When the Sir Hugh Clifford Constitution of 1922 introduced the “Elective Principle” in our governance and Herbert S H Macaulay followed up with the formation of the Nigerian National Democratic Party, NNDP, which contested and won all three seats allocated to Lagos in the 1922 Legislative Council Elections, observers interpreted that experiment as one that was off to a good and promising start. But events thereafter, especially happenings in one of the present day political parties have given serious cause for concern on the future of political parties in Nigeria.
I have long been worried by the actions of the Action Congress of Nigeria (otherwise called ACN) since inception. Sometimes, I wonder if indeed, it is a political party or labour union. More disturbing is the undignified behaviour of the party’s godfather and sole promoter, Alhaji Ahmed Bola Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State. Although ACN is counted among the major political parties in Nigeria, it is however common knowledge that the party is an extension of Tinubu’s business empire and that his word is law.
Members of the party would easily tell you that “when Tinubu says it, it happens”. If in doubt ask former EFCC helmsman, Ribadu or former speaker, Lagos State House of Assembly and former Senator Mamora. The arrogance and brazen display of power by the South West based political warlord is gradually becoming a national embarrassment. He has a willing tool in the party’s spokesman and personal aide, Mr. Lai Mohammed. Mohammed is known to have often under the cover of speaking for the party, expressed what obviously are Tinubu’s personal views on national issues. That is not what a political party stands for. It is common knowledge how His Excellency took over all electives offices at national and state levels, allocated them to his family members, in-laws and cronies.
A political party is ‘a social group’ defined by Herbert Simon (1978) as ‘a system of interdependent activities characterised by a high degree of rational direction of behaviour towards end that are objects of common acknowledgment and expectation’. It is different from other social groups, such as labour unions and other associations because of the unique functions a political party performs. Among the characteristics of a political party are: an organised group of persons with similar views on political and economic problems of the country which aims to control the government by constitutional and peaceful means and to promote national interest not sectional interest. Its features include effective internal control mechanism. Moreover, political party is accountable to the electorate and its members. But one wonders if these can be said about ACN.
Formerly known as Action Congress, AC, ACN claims to be a classical liberal Nigerian political party formed via the merger of the Alliance for Democracy, the Justice Party, the Advance Congress of Democrats, and several other minor political parties in September 2006. The party controls Lagos, Edo States and the South West except Ondo State. Going by its manifesto, Nigerians initially saw the party as a natural successor to the progressive politics associated with defunct Action Group and Unity Party of Nigeria, UPN, led by Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the First and Second Republics respectively.
However, criticism of the party’s more pragmatic and less ideological political outlook associated with AG and UPN has made many argue it is less of a worthy political heir. Even if we are to ignore Tinubu and his party’s inglorious past, the recent statements on the state of emergency declared by the federal government were uncalled for and undemocratic. Tinubu had described the declaration of a state of emergency in Borno, Yobe and Adamawa States by President Goodluck Jonathan, as “a dangerous trend in the art of governance.”
He said that by the decision, President Jonathan had finally bared his fangs. According to him, “The body language of the Jonathan administration leads any keen watcher of events with unmistakable conclusion of the existence of a surreptitious but barely disguised intention to muzzle the elected governments of these states for what is clearly a display of unpardonable mediocrity and diabolic partisanship geared towards 2015.
The present scenario playing out in the country reminds one of the classical cases of a mediocre craftsman who continually blames the tools of his trade for his serial failure but refuses to look at his pitiable state with a view to adjusting,” he said.
The Action Congress of Nigeria on its own part, advised the National Assembly to reject President Jonathan’s declaration of a state of emergency. This was contained in a statement issued by its national publicity secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed who described the President’s decision as “lacking in original thinking.”
However, contrary to ACN’s position, other political parties including one of its partners in the merger deal, the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, hailed the decision by Jonathan and in fact, asked for support for the measure. National publicity secretary of the CPC, Rotimi Fashakin, shortly after the proclamation, said, “We need to rally round the President in this trying period. We pray that with this action, peace will eventually return to the states.”
Suffice it to say that President Jonathan owes it as a primary duty to protect the nation’s territorial integrity, and the citizens therein. The Islamist insurgency had grown beyond the limited powers of the governors, that only a drastic action which a state of emergency provides was the only solution.
Hence, it is unconscionable that the ACN would even attempt to play politics with this total breakdown of law and order, without an attempt to proffer an alternative road map. It is unfortunate that in contrast to CPC’s reasonable reaction, the ACN chose instead to play politics with the lives of Nigerian citizens. Giving the foregoing, it has become pertinent to ask, as the Israelites once did ask Saul, Is ACN also a political party.? Your answer is as good as mine.