This Day (Lagos)
Ademola Adeyemo
8 July 2009
Lagos — Mr. Ajibola Oluyede is a legal practitioner who has devoted his energy to the advancement of democracy and establishment of good governance in Nigeria. He is a staunch member of the Democratic Advance Movement and Nigeria Advance Party (NAP) as well as a leading figure in the Nigeria United for Democracy (NUD). He spoke to Ademola Adeyemo on the electoral and constitutional reform as well as other vital issues
What is your view on the current electoral reform exercise? Do you think it will provide a panacea for credible election in Nigeria?
As you must have noticed the present administration and the ruling party were not comfortable about some of the recommendations of the Uwais panel, they found them unacceptable. This is proof that this government is not ready for electoral reform. Ironically these recommendations that were rejected by the government are the most crucial if this country is to have the of conducting proper elections in the future. The constitutional and geo-political structure of the country as at present is lopsided, the power is concentrated in the hand of one man at the centre, whether sane, competent or not. Even if you hold that power, would you willingly let go of it without a complete systemic change? Especially when you yourself have abused that power and cannot trust that the person succeeding you will exercise it in your favour?
So, what Nigeria needs urgently is restructuring not these attempts at palliatives. The country needs to get serious about its future and convene a Peoples Conference to draw up a proper fundamental agreement, a new constitution that will favour the people of the country. The current system favours a cabal of power mongers who stole power in the 80's from equally illegitimate predecessors and wish to hold on to their positions of advantage in Nigeria for as long as the country continue to exist. In other words electoral reform in Nigeria as currently structured is like an attempt to cure a cancer by applying Paracetamol.
What of the problem of Corruption?
Nigerians really want to be good. But some are just in bondage to the system and since it is an evil system, which encourages corruption and dishonesty, many good people have found themselves carried along by the wave of reckless materialism and the attendant corruption. The cruel poverty also adds to this. Sixty percent of Nigerians live on less than One dollar a day. In terms of economic development Nigeria is still in the dark ages in comparison with even other third world countries in many respects. Infrastructure is none existent, corruption is high, political office or patronage is still the easiest way to wealth.
Government policy in respect of the domestic economy is largely inconsistent and myopic. For instance, the current government policy of Public Private Partnership should be thoroughly reviewed and a blueprint developed before the large-scale concession of public property to private tycoons and multinational corporations.
A competition and anti-trust law should be enacted first otherwise they are just paving way for political autocracy to metamorphose into economic autocracy. In other words the people's security and welfare should be the watchword in all these activities. Government should look out for the small people who cannot help themselves and stop being the servants of greedy carpet baggers.
Is our democracy on course?
I will not say we have had 10 years of democracy. We are still wallowing in the shadows as far as democracy is concerned. What we have been experiencing for the past 10 years is not real democracy. Democracy means simply the right of the people to choose their leaders. That has not been happening in Nigeria. The only thing we can celebrate is civilian rule and even that is debatable when you consider how many retired military personnel are foisted on Nigerians as rulers at various levels.
The current constitution does not favour democracy. It puts too concentrates too much power in the hands of one man at the centre and creates tin despots at the various other levels of government. The people seem the most inconsequential in the scheme of this 1999 Constitution.
Even, the so-called guiding principles of governance enshrined in the Constitution which should be enforced are not. They are just there for decoration. These provisions are also contained in the Constitution of the United States and are mandatory on the government; it is also enforceable by the people. Only members of the ruling cabals at various levels will see nothing wrong with the current constitution. The document needs to be thrown away. It cannot be amended sufficiently to be useful for developing democracy in Nigeria. In fact, I suspect that the kind of amendment that the ruling party has in mind is to further accentuate its draconian autocratic provisions to further restrict the ability of the people to effect any change in the status quo.
You are a strong member of the Nigeria United for Democracy (NUD); how relevant is your group now?
As you know the NUD is an aggregation of progressive political parties and civil society organisations. It came into existence in 2003 on the initiative of the Coalition of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP). This was as a result of the brazen electoral robbery of that year. Many people believed that the reactionary forces that have held Nigeria down were renewing their strong hold on the country and if we didn't come together to resist them, the disaster would be serious. The 2007 elections confirmed this premonition and again the NUD came out to organise efforts to resist the fraud and seek solutions. However, you will remember that the NUD resolved to put all activism on hold pending the results of the election petitions filed by some of its members at various tribunals. Now that all that has been sorted out, just as expected you can see a renewed activism. The NUD will continue to resist the reactionary forces to save the country from the current turmoil and suffering so that the people can start enjoying the benefits that God has bestowed so generously on us through abundant natural and human resources.
We believe that Nigeria needs institutions that can challenge the establishment and ensure that the right things are done. I do not subscribe to the notion that you have to be in government to change anything. Many have been in government who wanted to change things in Nigeria but soon got lost in the quagmire of the system and became the symbols of everything wrong with the system.
Check out people like Mrs. Adenike Grange, Femi Fani Kayode, Nuhu Ribadu, El Rufai et al. Currently my partners and I are concentrating on building an international Law practice that can provide a platform for young effective lawyers to contribute to National development. That is what TRLPLAW is about. I am also still an active member of the NAP and the NUD and we certainly are not giving up the battle to save Nigeria from the impending precipice of disintegration that current political developments portend. I also believe that the church should continue to play its role in keeping people save and sane whilst encouraging them to be proactive in bringing about change.
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