 |
| Gov. Rotimi Amechi of Rivers State |
President Goodluck Jonathan was not in Nigeria when the Nigerian Governors Forum electoral crisis occurred. We were made to experience the invincible hand when he chose to endorse sixteen governors that lost the election woefully. With the glaring pampering of the losers, Mr. President still claimed he had no hand in the crisis and confusion rocking the forum.
In a possible retaliation to the defeat experienced, the first step adopted as a punishment for daring to confront the emperor politically was the subsequent suspension of the Rivers State Governor, RT. HON. Chibuike Amaechi, from the party. Now, our teachers by the action of the president in supporting 16 against 19 have been informed that a lower number can be greater that a higher number. That formula will be known as PDPmatics.
There is no point proving how they arrived at such a formula. The addition of “politics to a number gives it uncountable power (additional digits) over any number no matter how high such numbers is or are. That’s just the power of a rigger. It is possible in Nigeria for 1 to be greater than 10. “Political number 1” is definitely greater than “number 10”.
The same “Almighty formula” of PDPmatics was used to solve the Rivers state housee of Assembly “Equation” when five PDP mathematicians in a legislature of 32 purported to impeach the Speaker of the house of Assembly and even announced the suspension of other members who are believed to be loyal to the state governor.
Due to the political addition to the number of 5, the attempted impeachment, if allowed to play out, would have been confirmed as the authentic decision of the house while the mighty hands in Abuja would have allowed the resolutions of the house.
The likely resultants calculations would have also seen the five lawmakers impeaching the governor without any delay. Rotimi Amaechi by now would have filed cases in court to reclaim a mandate. As usual battles will drag with possible support from lawyers and judges till a time to conduct another election into the government house. When the whole saga happened in Rivers state, the president was in China where he was received by a junior minister.
Rivers State is the current arena of a flowing power play and abuse that is slowly and gradually encroaching on the larger democratic practice in Nigeria with alleged participation of the Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Joseph Mbu, who was deployed from Oyo state due to conflict he had with the state government. A governor is known to be the Chief Security Officer of a state and all security machinery of the state is expected to be made available for the responsibilities bestowed on him to protect the state.
Nothing evokes the continued anger of the presidency than the alleged subtle move by Rotimi Amaechi to become Vice President in 2015. Nigerians who think that this is just a mere issue should be informed that the crisis is all about permutations for political power come 2015. These permutations are not new in our political circle and Rivers state will not be the only stage of the demonstration of craze. The base of perceived and known enemies of the presidency would be attacked. The fear that should be nursed is the level of likely rigging that may occur in order to ensure a favorite candidate win. Now we have been forced to accept the theory that 16 are greater than 19 and five could be greater than 27. What would the results of the 2015 presidential elections declare?
The latest happenings in Rivers offer us another sad moment to reflect deeply on our leaders questionable claims to democratic tenets. What is actually wrong in an individual nursing an ambition and on what premise will a sitting administration be scared of such ambition? The crisis in the state house of Assembly is not the first in Nigeria. The National Assembly has had their share of such show of shame. The basis of such show of shame had never been for a national interest. That is where the deductions of interests come. Given the incessant adoption of deliberate chaos by our politicians to settle differences, it shows clearly how decayed the system and institutions of government had been subjected to. The level of decadence should not however be pitied. The Politics in our nation is seen as a trade and or profession for survival. The individuals we trust with political power are persons with questionable characters, people who have failed the test of leadership and who have become burden to morality.
In these areas of electing leaders, Nigerians continue to get it wrong by enthroning compromised leaders. Whilst most complain about rigging, the truth is that most Nigerians do not even get involved. Such irresponsibility stares most Nigerians in the face to question their moral right to sometimes criticize. Nigerians cannot continue to grumble about failed system of government while they stand aloof to watch the display of arrogance, power and financial might by some so called leaders. What do you expect from individuals ambition when our politics is all about money than legislation. Nigeria’s Federal legislators are said to be the world’s best paid, therefore, the seats of legislation is subjected to battle by business men.
It is in Nigeria we don’t ask questions and demand stewardship. We only complain about the failures of those we permitted. It is in our constituencies we know a man to have questionable wealth and still go ahead to give him support just because of stipends spent to feed for a moment. When such person gets political power, he becomes a master thief and the constituency and the greedy collectors of stipend are left to open their mouth wide in regrets.
The bottom-line of these excesses of our politicians is just as a result of the permission by the electorates. We all have a responsibility to protect the democracy. Bola Tinubu, Goodluck Jonathan, Rotimi Amaechi and all the so called leaders cannot lay claim to being heroes of democracy while we gullibly praise their over hyped exploits. All Nigerians suffered for democracy and enough of some few elites claiming unnecessary victories. We must ask questions responsibly instead of gasping in amazement at the powers and wealth amassed.
Rivers state is the latest in these calculations of what become of 2015. We do not know where the battle will shift to in the coming hours. What is sure is that, another political battle is imminent. As we brace up for its news, it is important to note that the 2015 election is critical for Nigeria and the year 2014 will witness more of poly drama than what we currently experience.
Our job however is to prove that the equation of PDPmatics is not a viable formula to solving electoral calculations.
Odusote Oluwakayode
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zM9P9nxNMA8&feature=player_detailpage
No comments: