Ernest Osogbue.
While Norway has consistently, and generally, been projected as the most democratic country in the world, I must confess, that I am an admirer of the British parliamentary system, and the British democratic culture. I have observed the practice of democracy in Britain, as against the definition of democracy, and also by comparing British democracy to other democracies, this has led me to believe that the British democratic system is the best I have come across. While this position may not be absolute, there are many attributes that have endeared the British parliamentary democratic system to me.
My observance of the British system of democracy, leaves me green with envy, when compared with what obtains in my country, Nigeria. One of the attributes I love about British democracy, is that the Prime Minister, is just another civil servant. British Prime Ministers come across as regular citizens, who were simply given a job to do. No undue airs, no paraphernalia of office, they simply go about their job like regular citizens. They give off the impression that “I’m just here to do a job, I’ll give it my best, but any time the people wish me to leave, I’ll vamos!” I love this perception, because it demostrates clearly that power belongs to the people, which is a very strong pillar of democracy.
There is also a session in parliament in Britain, known as Prime Minister’s Questions, (PMQs), where the opposition hold the government to account, and demand answers openly. I have equally witnessed the ruling party, remove its own Prime Minister, and replace him with another person, while the particular tenure continues. There are also shadow ministers, which means that the opposition has its own ministers in waiting, offering alternative policies, and ready to take over government at any time. There are many other aspects of the British parliamentary system that I admire, but time and space constrain me from going into them. Suffice it to say that, I sometimes wonder why Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, as Head of State, 1976-1979, decided to ditch the parliamentary system of government, that looks simpler and more answerable to the people, for the unwieldy, expensive, and less productive, American presidential system. This question bothers me, every time I see the efficient British system, compared to the cumbersome system we are operating.
I’ll leave that discussion for another day, but it was necessary to highlight the above situation, to underscore the importance of opposition in any democracy. In recent times in our country, the opposition seems to have melted into oblivion. When you sit back to check, you wonder whether you’re watching a magicians trick. You observe that the PDP, has morphed into the APC, and that the APC, is now part of the ADC, with the Labor Party, dissipating any which way. You stand baffled, like a child spotting his two parents engaged in the bedroom for the first time; and wonders what is going on?
Take it or leave it, opposition is the bedrock of democracy, holding leaders to account is a tenet of democracy that signifies that those in power, rule on behalf of the people. For now, however, opposition in Nigeria, seems to have completely crumbled, and has been reduced to throwing occasional barbs at the ruling party with puerile inefficiency. In Britain for instance, the opposition is usually prepared to take over the government at the shortest notice. In Nigeria, for now, a careful observer, would notice clearly, that even if the opposition were given another two years, it would still remain unprepared for governance.
Opposition spokesman, Bolaji Abdulahi, along with Dele Momodu, and Kenneth Okonkwo, have been in their elements throwing all kinds of barbs at the APC, and accusing it of sponsoring divisions within the opposition camp. From my observations, this is not the whole truth, but even if it were the truth, that is what should happen in a democracy; the opposition should be trying to make the government uncomfortable, while the government, equally makes efforts to weaken the opposition, that is democracy. Abdulahi, Momodu, and Okonkwo, in making their accusations, made it seem as if it was an offense for the ruling party to strengthen itself by weakening the opposition.
What is happening, however, which they are afraid to acknowledge, is that, there are no longer any principled opposition politicians in Nigerian politics. Everyone is interested in power grab, and stomach infrastructure, rather than the betterment of the society. Currently, the difference between the opposition and the ruling party has blurred, to the extent that you almost think that you’re seeing double. When you see Rauf Aregbesola, Nasir El Rufai, John Odigie-Oyegun, Rotimi Amechi, Abubakar Malami, and a host of other senior members of the immediate past APC government of Mohammadu Buhari, standing as members of the opposition, you open your mouth in shock. On the other hand, when you see the minister of the FCT, Nyesom Wike, a member of the PDP, being belligerent, and vociferous in supporting President Tinubu with gusto, you blink in wonder. When you see Ifeanyi Okowa, the immediate past PDP presidential candidate, and former governor of Delta State, under the PDP, as an APC member, you do a double take. When you see Dave Umahi, a PDP governor under Buhari’s administration, running around wearing construction helmets, as minister of works, under President Tinubu, you suddenly realize that “water don pass garri” as we say in local parlance. It follows therefore, that when I see ordinary Nigerians who need hope, which opposition politics should be about in a democracy, and who are depending on the current crop of opposition politicians, to bring about a better Nigeria, I shake my head in wonder, knowing that their hope is forlorn. There is no more credible opposition in Nigerian politics. What we have is a bunch of people seeking their own ends and wanting to use the people. I’m inclined to accept, and believe that President Bola Tinubu, was the last genuine opposition politician in Nigeria. His elevation to the highest office, has suddenly exposed all other politicians as pretenders.
How could genuine members of the opposition allow themselves to be bought, intimidated, or coerced, into joining the ruling party? They should be ashamed of themselves. If Bolaji Abdulahi, and the ADC’s accusations are true, that the APC, is responsible for the problems in the opposition parties, then the opposition is not worthy of the name. President Tinubu, is not new in Nigerian politics, we all know his antecedents. He remained resolute as an opposition politician, he was intimidated, and didn’t waver, he was coerced, but never budged, he was harassed, but never gave in, and yet today, he is the president of Nigeria. That in itself, should inspire members of the opposition, that being resolute in opposition has its rewards. Unfortunately, the opposition of today, lacks patience, it wants immediate gratification, and that is a recipe for failure. President Tinubu, presents a compelling case for being in the opposition. Unfortunately, the current opposition do not wish to adopt his model, which requires being patient, being resolute, and unwavering, while focusing on winning the war, rather than on winning the immediate battles. These are some of attributes of President Tinubu, of which the opposition should do well to imbibe.
On the whole, I have discovered that despite not being in support of some policies of the president, despite groaning under the hardship to which his subsidy removal has plunged Nigerians, despite the fall in the value of the naira, which has increased production costs, and a concomitant increase in the price of goods and services, were elections to be held today, most Nigerians may not support the opposition. It has become obvious to most people, that President Tinubu is more intelligent than his detractors, more organized than they are, he’s more focused than they are, he knows how to organize people more than they do, in fact, he’s better than them in almost all parameters.
Nigerians are looking for an organized opposition, an opposition that is ready for governance at a moments notice, but what we have is an opposition in disarray, scrambling for cover and blaming the ruling party for its self-inflicted injuries. The opposition fails to understand that not all Nigerians are naive, most of us were here, when President Tinubu, successfully weaved his way from being in the opposition into the presidential villa, even with internal opposition from his own party. If the opposition desires the support of Nigerians, it must wake up from its slumber, and make the effort to mobilize the people, irrespective of the roadblocks put up by the ruling party. The opposition can not be sleeping, while depending on the emotions of Nigerians to help achieve its objectives. Opposition is about working, mobilizing, aligning, raising awareness, projecting your objectives, and not just about criticizing and blaming the ruling party for your laziness. If Nigerians do not see the opposition replicate, and exhibit some of the attributes which lifted President Tinubu, from being in the opposition to Aso Villa, I’m sorry, to say that majority of them would likely stick with the president, come the 2027 general elections. God bless Nigeria.
