By Afam Echi
In our clime politics is perceived as a dirty game. This view is very pronounced among many and perhaps remains one of the reasons some shy away from the game of politics. The perception of filth in politics no doubt draws from the conduct and character of those involved in the game. In other countries politics is a profession practiced by decent people who play by the rules and gives consideration to others concern instead of focusing on only themselves.
For sometimes now Governor Nyesom Wike and the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, have been in the news for the wrong reasons. The leadership crises that have enveloped the party seem to be woven around Wike who is like calling the shots by swaying other party leaders around him. He is enjoying the support of like-minded governors who are waving him on while some others especially those in the north are giving him some tackles.
Wike’s stranglehold on the party emerged since 2015 when he also emerged as the governor of Rivers State. That was when PDP lost power at the centre and survival became an issue for it. Wike became the beautiful bride because the oil rich Rivers State has some money to throw about in sustaining the party. After a long drawn battle between the Modu Sherriff faction of the party and the Markarfi group the subsequent reconciliation convention was hosted by the Rivers State government.
In that national convention, Wike made everything possible to ensure that his kinsman and a former national legislator emerged as the national party chairman. That was Chief Uche Secondus. That came across as his reward or a pat on the back for a job well done. He was later to unmake Secondus when he chose to champion his own ambition of becoming Nigeria’s president which is not possible if kinsman remains the party chairman. It was not surprising that the party chairman became the sacrificial lamb because Wike put down his feet to ensure his ouster.
The Wike, PDP imbroglio is disturbing because it is woven around personal interest. Well for professional practitioners of politics there is nothing new said here because according to them, we hear politics is about interest. This view widely upheld scuttles the meaning of democracy because the interests pursued here are not that of the generality of the people but those of the selfish politicians.
Wike/PDP debacle has managed to expose the ugly side of our politics. We are focused on money politics and this is what drives corruption and lack of internal democracy. When we cannot practice internal democracy it is difficult to convince anyone that we are prepared to practice democracy at a wider level. This is the reason our politics can be described as motion without movement. There is so much noise and nothing for the people.
They say that he who pays the piper dictates the tune. The man with stronger financial muscle should have his views respected else he would withdraw his support irrespective of the fact that whatever he churns out negates democratic norms or goes against the wish of the lager majority. Those funding the party may be unintelligent, idiotic, imposing, uncompromising and lacking in ideas to deliver dividends of democracy yet they are allowed to call the shots by virtue of their money power.
Friction arises as in the case of Wike if any attempt is made to challenge some of their positions on issues. They live with a kind of entitlement mentality because they are the movers and shakers of the party. Can we really call that democracy? Time is more than ripe for political parties to seek alternative funding opportunities that will create a level playing field for all participants instead of bestowing unequal rights on the members. Better leadership qualities may be found around those who cannot wield the money power.
At best we should seek means of de-emphasizing money in our politics because of the tendency to fence off a lot of people. When the tickets for elective positions are staked so high it leaves only the criminal rich and a few others to scramble for the opportunity. Imagine what played out when the All progressives Congress made N100m the prize money for its presidential ticket. Politics will continue to remain the exclusive preserve of the rich so long money is the major focus.
There is no doubt that huge sums are needed to prosecute elections so that campaign expenses, party administration and other costs are taken care of. Funding must not be at the expense of public treasury because all the citizens who contribute to public coffers are not partisan. Wike is spending Rivers money recklessly as if there are no issues to contend with financially in his state. We are aware that civil servants are still owed huge pensions and gratuity while poverty bestrides the environment like colossus.
The Wike/PDP brouhaha is not peculiar to the gladiators. Related issues can be found among the other parties. They are all waddling in their own illegality and pretending to be democratic. They all indulge in self deceit and none is prepared to do what is legitimate. They maneuver every rule, are lawless, full of intrigues and often seeking short cut and taking advantage of each other. It is doubtful if we can find any decent Nigerian politician.
Wike and PDP appear to be at a cross roads at the moment. Wike is the go that must be appeased. It is not in argument that he is the pillar of the party. It is also not in doubt that he was cheated against a popular choice by a committee that threw him up as running mate to Atiku but was ignored. Atiku may not have found him a good choice perhaps because of his boisterous and ungentlemanly dispositions, who knows.
Wike is holding the party by the jugular insisting that Iyorchia Ayu must resign in compliance with a promise to throw in the towel if a northern president candidate emerges. Now that Atiku is the flag bearer indications from the Ayu camp insist he is holding tight and questions are being asked. What if Atiku fails to clinch the presidential seat, what happens? Perhaps the argument is stretching to wait till the conduct of the election so that the position is made clearer.
However, some people argue that the present quagmire in the party resulted from the insincerity of the northern hawks that are smarter than the southern politicians. When originally they ceded their chairmanship position to the south how come that they now threw open the presidential seat open which they used intrigue to clinch again with the hatchet job by Gov Tambuwal which denied Wike the possible clinching of the ticket. When it mattered most Tambuwal withdrew and his supporters voted for Atiku.
There are strong fears that the Rivers governor may likely pull away from the party even though his comments do not suggest so but trust Nigerian politicians who are always speaking from both sides of their mouth. Wike and supporters feel aggrieved, cheated and dumped. Recent comments from Atiku and Ayu indicate that they may not be sincerely committed for a truce. If care is not taken the outcome may shake the party to its foundation.
In this entire case where lies our democracy when everything is woven around a few actors who call the shots while others follow.
