Friday, December 27, 2013
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of the most interesting element of the current Nigeria political
gridlock is the defection fever which has gripped the country's
political gamut as the man at the epicentre is not realizing the
'amazing disgrace' he is causing the country with his assertive
political distraction. Sometimes successes cordon some people's sense of
judgment as displayed by some political gladiators like Chief Olusegun
Obasanjo who "…will not miss an opportunity to miss an Opportunity'…" as explained in one of my articles published, Wednesday, August 3, 2005, www.nigeriaworld.com. He refused to manage the opportunity created for him by God.
Ironically, adding pressure to already tensed atmosphere in Rivers State; is the arrest of over 320 Islamic fundamentalists, popularly known as Boko Haram, in Rivers State. Historically, Amaechi has opened the gate for the group's infiltration into the southern part of the country by way of engulfing the country with terrorism. How the group found its way to the South-South, through the borders of Rivers and Imo States, with over 17 loaded buses, allegedly owned by the former Inspector General of Police, that originated from Jigawa State, led by one Bala Mato Dambam, is a challenge to the Nigeria Intelligent Agencies. Another report has it that the terrorist group, Boko Haram, could attack Lagos State soonest.
In addition to what Amaechi's political infatuated ambition is causing, could be in concert with the prediction that Nigeria would extinct from the world map in 2015. There is also the allegation of Amaechi's creation of 'Non-Indigenes' local government in Rivers State, under the new political scribe; the Non-Indigene Political Pressure Group, NIPPG, for the APC Rivers. NIPPG would protect the interest of over 1.5 million non-indigenes residing in Rivers State; which might accept Boko Haram Terrorist Group. Definitely, Amaechi association with APC may have prompted the River State invasion by Boko Haram, which is a direct challenge to MEND.
Rotimi Amaechi borrowed a leaf from Obasanjo's book of mismanaging an opportunity granted him by God. Amaechi became the governor of Rivers State through the PDP repulsive political foundation within the volatility political environment; endorsed by politically polluted Nigeria Judiciary; where citizens vote for the political party that sponsors the candidate. According to Section 221 of the 1999 Constitution, as amended: "No association, other than a political party shall canvass for votes for any candidate at any election or contribute to the funds of any political party or to the election expenses of any candidate at an election". In addition, Section 177(c) of the Constitution also states that: "A person shall be qualified for election to the office of the Governor of a state if he is a member of a political party and sponsored by that political party."
In the case of Omehia vs. Amaechi, the Supreme Court ruled that; without a political party, a candidate cannot contest (an election). If as provided in Section 221, it is only a party that canvasses for votes, it follows that it is a party that wins an election. A good or bad candidate, may enhance, or diminish the prospect of his party winning, but at the end of the day, it is the party that wins or loses an election. In other words, the votes cast by electorates are for political parties and not the candidates. Moreover, on this principle, the Supreme Court ruled that since it was the PDP that INEC announced as the winner in Rivers State gubernatorial election, since Rotimi Amaechi was on PDP primaries, he was declared the winner.
Nonetheless, the court has not substantially given a clear-cut ruling on this issue as demonstrated in some other cases in the past, most especially on defection. Nigeria legal system is not clear on the issue of political defection as decided on the case of Abubakar Atiku.
In 2007, Atiku Abubakar defected as an incumbent Vice President; left PDP joined ACN; and still retained his VP position. Interestingly, the Supreme Court held that a person sponsored by a political party could defect without breaching any section of the Constitution.
However, in respect of an elected Senator, a member of House of Representatives and State Legislator, Sections 68(1)(g) and (2) and 109(1)(g) of the 1999 Constitution, as amended provides that; "A member of the Senate or House of Representatives shall vacate his seat in the House of which he is a member if-(g) being a person whose election to the House was sponsored by a political party, he becomes a member of another party before the expiration of the period for which that house was elected: Provided that his membership of the latter political party is not as a result of a division in the political party of which he was previously a member or of a merger of two or more political parties or factions by one of which he was previously sponsored." That section of the Constitution is posing some challenges on political defection in the Nigeria political process.
 PDP and APC |
Nigeria has had a chequered political history of defection from their party to another from the pre-colonial administration. During the first Republic, the former Premier of the defunct Western Region of Nigeria, Chief Ladoke Akintola left Action Group in a crisis rooted more in personality clash and personal principles of the need for him to move the Yoruba race into the Nigeria's mainstream politics. Dr. Kingsley Mbadiwe defected from the NCNC to form his political party, the Democratic Party of Nigeria in the 1950s based on disagreement with the party leaders. In the old Ondo State during the Second Republic, Chief Akin Omoboriowo, the then deputy governor of UPN government of Chief Michael Ajasin, defected to join the NPN and became its gubernatorial candidate.
The issue of defection is now running like wild fire, while some defectors could find out that they could be fishing baits. Political Analysts are awaiting the final decision of Murtala Nyako (Adamawa), Aliyu Wamakko (Sokoto), and Rabiu Kwankwaso (Kano), on the defection, since Alhaji Bamanga Tukur has vacated his seat as they promised to return as soon as he did that. Governors Sule Lamido (Jigawa) and Babangida Aliyu (Niger) refused to move with their colleagues initially. It is becoming murkier as both Kwara and Kano States' legislators have defected en-mass to APC.
Defection has characterised the political landscape of Nigeria, as it is usually normal in politics to defect to another political party. However, from 1999 to date (February 2014), many politicians at the local, state, and federal levels consistently defect from one political party to the other. Some politicians abandoned their parties on which platform they were elected; while others defected after losing elections using it as a window opportunity to cross-carpet to another political party.
Nigerians are seriously awaiting the outcome of the court ruling on the defectors, if they still have to carry their mandates, or find their ways around their newly found territory. According to the 1999 Constitution, as amended, electorates vote for political parties and not the candidates. Consequently, if any Governor vacated his mandate to join another political party, agreeing on the fake principles of where he has defected from, he should leave the position given to him with the party, PPA, CPC, ANPP, PDP, or APC. It will be a Judicial malfunction to find the ruling otherwise. The issue of personal proclivity in the Nigeria political climate is of concern to most Nigerians.
Most politicians in Nigeria do not exercise patience, lack sense of maturity, especially the defectors that could be regarded as political prostitutes; without party principles, endowed with defective morality, drained conscience, and lack political philosophy to champion the course of leadership for the wellbeing of the society and political development of the country. We could state that if a governor wants to leave, he can just come out of that position and walk away, leaving the ship intact for the political party to put another Captain in the yacht.
It is culpable, depraved, unpardonable, and iniquitous for somebody to win under one platform, and then jump into another party to harvest where he did not sow. Nigeria law prevents an independent candidate for any election in the country; meaning that you have to come under a political party to be elected, including the Governors.
Ironically, it is the State House of Assembly that has the authority to remove a State Governor; once it supports a defecting Governor, such Governor is at liberty to cross-carpet freely with the mandate. Moral application would inform the defector to drop that mandate and seek the mandate of the new found political home. The law omits the fact that if a serving governor crosses to another party the individual stands removed from office. Unfortunately, in the past attempts made by the National Assembly to block defectors from retaining their positions as they defect did not succeed.
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