck out their names from the commission’s register, in accordance with the provisions of the amended Electoral Act. The proscription, which elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians, reduced the number of the parties in the country from 63 to 56.
Jega explained that the affected parties were de-registered because they have failed to satisfy the constitutional requirement of representation at the state and National Assembly. He said, henceforth, the proscribed parties are precluded from engaging in any electoral activities, including canvassing for seats in any electoral process.
Parties proscribed
The proscribed parties are Democratic Alternative (DA) led by Abayomi Ferreira; National Action Council (NAC) led by Dr Olapade Agoro, National Democratic Liberty Party (NDLP) led by Alhaji Umaru Maizabura and Masses Movement of Nigeria (MMN) led by Mr Edreez Alabi.Others are Nigeria Peoples Congress (NPC) led by Ngozi Emioma, Nigeria Elements Progressive Party (NUP) led Yusuf Mamman and National Unity Party (NUP) led by Chief Perry Opara.
According to INEC, the de-registration is a continuous process, adding that more parties are likely to wind up, following the resolution of the litigations arising from the last general elections. Jega explained that, the parties had to go, pursuant to the provisions of Section 78 (70 (ii) of the amended Electoral Act, which stipulated the mode of operations by the parties.
Opinion is divided on the proscription. Many hailed it. But others, including the NAC leader, Dr. Olapade Agoro, decried the de-registration, claiming that it was inconsistent with the verdict of the Supreme Court on registration and deregistration of political parties. He recalled that, in the case instituted by the legal luminary, the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAN, against INEC, the court ruled in favour of freedom of association. Agoro said: “We will return to the court to fight this injustice. It runs contrary to the law and constitution. It will not stand”.
President Jonathan impressed many Nigerians with the caliber of people he appointed as ministers, although some of them were being recycled. Job creation is an uphill task. Infrastructure battle has been fought and lost. Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) has been generating darkness more than electricity. Refineries are a dream.
Finance Minister Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has dismissed the economic thrust of the administration as a fallacy. Budget has either under-performed or not properly implemented, making the appropriation a grand declaration of deceit. The summary of the political economy of Nigeria currently is not painlessness, but dubious implementation of policies and programmes. Informal debates on fuel subsidy and presentation of the next year’s budget have overtaken its proper evaluation.
Creation of states
The National Assembly has been inundated with requests for the creation of more states. The struggles are coordinated by elite in their bid to secure more access to state resources. No geo-political zone is left out of the agitation, in spite of their lack of viability. In the Southwest, there are clamours for the creation of Ibadan, Ijebu and Lagoon States. The Southeast, which has five states, unlike other regions which have six each, is more vociferous.
Last month, the President set up a committee on constitution review. It is headed by former Chief Justice of the Federation, Justice Belgore (rtd). Last month, two eminent politicians, Biafra leader and Ikemba Nnewi Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and former Industry Minister Silas Daniyan passed on.
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Thrills, frills and frays of 2011