Politics of Defections, Slapping And Biting
Sam Akpe underlines some of the reasons why politicians are quitting one party for the other
Those old enough to vote in the 1993 presidential election—or at least had distant interest in the politics of that time—would hardly forget a certain jingle that swept through the airwaves in the mould and effect of a tsunami; except that it left behind some sweet memories. Several years after, both the lyrics and the music cannot be easily forgotten. It was commonplace to see children and adults dancing publicly anytime the jingle was played; either on radio or on television. The jingle was a product of the media arm of Chief Moshood Kashimawo Olawale Abiola Presidential Campaign Organisation commanded by the smooth-talking political scientist, Senator Jonathan Silas Zwingina. Part of the lyrics read, “Nigeria on the march again; looking for Mr. President; MKO ooh is our man oh....” Even with the bitter outcome of that election, when you listen to the complete version of the jingle on the airwaves, you would want to play it again and again.
That jingle is as relevant today as it was in 1993. Nigeria is surely on the march again. Although we have a sitting president, as 2019—the constitutional year of another presidential election—gets quite close, never in the history of Nigeria have we ever had this number of political parties and presidential aspirants in one election year. Of course, we know that some are mere noise makers; already, the serious contenders are not difficult to identify.
At the various state levels, governorship aspirants—in each of the over 90 political parties—are counted in dozens. At the last count, a certain state in the northern part of Nigeria had almost two dozen aspirants on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC) only. On daily basis, defections and counter defections are happening. Sitting governors, who are about completing their second terms, have turned themselves into tin-gods. They keep anointing several aspirants and funding confusion in their states. Godfathers, from Lagos to Borno, and from Nasarawa to Akwa Ibom States, are becoming godlier than ever before.
The confusion and desperation have driven some otherwise decent people into self-destructive acts and comments. At the time of writing this report, a-yet-to-be-determined number of people had been reportedly murdered in Akwa Ibom State during the just concluded APC governorship primaries. It is unthinkable that a hitherto peaceful state has joined the ranks of violent-propelled communities because of politics.
Besides the death, another unbelievable aspect of the primaries is the report that one of the governorship aspirants—who is also a former senator, and has served as minister in the past—violently slapped one of President Muhammadu Buhari’s senior aides who is equally a former senator. Although this could not be personally confirmed, media reports stated that the victim had to give the former minister a deep bite before taking to his heels to escape further assaults.
The bloody atmosphere brings to mind the comments attributed to the former governor of that state, Senator Godswill Akpabio, that on his watch, APC will invade Akwa Ibom State in the exact manner the dreaded Adolf Hitler invaded Poland 75 years ago leaving in his trail bloody landmarks. Akpabio was even quoted as saying that not even God Almighty could stop the party since the 2019 elections would not be won in church but in the battle field with smoking guns.
It is possible that people are riding on the back of that bloodsoaked statement to cause bloodshed in Akwa Ibom APC so that the blame will go to the former governor. The greater worry however is that Akpabio—who seems to boast of a comparatively efficient media machine in the state—has neither denied the Hitler ranting nor amended what was reported. The unanswered question is: if Akpabio is not in the race for governorship of the state, and is not facing any serious threat against his return to the Senate, why would he propose war on the state he helped built in an “uncommon” manner for the sake of others? Or, as we say in Nigeria, why would he take overdose of analgesic for his neighbour’s headache?
This brings us to the oil rich Bayelsa State presided over by Seriake Dickson who is about completing his second term as governor. The political atmosphere there has suddenly turned abnormal for one reason. In the past three months, there have been series of unconfirmed reports that Timi Alaibe—who had earlier decamped to the APC—has completed plans for a return journey to the PDP. In this season of genuine and blackmailed defections, that should naturally not make news; but not when Alaibe is involved.
By way of refreshing our minds, Alaibe is a banker by training and practice. Sources close to former President Olusegun Obasanjo has confirmed repeatedly that Alaibe would have been the chairman of the Federal Inland Revenue Service during the Goodluck Jonathan’s era if dirty politics did not overshadow sound reasoning. Truth is that if there is anything as Obasanjo boys, Alaibe would be one of them. It was when Obasanjo appointed him to head the finance and administration department of the newly created Niger Delta Development Commission in 2000 that his political profile started growing and gaining rapid prominence.
From that position, he became the managing director of the NDDC before he was kicked out for becoming too politically relevant. He was to re-surface again as the Chairman of the Presidential Amnesty Programme after serving the late President Umaru Yar’Adua in a non-salaried capacity as Special Adviser on Niger Delta Affairs. From the Presidential Amnesty Office, Alaibe joined the Labour Party under circumstances that are yet to be made public. He almost got the governorship position until the Supreme Court ruled that the tenure of the then sitting governor was not yet over. The race ended abruptly. The full story of his political adventure is for another day.
Bayelsa is geographically a small state; but economically well loaded. Besides the fact that it was here that oil was first discovered in commercial quantity in 1956, one other thing that marks Bayelsa out is that it is one of the most politically sensitive states in Nigeria today. The state is predominantly Ijaw, a minority ethnic group that has seen and suffered huge injustice in the Nigerian nation. There is so much political awareness that you can hardly fool the people and get away with it.
So, whenever a political pebble is thrown into one of the lakes (and there are many of such lakes), the ripples are better imagined. As party politics assume different shapes across the country, Bayelsa is having a share of its own. A few days ago, a certain online newspaper based in the United States of America reported that the Bayelsa Chapter of the APC was in celebration mood following the speculated defection of Alaibe to the PDP. Nothing could be far from the truth.
The unanswered question is: why would they celebrate? The newspaper even stated authoritatively, quoting identified sources that the defection ceremony would hold on Wednesday September 26. That turned out to be fake news.
Alaibe actually dumped the APC for the PDP on Friday with his retinue of supporters. This is a great relief to his supporters and political associates because Bayelsa State is predominantly PDP. Most of the people there believe they stopped feeling the impact of federal presence since Alaibe’s forced exit from the NDDC. During the last appointment to federal boards of departments and agencies, he was named to head the board of the Oil and Gas Free Zone. After waiting for many months without formal inauguration, one day, Alaibe and his friends watched on television helplessly as a new chairman took the oath of office for the same job he was appointed to do.
The new appointee, who has since started work, is the former state governor, Timipre Sylva. Several months and more than a year later, Alaibe is still waiting to be informed by those who appointed him about the change of baton. He has been left in the dark; a clear indication that his presence in the APC is most unwelcome. This ugly and unusual development may have raised more questions than answers.