Atiku’s ethnic victory
In established multi-party democracies, the clinching of a party ticket or the endorsement by a caucus within a party is usually a subject of intense media speculation, not the object of bold headlines arising from press conferences. This is where, methinks the Ciroma committee for all their intentions, got it wrong. With well over three […]
In established multi-party democracies, the clinching of a party ticket or the endorsement by a caucus within a party is usually a subject of intense media speculation, not the object of bold headlines arising from press conferences. This is where, methinks the Ciroma committee for all their intentions, got it wrong. With well over three hundred and fifty ethnic groups, no group has the right to arrogate to itself, precocious victory in a contest that has not even held. While contestants go to the race with their eyes on the crown, universally, it is never over until it’s over. This is why practically speaking, and except they have their hands on something other than the people’s confidence, nobody should jubilate.
It is shameful to see PDP minions assume that a ticket from their peers automatically guarantees access to political power except in situations where the people’s votes do not count. Any government that comes from a flawed electoral process is not qualified to be called a democracy strictu sensu. Nigerian politicians are incapable of playing by globally accepted rules and norms of true democracy; hence Ghanaian President, Atta Mills, recently offered to take us through Transition 101 prelude to 2011. Somebody did say that the way things are going with Nigerian politics and politicians; it would not be long before Somalians and Liberians begin to teach us lessons in democratic transition. Sierra Leone which we rescued from the verge of being a failed state with our lives, limbs and resources, has left us wobbling behind. For those who have a sense of decency and decorum, it is a sad turn of events.
So, what does the Atiku endorsement portend for the democratic transition? There is no denying the fact that Atiku is the best of what the Jonathan camp has described as the Gang of Four. Atiku cut his political teeth as a student of a master strategist and has matured with age like wine. It took such maturity to survive the diabolic schemes from the Evil of Otta; hibernate with the hitherto ethnic jingoists in the AC (now ACN) and beat a hasty retreat back to the PDP when the arena was cool enough. What more, he deftly positioned himself to be an aspirant even before some of those he left behind in the PDP found their voices. But why he and his fellow ‘gangsters’ needed to sell themselves as ethnic candidates is what beats my imagination. Is it that in spite of such gallivanting, Atiku did not build enough bridges of national entente to win a national convention of a party or sell himself as a Nigerian as is the case with all the other aspirants who lost in this mini-convention of the northern caucus? Or is it that they find GEJ as an incumbent too formidable a foe to tackle on his own without the ethnic card?
For all his doggedness and unrivalled political tackles, his emergence as a sectional candidate diminishes his stature as an aspirant and rubbishes his credentials as a potential candidate for the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For we are at the crossroads. A time like this in our political evolution calls for an aspirant who graduates to a candidate of his party solely on his national credentials. As it stands now, Atiku would have to test his popularity as a semi-sectional candidate with a nation divided against itself. His sectional candidacy would do him no good and his opponents got him right where they needed to nail him hence their jubilation. Already, GEJ continues to insist against all the clamour of Edwin Clarke that he is no ethnic candidate.
Atiku’s case is not helped by the fact that the other candidates are of ‘northern extraction.’ This is why, obdurate as he looks, Muhammadu Buhari avoids and rejects the ethnic toga with all the efforts he could muster. His rookie brother, Nuhu Ribadu wants to be seen as the choice of the new generation cutting across all shades of opinion. Here is where both men stand shoulder and head above Atiku. But on the political plane, if indeed the ‘north’ of media definition had hoped to use its supposed homogeneity and population as strength at the polls, it could practically only succeed in frittering its votes. This is why the Evil of Otta could say ‘I dey laugh.’
Over the years, our country has played the ace of ethnic and religious politics and it is the bane of our political development. The tides call for a change of tactics and strategy. As it stands on all fronts, Nigeria is again on the verge of missing another opportunity to be presented with the choice of ‘national’ aspirants who could transform into national candidates and by extension, the chance of electing a national leader. With all the war drums, God help us in 2011.