The myth of party supremacy in Nigerian politics(1)
By Dele Sobowale
“Party is the madness of many for the gain of a few.” Jonathan Swift, 1667-1745. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 181).
This Sunday, October 18, 2015, of one national newspaper had as it’s lead story: “Jonathan’s minister tried to return N50bn through me – el-Rufai”.
A
sub-lead story said “Ex-minister turns against associates, petitions
EFCC.” On the same page we were told that “EFCC invites Akpabio again,
grills him for nine hours.” There are enough materials in those two
stories alone on which at least six to ten weekly columns can be
written. The most obvious story concerns the changing fortunes of people
who were once regarded as untouchables.
They were the closest to the seat of power. History is replete with evidence that the closer you are to the seat of power the more vulnerable you are when power changes hands. But, Nigerians never learn from history. That accounts for the catastrophe that awaits many people close to Aso Rock until May 29, 2015. Some, undoubtedly, are already wishing they were not so close. Their “Baba” had started distancing himself by condemning his “son” for being too weak to fight corruption. Clever chap!
Permit me another diversion and we will go into today’s sermon from UniJankara. Those protesting against the citing of a prison in the South East should contact me for advice. They should not reject it. Instead they should only ask Buhari to make it a V.I.P prison – a billionaire’s jail house. With that, all sorts of vendors can establish everything from top class restaurants to boutiques selling designer under wear. Even if those imprisoned must wear prison-designed uppers, they can at least have Pierre Cardin under short! And eat steak and mushroom gravy.
Today, what interests me is the myth of “Party Supremacy” as it applies to Nigeria. As usual, our politicians have colluded, and most of us, for reasons best known to us, have allowed ourselves to be bamboozled into believing that there is something called “Party Supremacy” in the country. Unfortunately, none of the political parties we had established since 1999 can be said to have practiced it. Instead, they have all proved Swift right by quickly turning the “lunacy” of millions to the benefit of a few – especially the party leaders.
Just as the vendor delivered the papers , one former organizer for the PDP in the area was passing by. He was the “bagman” who brought the money to be shared (on two occasions in dollars) with the rest of the party faithful. Like others, he now has very little cash in any currency. He read the lead story and held his head. “God punish these people, so they were stealing so much money while we get killed for peanuts”, he exclaimed. It was my turn to remind him that he had been warned that most of them were being used by selfish individuals.
What is true of the PDP is also true of all the political parties in Nigeria. When the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, announced at the Nigerian Economic Summit meeting on October 13, 2015, that “You find out that the elite, whether from the South-West, North-West or wherever, are willing to collaborate in stealing the resources of the state”, he revealed more than he intended. And some of it might be self-indicting. In Nigeria and in most states, the major elite group had been the political elite. Osinbajo gained prominence by serving in the Lagos State elite group since 1999. Is he telling us something we don’t know? For me, definitely not.
Invariably, the collusion to steal the resources of the state (land, “privatization” of public enterprises, concessions granted to a favoured few, huge tax exemptions, appointments to lucrative positions, land acquisition for “public purposes which are later sold to private individuals after being developed with public funds etc) are presented as part of the political party’s CHANGE AGENDA as determined by the party leadership. Nobody knows this better than Osinbajo because he was close to the decision-making process of the party which was a glorified one-man show. No decision could be made by all the other “leaders” present if one particular person was absent. Even the presence of the “Chairman” and other executives of the party counted for nothing. The quorum was not formed until their “Lord and master” is around. Conversely, a quorum is formed if only “OGA” is present – all decisions he makes are binding on others. So much for “Party Supremacy” in AD/AC/ACN/ APC in Lagos State since 1999.
I worked closely with the Buhari campaign in 2011; and Prince Tony Momoh, who was Chariman of CPC is my witness. There too, “Party Supremacy” amounted to what three or four people decide. The biggest voice was, of course, that of Buhari. Let me finish where I started – with the PDP. When the PDP, prodded by Obasanjo, in 2003, made State Governors the party leaders in their states, they made states’ party executives redundant. All the other parties followed that example. Thus, in every state “Governors Supremacy” reigned – it is civilian autocracy masquerading as democratic politics…
DON’T GO TO LONDON: WARNING TO EX-JONATHAN PEOPLE.
“If you are looking for trouble; you have come to the right place.”
That was the sign in front of a rough and tumble bar in Kansas City in the days of America’s Wild Wild West – where a guy could receive a bullet in the gut before his drink is served. Jonathan’s people should avoid Britain like the plague – according to a reliable source in Britain. The list is looooooong!!
“Party is the madness of many for the gain of a few.” Jonathan Swift, 1667-1745. (VANGUARD BOOK OF QUOTATIONS, VBQ, p 181).
This Sunday, October 18, 2015, of one national newspaper had as it’s lead story: “Jonathan’s minister tried to return N50bn through me – el-Rufai”.
A
sub-lead story said “Ex-minister turns against associates, petitions
EFCC.” On the same page we were told that “EFCC invites Akpabio again,
grills him for nine hours.” There are enough materials in those two
stories alone on which at least six to ten weekly columns can be
written. The most obvious story concerns the changing fortunes of people
who were once regarded as untouchables.They were the closest to the seat of power. History is replete with evidence that the closer you are to the seat of power the more vulnerable you are when power changes hands. But, Nigerians never learn from history. That accounts for the catastrophe that awaits many people close to Aso Rock until May 29, 2015. Some, undoubtedly, are already wishing they were not so close. Their “Baba” had started distancing himself by condemning his “son” for being too weak to fight corruption. Clever chap!
Permit me another diversion and we will go into today’s sermon from UniJankara. Those protesting against the citing of a prison in the South East should contact me for advice. They should not reject it. Instead they should only ask Buhari to make it a V.I.P prison – a billionaire’s jail house. With that, all sorts of vendors can establish everything from top class restaurants to boutiques selling designer under wear. Even if those imprisoned must wear prison-designed uppers, they can at least have Pierre Cardin under short! And eat steak and mushroom gravy.
Today, what interests me is the myth of “Party Supremacy” as it applies to Nigeria. As usual, our politicians have colluded, and most of us, for reasons best known to us, have allowed ourselves to be bamboozled into believing that there is something called “Party Supremacy” in the country. Unfortunately, none of the political parties we had established since 1999 can be said to have practiced it. Instead, they have all proved Swift right by quickly turning the “lunacy” of millions to the benefit of a few – especially the party leaders.
Just as the vendor delivered the papers , one former organizer for the PDP in the area was passing by. He was the “bagman” who brought the money to be shared (on two occasions in dollars) with the rest of the party faithful. Like others, he now has very little cash in any currency. He read the lead story and held his head. “God punish these people, so they were stealing so much money while we get killed for peanuts”, he exclaimed. It was my turn to remind him that he had been warned that most of them were being used by selfish individuals.
What is true of the PDP is also true of all the political parties in Nigeria. When the Vice President of Nigeria, Professor Yemi Osinbajo, announced at the Nigerian Economic Summit meeting on October 13, 2015, that “You find out that the elite, whether from the South-West, North-West or wherever, are willing to collaborate in stealing the resources of the state”, he revealed more than he intended. And some of it might be self-indicting. In Nigeria and in most states, the major elite group had been the political elite. Osinbajo gained prominence by serving in the Lagos State elite group since 1999. Is he telling us something we don’t know? For me, definitely not.
Invariably, the collusion to steal the resources of the state (land, “privatization” of public enterprises, concessions granted to a favoured few, huge tax exemptions, appointments to lucrative positions, land acquisition for “public purposes which are later sold to private individuals after being developed with public funds etc) are presented as part of the political party’s CHANGE AGENDA as determined by the party leadership. Nobody knows this better than Osinbajo because he was close to the decision-making process of the party which was a glorified one-man show. No decision could be made by all the other “leaders” present if one particular person was absent. Even the presence of the “Chairman” and other executives of the party counted for nothing. The quorum was not formed until their “Lord and master” is around. Conversely, a quorum is formed if only “OGA” is present – all decisions he makes are binding on others. So much for “Party Supremacy” in AD/AC/ACN/ APC in Lagos State since 1999.
I worked closely with the Buhari campaign in 2011; and Prince Tony Momoh, who was Chariman of CPC is my witness. There too, “Party Supremacy” amounted to what three or four people decide. The biggest voice was, of course, that of Buhari. Let me finish where I started – with the PDP. When the PDP, prodded by Obasanjo, in 2003, made State Governors the party leaders in their states, they made states’ party executives redundant. All the other parties followed that example. Thus, in every state “Governors Supremacy” reigned – it is civilian autocracy masquerading as democratic politics…
DON’T GO TO LONDON: WARNING TO EX-JONATHAN PEOPLE.
“If you are looking for trouble; you have come to the right place.”
That was the sign in front of a rough and tumble bar in Kansas City in the days of America’s Wild Wild West – where a guy could receive a bullet in the gut before his drink is served. Jonathan’s people should avoid Britain like the plague – according to a reliable source in Britain. The list is looooooong!!
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