By Eluwa Chidiebere Chinazu | For Biafra Writers
August 8, 2018
Hot-off the press is the statement credited to the two apex leaders of the National Assembly - Bukola Saraki and Yakubu Dogara, that Nigeria is sliding back towards anarchy and dictatorship. On what stimulated this fresh open confession of the duo, is the political inappropriateness or unrest which Gen. Muhammadu Buhari through his political wing, the APC, has instigated in Benue state. Under the watch of President Buhari, the Middle-Belt including other parts of the country have become abattoirs for the mindless and avoidable slaughter of innocent citizens while the federal government who took an oath to protect them turns a blind eye over these atrocities. Under Buhari's regime, the Armed Forces aid terrorists and have also condescended so low to such a point that they are being misused as foot soldiers and puppets by over-ambitious politicians in power to achieve their selfish and inordinate desires.
As Senate President Bukola Saraki stated firmly that this same scenario has in the history of Nigeria erupted before, the question is, how was this 'Political Armageddon' as one may call it, tackled? What methodology would he put into effect to bring down this threat that has surfaced again to its knees? Many are of the opinion that Nigeria is ripe for a coup to topple this northern hegemony that has reared its ugly head for a second missionary journey. Many are waiting for election to vote out this nightmare while many are for secession. What is your opinion? But before then, this piece of work contains some facts that would direct you properly. The opinions discussed here are of two sides - the pro-Election group and the anti-Election group.
To the pro-Election group, their view contends that all Nigeria's ills would be cured through voting. In fact, l overheard a female broadcaster in one of Nigeria's local radio station called Magic FM, saying that it's going to be hot in 2019 elections due to the gale of massive defection that has greeted the ruling party, APC. To them, there is hope to oust the present administration from power through voting. To this group, they say, "Let’s slog it out with Buhari in the ballot box come 2019 general election."
But in the view of the anti-Election group, their votes don't count. Their vote doesn't determine who rules them. One of the salient questions this group fields to the pro-Election group to help buttress the rigidity of their views is this, "as Bukola Saraki affirms strongly that Nigeria has slid back to the dictatorship system of government, has or does voting ever oust dictators from power in history?" This question has gained currency in the minds of the anti-Election group due to the inability of the pro-Election group to dispute that alien and rocketing fact. To further substantiate that fact, on 14th July 2018, the Ekiti State gubernatorial election was held in Nigeria. The poor citizens of Ekiti state were heavily armed with their PVC to vote out any trace of APC in the state, but unfortunately, they ended up voting in APC. The condemning statements that emanated from concerned voices over the electoral fraud been perpetrated couldn't put a reversing touch to the deed that has been done. This is how dictators roll.
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There is a big question the pro-Election group has failed to field to their frontiers - the PDP party pantheons, which is, "how will our votes count?" Because, that a voter goes to vote in a ballot box, doesn't guarantee the safety and genuine impact of his vote. Mahmood Yakubu is the current chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). He was not elected rather he was appointed by Nigeria Head of State, President Muhammadu Buhari. Nobody is expecting him to be the new Judas Iscariot that shot his master in the leg.
I agree that every dictator falls in history but none of them has fallen through voting. Voting is for their own benefit; it gives them more power, helps them to cling unto power for long. How to make them hit a roadblock has become a household question among their subjugated ones. To stop them doesn't come by professing it. This brings us to the opinions of the anti-Nigeria group. Their opinion is that people should boycott the electoral processes in Nigeria and opt for a referendum to decide whether they want to belong to the same country or not. In history, boycott of elections has yielded profitable results. Just as in the case of Bangladesh in 2008 and in Thailand, etc. In the history of the world, election boycott has been instrumental towards the defeat of dictators. People should know that a government just like APC under Buhari, that rigs elections are resorting to the use of their power illegally and unethically in bringing to pass their ulterior motives. So voting doesn’t stop them from being in power.
Coming to why no coup has taken effect in this regime owing to the fact that everything that happened then which evidently were what pushed the coup plotters of January 15, 1966, to embark on a revolutionary coup, has again resurfaced in this present regime, even more. The reason is that this time around, all the military sectors capable of carrying out a coup are now under the control of the same people perpetrating these evils. Just as Osaghae (1998) explains that "Coup planning and execution usually involves a close-knit core of officers, and 'federal balance' does not usually come into play - concern with balance would be likely to endanger the success of the coup and the lives of the plotters." This also goes to clarify the reason Igbos were prominent in the list of the coup plotters because they were occupying the close-knit offices in the military.
Northern hegemony's grip on the country, arrogance of the northern ruling class, problem of incompetence, rigging of elections, bloodshed, the prostitution of the military by politicians, the northern oligarchy asking the army under Brigadier Maimalari to draw a plan for the complete subjugation of the West starting from January 17, 1966 just as it is now with the Middle-Belt, etc, were what brought about the coup which even the press and the entire people hailed. During that time, thugs were parading and operated the streets in full view and with the co-operation of the police just like in the case of today's Fulani herdsmen accompanied by the army before they attack and gets protection by the same army after the attack.
In general, it's benefitting to listen to advice, pay attention to instruction so that you may gain wisdom. History must always repeat itself. During those days, the government just like now was so bad that the question asked by many Nigerians was not whether the government should go. The question was when and how. This new generation is asking the same lazy question. Wake up early and demand for your freedom or else you shall live like a slave and the same fate shall befall your immediate children and your unborn generation.
The Biafra Times
Edited By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
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