was dismayed by the campaign slogan of "joining mainstream politics" by the ruling APC party in its bid to claim the Benue south senatorial district seat, which was declared vacant by the appeal court. The seat was previously occupied by Senator David Mark, former Senate President. APC big wigs including its national chairman, Chief Oyegun, minister of agriculture, Chief Audu Ogbe, former Benue state Deputy Governor, Chief Steven Lawani, former Senate President Chief Ameh Ebute and former minister of state for education, Mr. Agada, amongst others gathered at Oturkpo to launch the party's campaign to capture the seat.
Before then, I did not know that Idoma politics had witnessed an earthquake of dangerous magnitude. I did not know that stomach infrastructure politics had gained foothold in closely knit Idoma ethnic nationality. I was shocked to discover that former deputy Governor Lawani, Senator Ameh Ebute and Agada had decamped from PDP and crossed over to APC. Together with Audu Ogbe, the new song is "joining mainstream politics." If I may ask, what do these old men still want in life that they can play reckless politics at this stage? Their target is no other person than David Mark.
The Benue south senatorial seat is considered by the APC as a big fish that must be caught. To the APC the "defending champion", David Mark must be dethroned at all cost. A former senate President from 2007 to 2015, David Mark has been marked out for demystification by the ruling party. He is a top PDP chieftain who is high on the list of those that must be dealt with. Unfortunately for the Buhari-led party and government nothing incriminating has been found against him. Therefore, if he cannot be pulled in on corruption, why not dethrone him? A case of the wolf and the lamb, you would say?
As a political party, the APC is entitled to have as many seats as possible in the national Assembly. It is free to canvass for votes anywhere in Nigeria. And every Nigerian has the right to belong to the party of his choice. Having acknowledged this much, I hasten to point out that there is a danger in the idea of having everybody "joining mainstream politics." It is dangerous for our march to a durable democracy. When everybody belongs to the same party, the opposition dies a natural death. But we cannot do without the opposition. It is an important element in any vibrant democracy. All over the world, performing democracies have strong oppositions.
Unfortunately, President Buhari and his APC consider the opposition a nuisance, a distraction that must be demolished. To this end, EFCC, DSS and some judges without conscience are on standby. This is sad and must be condemned by all lovers of democracy. Nigeria went through difficult times before democracy was restored in the country. No matter the problems we might have had with PDP's stewardship, it remains to its credit that the opposition was not muzzled while the party held sway over a period of sixteen years.
In Africa, experience has shown the danger of a party having an overwhelming majority in the parliament. The parliament becomes a rubber stamp for the executive. The executive becomes reckless, as it pleases it. Only members of the party are considered patriotic, as any contrary opinion, no matter how constructive is seen as a distraction. The worst aspect of it is the ease with which the national constitution can be amended to meet the desires of the executive. It happened in Uganda where the constitutional presidential term limit was abolished in order to allow President Yoweri Musaveni to continue in and probably die in office. The Tutsi prince has just done it in Rwanda. In the Gambia and Togo, one family rule has been guaranteed, using the parliament.
So, my apprehension is that since it is only Muslim Fulani leaders than can 'rule Nigeria well,' we will wake up one day and hear that our constitution has been amended to allow for the Muslim Fulani to rule Nigeria forever. I know many readers will dismiss this as the figment of my imagination. Yes, they will argue that such a thing cannot happen in Nigeria. Nigeria is not a banana republic. And much more! Yet, since a man called General Sani Abacha became our leader for nearly five years, nothing, I reap nothing is impossible in Nigeria, especially if it has the blessing of the Fulani-led Muslim north.
Let me remind my dear Idoma compatriots that as Ndiigbo are wont to say, "akpokpo ukwu nwere saize." Yes, "shoe get size." David Mark has class. His challenger does not belong to that class. If they want a bench warmer who will collect his salary and allowances at the end of each month, let the Idoma people vote out Senator Mark. But if they want quality representation, which has brought an obscure Idoma nationality to the national limelight, then they do not need any advice to vote for David Mark. A senator is not a chief executive of a state, for instance. So, he cannot order things to happen in your senatorial zone. Yes, he cannot cite projects in your area. So, APC claim that if their man wins he will join hands with the governor of the state to turn Idoma land into an Eldorado is pure politics. Na lie! Your new man cannot match David Mark in anyway. Do not be carried away by the bandwagon effect. The government house in Makurdi belongs to the Tiv ethnic nationality.
I had concluded this essay when I came across an interview granted to the Vanguard newspapers by one Sagir Mohammed in which he talked about Ndiigbo disparagingly. Like Junaid Mohammed, he talked recklessly about Ndiigbo. Ndiigbo want to colonize the south south and take over their oil wells. Ndiigbo have no mineral wealth. Ndiigbo have nowhere to build their houses except in the bush. And on and on he ranted. Across the Muslim north, there is no single oil well. Yet, not only have the Fulani-led Muslim north benefited more from the oil wells of the Niger delta, their sons have more oil blocks there than the owners of the oil wealth.
Nigeria is ranked with Afghanistan and Pakistan as polio countries because of the Muslim north. Children from the Muslim north score 2-4/200 in national common entrance examinations. Poverty is most felt in Nigeria in the Muslim north. Boko Haram is a creation of the Muslim north. All these are so despite the stranglehold on Nigeria since the end of the civil war by the Muslim north.
Mohammed, I know you will score 2/100 in national geography otherwise you would have known that Egbema, Ohaji, Oguta, Ukwa are oil producing areas of Igbo land. I am surprised that it is beyond your comprehension that Igbo land has few hilly areas. There are over four million northerners in Sudan. Sudan is not part of Nigeria. Mallams who change money all over southern Nigeria including Igbo land, are they in the north? I am surprised that a respectable outfit like the Vanguard would grant space to you to insult Ndiigbo. Well, when the lion is caged, even rats jeer at it.
I am always yours without rancour.
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