“Power without responsibility; the prerogative of the harlot over the ages”. Graham Greene in ‘The Brighton Rock’.
It has always been the escape route of the serial flops to blame others for their failure. It was never their fault that they are the unmitigated disaster they have become. There is always the scapegoat to take the flack for their dismal outing even when evidence abounds as to where in reality lay the fault. If it is not the work of saboteurs, it is the opposition at work, and if it is neither then it must be the hand of the unseen enemy. Raising false alarm; crying wolf where none exists is yet another option popular with under-performing leaders to defend their failure.
Such have since become the recourse of the leadership of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to parry away criticisms, no matter how valid and constructive, of the dismal performance of governments in the country especially at the centre in the ten years of our current romance with democratic governance. Although the musician, the music and, to some extent, the naked dancers have changed in the last two years, the dance has remained as macabre as it had been since the beginning in 1999 of this parody we call democracy.
In its nauseating fawning to ingratiate itself to the presidency, the PDP leadership has even thrown away decorum and civility to the dogs employing impolitic and, at times, even insulting language to respond to innocent comments by well-meaning Nigerians, some of them former leaders, on the sorry state of the nation.
Needless to say, the irascible reaction of the PDP’s leadership to such comments is in itself a justification, vindication and confirmation for them. This escapist inclination and similar such antics of the ruling party’s hierarchy to comments opposed to its delusion of self grandeur and the crass abuse of the power it has appropriated to itself have exposed the PDP for what it really is ; a party with power ( but) without responsibility.
With the near universal acknowledgement of the abysmal performance of the PDP led central government especially in the last two years, the annual Democracy Day always provides an opportunity for Nigerians at home and the Diaspora to contribute to the healthy debate, a virtually daily event now, on how to move the country forward. This year was no different with many notable Nigerians, such as ANPP’s 2007 Presidential flag bearer and former Head of State, General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) and former Speaker of the House of Representatives and ranking member of the PDP, Honourable Aminu Bello Masari contributing to the debate. Not surprisingly, the PDP leadership’s reaction to all such comments was true to type - virulent, insolent and abusive.
As an elder statesman, former Head of State and 2007 Presidential flag bearer for the leading opposition party (ANPP), General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd.) has as much stake in the Nigerian project as anyone in the ruling PDP including President Umaru Musa Yar’adua. He would therefore be failing the nation; nay the people, if he remains silent at a time when the country is overwhelmed with so many daunting challenges not least that of leadership. Ditto the former Speaker Honourable Aminu Bello Masari. The duo did not disappoint. While the former commented on the performance of President Yar’adua’s two-year old administration giving it a very low score, Masari spoke on the lack of internal democracy in the PDP and its intolerance to dissenting views. Both views are also strongly held by most Nigerians both at home and in the Diaspora as well as many none Nigerian observers of the political situation in the country.
In the party’s response to the comments, the PDP too acted true to type; insulting the duo without adequately addressing the issues they raised. Replying General Buhari, the PDP National Publicity Secretary Professor Rufa’i Alkali preferred to view the ANPP Presidential flag bearer’s comments as a function of frustration and not the sincere expression of concern at the sorry pass the nation has found itself of a ranking stakeholder whose pedigree as a patriot of the highest order is second to none among his peers . According to Professor Alkali, Buhari’s comments are sour grapes of a “frustrated” person on account of his “failure to win the presidential election twice both at the ballot box and at the election tribunal”. It is rather very unkind and disrespectful of the PDP’s spokes person to put the former Head of state’s name in the same sentence with the word “frustration”.
The party’s national chairman, Prince Vincent Ogularfor’s response to former Speaker Masari’s criticism of the party was no less impolitic; offered in similar uncultured language as that by Alkali. Speaking through his media aide, Edmons Chijioke Adindu, Ogularfor called Masari a “colourless, uninspiring and hallucinating” politician because he referred to the PDP as a party that lacks internal democracy and is intolerant of differing views. On this, most political observers seem to be one with Masari, except the party chairman. This was in fact why many of its founding members left the PDP and found accommodation elsewhere.
As a politician of no mean station, the former Speaker of the House of Representatives may have his faults and failings, but certainly these do not justify or warrant characterising him as “colourless, uninspiring and hallucinating” as he is arguably one of the most consistent and principled politicians in the fold of the ruling party. Ogularfor also alleged that Masari rose to the position of the Speaker of the House of Representatives “not on account of any known personal merit or outstanding legislative skill but by the instrumentality of tyranny which was then the order of the day in the party”.
Well, Prince Ogularfor as you were in the sick of it all then as now, why did you not oppose it, because it is not on record that you did. More importantly, how did Masari’s emergence as Speaker differ from the manner of your “election” as party chairman? If you really want to find a “colourless, uninspiring and hallucinating” politician sir, you do not have to go beyond your bedroom; all you have to do is to stand in front of your dressing mirror and voila, you have him there standing right before you. You will be face to face with such a politician who jumps parties to join the bigger dining table.
Although the Deputy National Vice Chairman of the PDP (North) Dr. Bello Halliru is perhaps more refined in his choice of words in responding to criticisms, he is nonetheless no less an alarmist than the rest of the lot. Reacting on the Democracy Day meeting of some ranking members of the opposition, the former Minister of Communication cried wolf alleging that some “people are in cohorts with the US to sabotage the Nigerian government” without however, naming them. Such is the standard fare of the PDP to blame anyone and everyone who holds opposing views and label such person or persons saboteurs.
But in more responsible and responsive democracies, they take criticisms, especially from ranking stakeholders such as former national leaders, in their stride with equanimity convinced that those who make them are no less imbued with patriotic fervour than the leadership. There they do not view constructive criticisms as anything other than windows of opportunity through which to look inwards to re-examine the past with a view to avoiding similar missteps in the future.
Of course, nothing is as bitter as the plain truth to those who only feel secure living the life of lies. For them, it is not enough to mouth lies; they must voice them in such a foul language that will make the neighbourhood area boy green with envy in the misleading assumption that their vehemence will add value to what is clearly valueless and indefensible.
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