THE BEAUTY of winning political elections in Nigeria is that it gives the winners and political party the privilege of having access to state treasury and resources and nothing else.
Our political journey since 1999 shows that nearly all politicians who in one way or the other had managed to emerge victorious in elections, with few exceptions, used the office to enrich themselves, their friends, relatives and cronies. This is why we have been in perpetual turmoil, because corruption has been institutionalised. The stench of corruption oozing from our democratic governance since 1999 is perceived round the world. Interestingly, no matter how corrupt or clueless a government may be, it does not affect its re-election.
Currently, there is no political party in active opposition. Peter Obi is the only one in opposition and it is clear that APC is not comfortable with him. The culture of civil protest, which Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a master of as opposition figure, has been suffocated under his watch. Senator Ali Ndume was suspended for criticising the policies and leadership style of President Tinubu. As President and Supreme Leader of the APC, Tinubu and the party expects that all the wrong policies, misrule, cluelessness and corruption, should not only be condoned but applauded.
In advanced Western nations, it is the record of performance in office that guarantees re-election into same office or higher one. The reverse is the case in Nigeria. I remember in 2003 when the people of Edo refused that Lucky Nosa Igbinedion will not get a second term because, according to them, his performance in the first term was dismal, the governor’s father, the Isama of Benin, Chief Igbinedion, told them that a child who fails a class should be allowed to repeat. Eventually, the governor repeated through the political ingenuity of the late Chief Tony Anenih.
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In 2025 and beyond, Nigeria will play host to the putrid venoms of APC. The party’s performance since 2015 has been dismal and there is no sign in the air that things are going to get better. Attacks such as the one meted to Peter Obi by Felix Morka will be more. It is always the strategy of those who have nothing to offer to try to intimidate, harass and frighten those who have a good track record and integrity. This strategy is referred to as “Insecurity-Aggression Hypothesis” or “Compensatory Aggression.”
It suggests that individuals who feel insecure, inadequate, or weak may compensate for their perceived shortcomings by acting aggressively. APC knows that this is the only strategy available to them as far as 2027 is concerned. The hazards of opposition will weigh more and more heavily as we approach 2027. Our political skies are going to be heavily laden with dark clouds and the accompanying storm will be inevitable.
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Every political party in Nigeria today except APC is embroiled in one internal crisis or the other. Some conspiracy theorists believe that APC is behind the crisis to make sure the parties do not put their acts together before 2027.
The APC government under Muhammadu Buhari did not do well for eight years and the APC government of Ahmed Tinubu is also not doing well. This point must be clearly and loudly made. In the coming days, any attempt to shush Nigerians into eerie silence while the nation slides into horrible economic situation will not work.
Currently, there is no political party in active opposition. Peter Obi is the only one in opposition and it is clear that APC is not comfortable with him. The culture of civil protest, which Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a master of as opposition figure, has been suffocated under his watch. Senator Ali Ndume was suspended for criticising the policies and leadership style of President Tinubu. As President and Supreme Leader of the APC, Tinubu and the party expects that all the wrong policies, misrule, cluelessness and corruption, should not only be condoned but applauded.
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Mr Peter Obi did not say anything that suggests that he has crossed any red line. Nigerian may want to know what APC is sending to him and how they expect him to manage it. The statement of Morka carries a great aura of violence and I hope that what he meant is not what we are thinking. There is no criticism from any opposition politicians today that is enough to incite Nigeria, more than the harsh economic climate that we are grappling with. APC is the party that will incite Nigeria against itself.
If what we have now is democracy, then our phantom democrats must know that plurality of parties and opinions widen the channels of political discourse which engenders plurality of political issues, promotes the formulations of competing ideas, policies, and programmes, and generally provides the citizens with a choice.
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We cannot afford to travel on the famished route that APC is subtly trying to foist on us. We say no to one party state, no to authoritarianism, and no to civilian dictatorship. We did not engage the military at the detriment of our freedom and life only for some smart politicians and their hirelings to come and appropriate all the benefits of our hard-earned victory to themselves.
Nigerians have rights to criticise or applaud their government, depending on the barometer of performance. Obi only spoke to the issues that concern every Nigerian, which he has a right to. Any Nigerian can do so. Morka’s reaction did not portray him as an intelligent man. We expected him to talk to the issues raised, but he did not. This shows that what we have been accusing APC of – trying to silence critics and suppress dissenting voices – is true!
The APC government under Muhammadu Buhari did not do well for eight years and the APC government of Ahmed Tinubu is also not doing well. This point must be clearly and loudly made. In the coming days, any attempt to shush Nigerians into eerie silence while the nation slides into horrible economic situation will not work.
Without a free space for democratic engagement and competition for power, politics loses its essence. There must be debates, engagements and disagreements, but they all must flourish within the ambits of civility.
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In a normal democratic setting, Obi views did not, in any way, impugn anybody’s integrity, neither did he cross any line. If anyone has counter-arguments to the issues Peter Obi raised, they should engage him and Nigerians with facts and not resort to threats and blackmail.
Nigerians have rights to criticise or applaud their government, depending on the barometer of performance. Obi only spoke to the issues that concern every Nigerian, which he has a right to. Any Nigerian can do so. Morka’s reaction did not portray him as an intelligent man. We expected him to talk to the issues raised, but he did not. This shows that what we have been accusing APC of – trying to silence critics and suppress dissenting voices – is true!
As we approach 2027 this will manifest in various ways such as media crackdowns, where journalists and media outlets may be harassed, intimidated, or even shut down for reporting on government misconduct or incompetence.
