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Weekly Trust (Abuja)

Nigeria: A Spontaneous Reaction to Kogi Political Crisis

Suleiman Mohammed

15 September 2007

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opinion

Kaduna — Going through the political evolution of Nigeria, it is crystal clear that Nigeria as a country had experienced some turbulent moments in its political system, yet such experience has remain unabated. It is obvious that political crisis is inevitable in any political system. Crisis crept into the nation's politics since the declaration of the protectorate of southern Nigeria in 1886 and the imposition of a pseudo-state structure on the area in the form of colonial administration.

Also, the Kano riot of 1953 was the first violent demonstration of ethnic animosity in Nigeria and was the turning point in ethnic hostility in the political history of Nigeria. What about the Action Group crisis of 1962? The AG crisis was an intra-party and inter-party conflict. The crisis was the aftermath of a coalition of NPC and NCNC under the then leadership of Tafawa Balewa and Nnamdi Azikiwe of blessed memories. This development did not go down well with Chief Obafemi Awolowo leader of the Action Group and leader of the opposition.

The census crisis of 1962-63 between the West, East against the North was largely politicised. The census crisis was the aftermath of the first census in Nigeria in 1952-53, which places the Northern region above the Southern region. The South was not comfortable with the arrangement because it gave the North political advantage at the centre. However, the West and the East saw the 1962-63 census as an opportunity to upturn the table against the North and over inflated the census figure against the North. This development pitched the North against the East and Western regions, thereby creating sense of ill feelings between them.

Indeed, the 1964 federal election crisis laid a solid foundation for the political instability of 1966. The tension and crisis generated by the 1964 general election had hardly calmed when the Western regional election crisis of 1965 began. The crisis resulted from accusations of large-scale electoral fraud. The violence that ensued was monumental - houses, property and lives were lost and damaged. There was complete breakdown of law and order.

While the 1979 general election was described as generally peaceful, the one of 1983 was characterised by malpractices of different dimensions and magnitude from the beginning to the end. When the then FEDECO announced a landslide victory for the NPN, supporters of other parties reacted violently. The lawlessness that greeted the seeming imposition of government that lacks legitimacy on the people of Nigeria in 1983, created a restive political atmosphere in the civil populace.

What happened in 2003 and 2007 general elections was a replica of what Nigerians experienced in 1983. Judging from the aforementioned, it gives one a better understanding of the political crisis rocking Kogi Central in particular and Kogi State in general. Infact, the people of Kogi Central have always been victims of one political crisis or the other. But the very recent ones include the 2001-2002 Local Government Area creation crises, 2003 general election crisis and the 2007 general election crisis. From experience, each of these crises is spontaneous reaction of the aggrieved and helpless youths.

For instance, the 2001-2002 Local Government creation crisis which has combined forces from the West and Central Senatorial Districts was ostensibly to challenge the lopsidedness in the number of new LGAs allocated to the East against the other two Senatorial Districts. The crisis was characterised by destruction of properties owned by top government functionaries serving in that government, who were accused of failing to protect the interest of the people.

Similarly, the 2003 general election crisis in Kogi Central was the failure of core Ebira politicians who were predominantly in the Peoples Democratic Party to secure the PDP gubernatorial ticket to actualise the political yearnings of the people who are crying against marginalisation of the Eastern flank in the governance of the state. This informed why UNPP with Alhaji Kabiru Shaibu as governorship candidate was popular and attracted massive support from the youths in the 2003 general election, with the motto "Ebira Agenda". Resistance to the Ebira agenda by the core politicians in the PDP and ANPP brought about violent reactions by the youths and resulted in killing and destruction of property.

In the same vein, the 2007 general election crisis took a broader dimension as the entire state was thrown into political tension and violence ranging from killing, brutal attacks, arson, killing of policemen on election duty, snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes and ballot papers. The violence was ignited due to alarming incidence of electoral fraud, massive rigging, falsification of election results and different strategies of subverting the will of the people by the ruling party. What happened in Kogi Central as in other Senatorial Districts of the state was a continuation of what happened in 2002-2003.

It is obvious that the people of Kogi Central and West have been struggling for political relevance in the state, hence the strategic alliance of the West of Niger of the Confluence State to wrestle power from the Eastern flank who has been ruling the state since its creation in 1992. This struggle was tagged power shift agenda with a resolution that the agenda could be achieved in another political platform if the PDP decided to block their chances. This was what gave birth to Action Congress as the main opposition party in the state. It is not surprising therefore, that even within the PDP, governorship aspirants from other ethnic extractions other than Igala, were rigged out of the PDP gubernatorial primary in the state. It is also not surprising too that the leadership and followership that constitute the present Action Congress in Kogi State are the aggrieved and foundation members of PDP in Kogi West and Central Senatorial Districts of the state.

It is understandable therefore, that in Kogi State there is inferiority and superiority war. There is conflict of marginalisation, conflict of domination in the state's affairs, conflict of inequity in the distribution of state resources and conflict in the right to lead the state by the three dominant ethnic groups. Therefore by inference, any selfish consideration or failure to identify with the collective will and aspiration of the people could sometimes be very devastating. It is my candid advice to all victims of political crisis, both in the AC and PDP to consider their losses as a necessary sacrifice to salvage the people of the area from the shackles of poverty, youth unemployment and political marginalisation. Political icons such as Late Senator A. T. Ahmed and Hon. Mohammed Onusagba lost their lives in the cause of the political struggle of the people. The lost of these great men is a supreme sacrifice the Ebiras have paid. The victims should emulate the likes of the former deputy governor, Chief Patrick Adaba, Alhaji Musa Etudaye, Alhaji Abdulazeez Obini and host of others who suffered the same fate in the 2003 general election crisis. These men took the matter in good faith.

Mohammed writes from No 16 Lokongoma Phase 1, Lokoja, Kogi State.

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