“An intelligent and conscientious opposition is part of loyalty to country.”—Bainbridge Colby
Dear
Jagaban, I hope this letter meets you well. Let me start by first
acknowledging your pedigree as a national political figure. The depth of
your political astuteness and the strength of character you have
demonstrated since your foray into public life during the dark years of
military dictatorship and now as a leader of the opposition is the stuff
of legend. Your efforts since 2003 in providing a formidable opposition
that has kept the ruling party on its toes has been recognised by those
who value the importance of opposition as one of the central tenets of
democracy. The question to be asked is what would have become of this
democracy if you had not stood firmly against the rampaging armies of
the ruling party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in the South-West which
is now considered a model of opposition politics in the country? I am
also aware of the raging debate surrounding your comparison to, and, as a
successor of the Yoruba patriarch, Obafemi Awolowo.
Continue after the cut...
While I am too much of a minnow to judge
who fits into the larger-than-life image of the late sage, I believe
you possess some of the traits to fit in his shoes- your perseverance in
the face of persecution in staying to organise the opposition while men
of little conviction abdicated to feed off crumbs from the ruling party
is reminiscent of Awo’s exploits as leader of opposition in the First
Republic. Anybody who questions your capacity to assume that role
underestimates your contributions in the last 13 years. In 2003, you
fought the most important political battle of your life for the soul of
Lagos when you stood your ground and ensured the state was not
“captured” by the then Olusegun Obasanjo-led PDP which had hoodwinked
the old guards in your political camp. That singular act of yours also
started a political revolution that swept the thieving buccaneers out of
this political zone in 2007. It provided the momentum for the
progressives who had been bruised, battered and left in political
wilderness to stage a comeback. It also ensured several electoral and
legal victories for many of the governors and elected representatives
whose mandates were stolen in brazen electoral fraud by the PDP.
Your endorsement of Babatunde Fashola,
who has since proved himself also confirms your ability to spot talents.
In you, Nigerians saw a man who can put the ruling party in check. The
South-West victories also inspired other states to challenge the ruling
party which had been thought invincible. I believe the history of our
democracy will not be complete without documenting your role as a major
protagonist. But the narrative has since changed. That is why I am at
pain in using this medium to communicate to you this open letter.
However, I am left with no other choice because of the urgency of the
message that needs to be conveyed to prevent a looming political
disaster that will spell the doom for a viable opposition politics.
The truth is that your party is becoming
more of the same it helped to defeat in previous elections. The party
is derailing from those ideals that attracted the entire South-West and
Nigerians in 2003 and 2007. Now opposition politics faces an uncertain
future. This is worrisome because this democracy needs an opposition
that stands out. It needs an opposition that is distinguishable from the
rot in the ruling party. Opposition parties are vital to the
functioning of democracies as they provide a representative system of
the electorate while keeping ruling parties accountable. But how can
this happen when your party has failed to isolate itself from those
undemocratic practices that are inimical to democracy, a recent example
being the imposition of a governorship candidate in the Ondo election?
Now there is also a worrisome perception of your continued role as a
leader of opposition. Remember this is also not about you. It’s about
building a strong and enduring opposition that will outlive the heroics
of one man. These perceptions (either true or false) are gradually
eating away at your party’s fortune. Can your party continue to be a
credible opposition platform as it did in 2003 and 2007? Do you still
consider yourself to be able to command the momentum that led to the
success of the opposition in 2007? Can you still boast the people’s
confidence to support your cause? What do you make of your party’s
misadventure in the just-concluded Ondo election, for example? The
results even showed that your party came a distant third behind the PDP.
That is scary. Perhaps, that statistics could be a sign of what to
expect in future elections.
Are you not worried that the division
and negative portrayal of your person as an opposition leader will
affect the fortunes of your party and ultimately opposition politics?
These negative portrayals were not there at the beginning. So, it’s time
to look inward. Now you are viewed in the public domain as high-handed
and overbearing. The word out there is how you want to turn the entire
South-West into your personal fiefdom. You have been portrayed as not
giving elected leaders in your party the free hand to do their jobs.
They say you breathe down the neck of elected governors and do not allow
them to function. The most disturbing is the patronage system that is
alleged to be rife in your party. During the Ondo election, you spoke of
“capturing” the state. You should have known better that such
statements put the electorate off. It reminds them of what Obasanjo
wanted to do in your Lagos in 2003. It reminded them of what President
Shehu Shagari attempted to do in 1983. Instead of the warlike campaign
strategy on display, it would have served the party better to showcase
its achievements. Now, I fear a bandwagon effect in other South-West
states in future elections if you do not tone down your rhetoric and
play the leadership role that endeared you to the people in the first
place.
The questions being asked by the
electorate are: if your party is now more of the same with the one that
was replaced; if the public has a certain perception of your party,
don’t you think it is capable of ruining your chances in future
elections? As a matter of urgency, it is important that your party
eschews some practices that will make it implode from within. The Ondo
election could be a pointer to future calamities. The practice of
imposition in picking candidates for future elections should be avoided.
It causes disaffection- as it was in Ondo we will see in future
elections. Party primaries should reflect the wishes of the people.
Unfortunately, this is not the case today in your party. As a major
opposition figure, you should constantly be above board and must be seen
in positive and sharp contrast to the ruling party so that the
electorate can have a clear choice. This is becoming increasingly
important now that the votes count.
Remember this is not about you. It is
about having an enduring and a vibrant opposition which is critical to
the survival of democracy. For in the words of Barrack Obama, “Africa
does not need strong men, it needs strong democratic institutions”.
Share your thoughts...thanks!
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