Sufuyan Ojeifo
5 July 2009
Lagos — In 1998, when the current Fourth Republic was to be birthed, there was apathy in the political space as to the viability of the transition programme. And, this was then understandable.
Many people were skeptical about the sincerity of the military government of General Abdulsalami Alhaji Abubakar to midwife a successful transition to a civilian democracy.
Consequently, many of those who should have thrown their hats in the ring stayed out, leaving the electoral race to many people without enviable antecedents or solid track record of public and private service to the community or the nation. The outcome of the decision was apparent from 1999 to 2003.
By 2003, the elements who had taken over the control of the mechanics of power had already entrenched themselves and were determined to use the instrument of their offices to foist their protégés in elective positions, including the National Assembly. But even at that the scramble for party tickets, especially within the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was fierce. The manipulation of the party primaries and the theft of mandates became subjects of judicial action.
In 2007, the primary virtually became a war. Political elements became desperate for tickets with which they intended to go into election t seize political power. The ruling PDP deployed its machine to bolster predetermined agenda and/or candidates.
But for the intervention of the Judiciary, which has tried to purify the 2007 elections by reversing outcomes of manipulated elections across the country, the awesome party machinery and/or government machine would have remained the hope of desperate elective office seekers who are financially enabled to procure the endorsement of the powers-that-be.
The various judicial pronouncements and the electoral reform being embarked upon by President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua should have indicated a positive scenario ahead of the 2011 general elections in terms of the integrity of the electoral process both within the parties and in the inter-parties electoral contests.
A number of people are already jostling for the various elective offices; and, in the spirit of participatory democracy, the field should be open for all to subject themselves to the rigours of acceptability and popularity test. This, analysts contend, is democracy in its pure nature.
But the demand by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) caucus in the Senate for automatic tickets from the party's leadership guard to enable the eighty-seven senators, who are currently members of the caucus, to retain their seats in 2011, if granted, would stymie the democratic space and the rights of other party members to aspire to the Senate.
The caucus had made the demand, through the Senate President, Senator David Mark, in Abuja at an interactive session over dinner, which was attended by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Vincent Ogbulafor. Ogbulafor had promised that the issue of automatic tickets would be considered in due course.
The public demand by Mark came on the heels of a series of failed lobby by the caucus to sway the party to increase the representation of the caucus in the National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting. Currently six senators represent the caucus on geo-political zonal basis.
The caucus had moved for increased representation so as to be able to deploy its number to influence decisions, such as the grant of automatic tickets, in its favour at the NEC meetings of the party.
Mark had said that the huge resources already invested on members and the legislative experiences garnered over the years would be wasted if they were not allowed to retain their seats. He had further stated that the continued high turnover of lawmakers to the legislative house at every election, would not give room for the growth of the legislature.
Hear him: "After every four years, after an election, people begin to clamour for their own local government to produce the next Senator. In other words, there are people back home now in our various constituencies who are saying it is the turn of their local government to produce the next elected person. It should be the turn of the local governments who are represented here now to produce the same people in 2011."
Indications last week indicated that PDP senators were and are still excited about the issue of automatic tickets. But the demand has already drawn flaks from members of the party some of whom are jostling for participation in the National Assembly elections in 2011.
An Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Kenneth Imansuangbon who is a PDP chieftain from Edo State, kicked against the move, saying "There is the imperative need to open up the democratic space so that everybody can participate in electoral activities within the party. To that extent, I must say that automatic ticket is against the principle of rule of law and democratic ethos.
"It will ridicule the foundations of our democracy. In fact, it will amount to a subversion of the democratic rights of the Nigerian people in the PDP. With due respect, disagree with the Senate President, Senator David Mark and the PDP caucus in the Senate on their demand for automatic tickets. It is patently embarrassing for them to broach the idea and come out publicly with it. Nobody within the PDP will accept the sheer mockery of democracy."
In his reaction, Barrister Adamson Adeboro, who is also a PDP member, said automatic tickets handed to PDP senators on a platter would not be acceptable to a majority of the party members. According to him, "It is bad; it is unacceptable; it will block others and breed mediocrity rather than meritocracy; and, I think that the demand should be nipped in the bud before it is given any modicum of attention by the party's leadership guard."
He added: "It is unconstitutional. It is nowhere in the constitution of the party nor in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and therefore it is null and void to the extent of its inconsistencies with the provisions of the of both constitutions."
But Chairman of the Senate Committee on Information and Media, Senator Ayogu Eze defended Mark's position, saying it represented the wishes and aspirations of the PDP Senate Caucus. Hear him: "He (Mark) was talking to the PDP and its leadership. He was not talking about the suffrage.
"He was saying that it should be wise and beneficial if we allow members to build experience and there is a reason for that: we cannot continue to change people every session after spending heavily on their training; but that if we have old hands, we will benefit from their experiences.
"It is the kind of thing that is good for the country. Let us build a corps of senators that will help to build the legislature, the legislative process and a body of good laws that will bolster the good governance of the nation. So, Mark's position was borne out of patriotism, nationalism and love of country."
The PDP caucus in the Senate may give the demand some serious push; emerging indications and recent history of gritty contests for party tickets have shown that the grant of automatic tickets to senators could have the potentialities of causing implosion within the party as it may not be manageable.
Whereas, it could be manageable by the party for incumbent presidents and governors, the legislative arm may be too large to accommodate in the arrangement because if it is accommodated, then those wanting to contest election to the Senate on the PDP platform would have been undemocratically shut out.
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