Posted on my facebook wall on Dec. 8, 2009
Last night as I headed to rest, my mind was so filled of thoughts I would like to share. It is question-like to me, and probably to you as an individual, or as a group. As you go through this, you might have an answer.
I have been advocating for electoral, political reforms for a while now, as I and you look forward to a better economy beyond present dreams that is deserved. As part of my advocacy for the electoral reforms, I initially thought of two-electoral-party-system as the way forward but now, I thought of it as a minimum of two and a maximum of four. At the present moment there are over 15 registered parties. Let us put a minimum of fifteen (15) for simplification sake. Why all that political parties? What has been achieved with them? I kept asking myself.
These are few of my reasons for enabling a two to four political parties:
1. A candidate either wins or loses. And there could be talks among opposition party in the best of the country since democracy is meant to entail tolerance of opposition(s)
2. It would allow candidates to be more consistent with their parties than jumping in and out of different parties at wish
3. In event of any election flaw, it reduces the number of petitions to be sorted in priority and decided upon within a short estimated time frame
4. It would connect citizens more to the knowledge of the activities of political leaderships around them and more of making every political office holder accountable
... Among much other positivity since there could be no disadvantage of it compared to having mass parties that lack magnitude.
Other ways to get my questions or rather, thoughts clearer to you might be to give acronyms to the major parties to me and I am sure to very many other people out there and probably to you; and to analyze these parties accordingly.
1. PDP (Power Display Party)
A party that boast of being the largest party not only in Nigeria but the Africa continent as a whole, demands some commendations. After all, it has been heading the big country Nigeria’s government since 1999 democracy. A party that could beat her chest and say I command almost ¾ of the state governors among the 36 states of the federation. Why would anyone be surprised if the same party could be proud enough to have most of the ex military governors and generals – turned politicians, under her umbrella. Who cares if the rain is falling on the outside, these people seem covered. They have kept displaying their powers in all corridors of government but it looks as if there is storm, the umbrella might not be so capable of holding it back.
2. AC (Actual Contender)
AC, for utmost part deserves respect. She came out of AD (Actual Disabled), and challenged almost all already existing parties to a halt. Not that alone, after her mother, AD lost four of the five south west states she previously controlled and instead of re-strategy, she (AD) opted for fighting for leadership; AC left her mother in the wheel chair, and said “mama, I don’t think you should be a political party anymore, you’d be better off a region head like OPC; well, you shouldn’t be surprised since people out there hardly know the difference between you and Afenifere these days anyway”. AC stood her ground to the almost top. She defied the boring face of PDP in Lagos State, the national commercial capital of the country. She got Fashola in, and since Fashola has been the best product of a government in the current administration of Nigeria politics so far, who else could be the contender of the mighty PDP. Funny enough, they left PDP not even in a contender stage in the state; it seems PDP does not exist. How would it be when the landlord of PDP in the state, Bode George, who unwillingly and unexpectedly got himself behind those heavy thick iron bars and proved to others that no man is above the law, except OBJ and IBB – time will tell.
AC did not stop there; they seemed to have a mission guided by a vision. Edo State tribunals ruled and the khaki labor man found himself in the government house as the senior man. He called himself “comrade governor”. The glories of the labor years came with him; and in the early months, he left himself exposed to perils of democracy in Nigeria: walking down the streets with few bodyguards and all of that; no one even dare try that in a well civilized nation not to talk of developing nations where majority of the people are angry with the government because they have not been served right. Yet, I have not seen any much of his work other than much reported fights with the legislature. Many kudos to him for mass decampment of PDP “helmsmen” and other parties to AC. Bonus #2 for AC – amassing more supporters with every opportunity, because it is a blessed one.
The election tribunal in Ekiti State is yet to rule out his verdict, so as AC awaits that, best of luck and hope you look forward to mega party reportedly coming in next year.
3. ANPP (Automatic nonsensical for a political party)
ANPP could have been a party to reckon with as a formidable opposition to PDP especially in the early times of the 1999 democracy but the policies, handling of situations lacked any solid political bearings. She had a number of northern governors who could have been an epoxy to the party. She fought with herself, left her presidential flag bearer, Buhari who seemed to be the major backbone on his own, she jumped at anything she could reach without analyzing; that I am able to tell from her present status in the country. She gave room for most her governors to decamp without means of getting them to return. The Yar Adua PDP government came and proposed unity government; she went for it. As part of the agreement for the constitution of the unity government, the national chairman reportedly opted for family members and friends as political office nominees and subsequent office holders of the different offices. That brought up a lot of brouhaha among the members which left her scattered with no possible reunion in the sooner future. 2011 is around the corner, ANPP!! Any surprises? Are the about two of the governors left, remaining there as independents while they use her as a cover because they personally have principles other than jumping from party to party?
4. APGA ([why too many ‘A’s in Nigerian political parties identity? I am APGA, I follow my own rules even if they don’t work for me] Parental Guide)
APGA, just almost like ANPP, seemed to have derailed, lost moral values and political beliefs and there she is in turmoil seeking for a grasp to sustain her. Her condition seemed better than ANPP, but she faces almost the same leadership problem that rocked AD, ANPP and made her ship at the verge of iceberg. I thought she would have learnt from the mistakes of others while Ikemba is in place there. I would understand to some degree if Buhari could face betrayals, and why Ikemba too, the acclaimed war hero? With the recent newspaper release of the intended expulsion of Obi from the party who miraculously, through thick and thin I would have thought kept the name of the party. If Obi leaves, where is APGA? Does she still exist? People describe politics as a dirty game; I describe politics as a game of winners that comes from a leader’s effective service to the people. If I would have to look through APGA’s view, I would describe politics as just a game that is played for fun or rather a movie that requires a parental guide.
5. LP (Loss Prevention [for any political parties “decampees”])
Sadly enough, when I searched for “decampees” on google, what came up is different Nigerian news. It is a testimonial to stable government but unstable political system within the country.
LP was founded by the "Labour Congress" with the ideologies of great men, and some human rights activists like Gani Fawehinmi, Femi Falana, and others with great dreams and goals but have been thwarted and left to become a dumping ground for politicians who are affected in their respective parties. Most of the top politicians who seek to campaign in their parties, when they lose out in primaries or are unable to achieve their ambitions; LP is there anyway to accommodate them to achieve their aims. Mimiko who left PDP for LP has been the only successful person in this field; and much to his credit, he seemed to have been working hard and productive for the people he is there to serve. Mimiko had the backings of some political parties and heavyweight like AC to achieve his dream, probably one of the reasons for the success. Recently reported was Uba’s readiness to declare for LP in the coming days. Initially when Uba’s battle for the primaries at PDP seemed to be jeopardy, he was reported to have thrown his weight behind the governorship’s aspirant on LP’s platform. How has he throwing his towel in support now become his readiness for declaration in the party? As stated, it is LP, the home of political loss prevention. Most have jumped in from PDP and other parties to savour their supporters’ interests and jumped out back to where they came from when their mission was unrealized but how long shall this game be played?
I hope by now, you might have probably had an answer to any of my questions.
PDP – People’s Democratic Party
AC – Action Congress
OPC – Oodua Peoples Congress
ANPP – All Nigeria Peoples Party
APGA – All Grand Progressive Alliance
LP – Labour Party
Gabriel Omololu Omowaye writes, for Beryl Group, African News
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