CONGRESSIONAL INTRIGUES: A CALL FOR PATIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE-1

CONGRESSIONAL INTRIGUES: A CALL FOR PATIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE- 1

Nigeria just before March 28, 2015 was like the infamous RMS Titanic headed for the iceberg which perforated the right flank and exposed her to the cold icy salt water that eventually drowned hundreds trapped onboard as the grand ship sunk to the bottom of the Atlantic. Unlike the Titanic ship whose crew was unable to steer her away in time from the death blow of the floating freezer; Nigeria was saved from exsanguination by a “galaxy alliance” of rebels and villains.

Titanic Model at the Merseyside Maritime  Museum Liverpool. (c)JoleeAkeju21/08/2014

It may be a little over the top if I liken Nigeria under the administration of the recently sacked vandals dominated party to the Third Reich presided over by Adolf Hitler. Within twelve years, a dictatorship fueled by aggressive propaganda controlled practically everything in Nazi Germany and eliminated any political and religious opposition. Adolf “blessed” with great oratory skills (unlike Jonathan) appeared to sedate an entire nation and rode on their “love” to mount his domination project characterized by crushing and harnessing nation after nation. Simultaneously, the Empire of Japan was charging forward in her campaign to dominate Asia and the Pacific; both nations had the same agenda so it was logical for them to join forces. The People’s Democratic Party like Nazi Germany fell under the cosh of an aspiring emperor whose court jesters branded as the best President in Nigeria’s history and likened him to a chromosomal translocation between Mandela Gandhi and Yew King jnr. He was also described as “Jesus Christ” at one time by a false prophet called Bastard.

The persecution of Christians was rampant in Nazi Germany and a similar if not more intense measure was practiced throughout the existence of the Soviet Union. Violence and terror was the tool to crush Christian gatherings and the underlying motive was to break their resolve and spread atheism within their territory. Joseph Stalin reigned over the Soviet Union during the 6 years which the Second World War lasted and he was by no means a saint. By 1939, Hitler’s army had engulfed most of the lands around Germany prompting Stalin to work out an understanding with the Führer in August of the same year. It was a treaty of non-aggression and a commitment not to ally with any perceived enemy of the other garnished with the license to invade Poland, parts of Finland, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and parts of Romania in September of 1939.

The Molotov-Robbentrop pact did not last very long as Hitler ordered his Wehrmacht to metastasize into Soviet territory. Hitler’s troops had silenced Poland and France leaving the United Kingdom as the main resistance to the relentless Germans. Water definitely overwhelmed “garri” when Japan took apart Pearl Harbor in December 1941 forcing the United States to upgrade from passive sponsor to active combat duties. A more elaborate Allied force was complete in January 1942 led by 4 super powers; United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union and China…yes China. This was an alliance of necessity just like the Congress for Progressive Change, Action Congress of Nigeria, All Nigeria Peoples Party and a fragment of the All Progressives Grand Alliance gathered together in an attempt to mount an effective and last gasp challenge to unseat the party which had boasted that they would rule for 60 years.

Would it have made any sense if the British and Commonwealth nations opted to wage the German resistance on their own because of whatever the Soviet Union was guilty of? The eastern sector of the war had to be prosecuted by USSR and China while the other theatres in Africa, Asia, the Pacific and West of Germany required a monster effort from the fusion of the other nations. There was a fracture line visible within the ruling PDP at the time caused by the failure of Jonathan to coexist peacefully with certain influential elements who should be credited with ensuring that he was rewarded with over 22 million votes at the 2011 presidential elections. Patience Jonathan was tormenting her “son” in Rivers while her husband was supporting the reinvention of mathematics which ensured that 16 became greater than 19. Bukola Saraki of the Ilorin Empire voiced his opposition during the fuel subsidy scam and coffins of his alleged misdemeanors as Kwara state governor (2003-2011) and as Director of the deceased Societe Generale Bank (2003) were exhumed. The likes of Danjuma Goje, Saraki and Ali Ndume who were all PDP senators transposed to join forces with the already formed APC to attempt to depose the “keep doing it” president. Does anyone really think that Buhari and Tinubu were foolish to form this hydrogen bond? With the benefit of hindsight, should anyone really be barking that this relationship was naïve and uncalculated?

"Trusteeship of the powerful" https://www.pinterest.com/pin/44684221273060496/

TACTICAL MANEUVER OR MUTINY?

I really am not all that bothered by the recent happenings and combats within the National Assembly. It surprises me that some people claim they are surprised that the members are capable of scheming and undressing one another. I was busy attending to a patient at the Accident and Emergency room of the National Hospital Abuja in October 2007 when I witnessed as anesthetists tried in vain to resuscitate Dr. Aminu Safana who slumped during a house scuffle in defence of the then speaker of the House Patricia Etteh who was eventually impeached. “No be today fight and gidigbo dey start for that mansion”. Something more intriguing is the attempt by more than a few to accurately decipher what it has all been about since the inauguration of both houses. Opinions range from an implosion within the APC to a direct revolt against the “godfathership” of a certain Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Some have indulged in gloating about the delayed fulfilment of Doyin Okupe’s prophecy while a few others have exclusively blamed the president; accusing him of naivety and his Party of lacking democratic ideals. Do they really lack true democratic principles and what is the current struggle really about?

Nigeria’s system of government can be said to have been copied from the model utilized in the world’s grandest democracy. We adopted the presidential system of government for the executive while we also chose their bicameral system of congress but with a touch of terminologies and offices much more popular with the British parliamentary system. When it is very convenient, those in power especially the executive claim privileges which can be equated with or surpasses such enjoyed by the president of the United States. The first in line to succeeding the US president under stipulated circumstances is the vice president who also doubles as the senate president irrespective of whether his party is majority or otherwise in the senate. The next in line is the Speaker of the House of Representatives, followed by the president pro tempore (usually the most senior member of the majority party in the senate) and lastly the Secretary of state (Foreign minister in other climes). This pathway of succession does not in any way translate to elevating the offices below the president’s to near equal status with special privileges independent of regulation. They do not have any such offices as deputy senate president or deputy speaker unlike what is practiced in Nigeria. The US congressmen understand their roles and try as best as they can to conform to their respective parties’ agendas a task handled by the elected whips. There are no unnecessary duplication of offices like what is evident on the website of the Nigerian National Assembly where 10 principal officers each for both the 109 Senate and 360 House of representatives are displayed. Perhaps it is the logic of glorifying the three traditional regions and six geopolitical zones of Nigeria that has led to the glamour which has characterized the offices of deputy this and deputy that. It is almost certain that those who would struggle for these largely daycare offices would need to balance numerous equations before gaining the right to occupy the houses, jets, exotic vehicles and full benefits accrued to the holders. One wonders how people forget that it was the same type of election which brought the senior senator for Ebonyi and the junior senator from Kogi into congress; why should any one of them attain superstar status because he suddenly got the license to preside and bang his gavel.

House of Representatives members have visited other nations under the guise of getting training without necessarily imbibing any values to develop our system. In both chambers of the National assembly, the chief presiding officers are supreme and can do just about whatever they please and get away with it. They decide what letter to read and what bill is allowed to get to the floor. In the US, the senate president and the president pro tempore rarely indulge in the actual process of presiding over legislatives duties even though in theory they are the top 2 in line for that duty; the same applies to some extent in the House of representatives. The task of presiding officer actually gets to rotate among junior senators of the majority party in order for them to gain valuable experience. What is ongoing in the Nigerian National assembly is an anomaly. I do not believe that the two presiding officers (Saraki and Dogara) are representing the interest of their party but appear to be deriving their main backing from PDP members and a group of loyal party members. Ali Ndume lost his bid to become deputy senate president to Ekweremadu and he has now been named as the Senate majority leader; I really do not understand how this is an APC leadership problem considering the fact that a group of rogue members have decided to have their way at the expense of the party they claim to belong to instead of decamping. It happens with cancer cells and I suppose a suitable therapeutic regimen could be administered soon or later.

Even though Saraki could have won enough votes to become senate president assuming there was a straight contest against Senator Lawan, it would have been obvious that the APC caucus backing him were in the minority. I believe that it is wrong for any such individual to continue in his pursuit to do as he pleases disregarding the wishes of the party he claims to belong to. There are 60 APC senators to PDP’s 49; I do not believe that at least 30 of those APC members are loyal to Saraki even if we include those who may belong to the camps of Kwankwaso, Goje, Dino Melaye and Yerima. I do not think it is right for Saraki or Dogara to announce principal officers for the APC caucus if such do not have the backing of the majority. It is selfish and should not be accepted by those concerned.  The Republican Party is in the majority in the US Congress and their congressional leaders do their best to ensure that their agenda is promoted irrespective of whatever good intentions and fantastic ideas the Democratic president may have. Nigeria’s presiding officers in the National Assembly should not be seen as antagonists to the intentions of their party.

Saraki lands in Ilorin aboard Presidential jet. http://pulse.ng/local/saraki-senate-president-gets-hero-s-welcome-in-ilorin-photos-id3886999.html

Some have suggested that president Buhari may be in sync with these presiding officers because of his lack of intrusion. I do not know if any of these ones read the press release by the APC caucus of the House after the scuffle and undressing session. It was read by a certain Nasiru Sani Zangon Daura from Katsina who clearly denounced the actions of the speaker. I want to believe that Mr. Daura is most likely a relative of the president, a close one at that. Would he be opposing the speaker while Buhari is in tune with Dogara? I guess I am just seeing things; who knows? I may just be so wrong. If Bukola Saraki is incubating any Presidential ambition, I really do not think he is doing himself any favor.