IBB

Babangida on politics of personality


Uzor Maxim Uzoatu



Nigeria is indeed a very wonderful place where wonders shall never end. What with characters like former military president and now a desperate presidential aspirant for the 2011 election on the platform of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), General Ibrahim Babangida calling on the PDP to rise above what he termed “politics of personality” or that of “he who pays the piper”. Thank God for democracy, Babangida who during his days as a military dictator boasted that he was not only in government but in power is now crying out like a rain-beaten chicken! Whatever became of his claim that he is a master of violence? It is incumbent on him to use his so-called powers to rein in on those playing the politics of personality. And, pray, who has more money than Babangida to deign to pay the piper?

Babangida has been very fast to make two reactions in two days over PDP Chairman Okwesilieze Nwodo’s deposition that zoning is dead in the party. In his second reaction in two days flat to the statement by Nwodo, and the follow-up clarification the next day that the party may re-visit zoning, Babangida pointed out that he was pleased to read the position of the PDP chairman. According to Babangida, “Nwodo was first among equals when he was zoned-in from a group of other persons from the South-east zone. He is a direct product of zoning after waiving some encumbrances that would have mitigated his emergence as the new chairman of our great party. Nwodo pronounced the zoning policy of the PDP as dead, even though he said it can be revisited and that he is not afraid of an open discussion of the issue. By making room for further discussion on the zoning policy, Nwodo has demonstrated his liberal and progressive disposition to the whole world.”

To underscore the importance attached to the matter, the statement was signed personally by the man who likes to be addressed as “Evil Genius.” The gospel according to Babangida goes on thusly: “In order for the PDP to be seen as a progressive vehicle for change, it must rise above politics of personalities or that of ‘he who pays the piper’.” Let us remember that in his days of authoritarian power Babangida used to tell anybody who cared to listen that every Nigerian had his price.

As former Kenyan president Arap Moi used to say after he took over power, all Kenyans must be singing songs of praise to him because when his predecessor, the legendary Jomo Kenyatta, was in power every Kenyan was singing for the old man and he (Arap Moi) was the chief praise-singer. In the case of our dear Nigeria, it is President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan’s turn now, so Babangida should turn to praise-singing instead of disturbing the peace of the country with his latter-day convolutions.

The truth of course is that Babangida has made matters difficult for himself by coming across as a Northern irredentist in his championing of the so-called zoning arrangement in the PDP. It will be well-nigh impossible for him to clear himself of the charge of pursuing a Northern agenda. Even Gen. Muhammadu Buhari who used to seen as being too pro-North is making better noises than Babangida this time around. In a sense, Babangida is somewhat antagonising the more liberal stalwarts in the selfsame North through his current tribal politics.

Babangida would want us to believe that he stands the chance of winning a free and fair election in Nigeria as notice his noises on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the body’s newly-minted chairman: “There is a glimmer of hope with current happenings at INEC most especially with the refreshing appointment of Professor Attahiru M Jega, as the new INEC chairman. It is hoped that all stakeholders will rally round the new INEC in order to have credible elections where voters will not only guard the count of their votes, but rather that their votes would truly count in the emergence of winners in all elections. I believe Professor Attahiru will need the support of all Nigerians because he alone cannot do it unless the people truly want him to do it by expressing their franchise in accordance with the dictates of the electoral laws.”

Haba! I have heard enough, for crying out loud! Talk of a man who annulled a free and fair election pontificating on credible elections! This Babngida fellow is simply insufferable! Why are we so blest? As the ace Ghanaian novelist Ayi Kwei Armah would ask…