Political science teachers’ thought on state-of-the nation

The seemingly troubling political situation of the nation is engaging the attention of teachers of political science, who alert the citizenry on some undemocratic tendencies within the polity.
ABDULRAHMAN A.
ABDULRAUF writes
It is common knowledge that the political actors of different political leanings and suasions have 2019 as their major focus.
The seemingly unpredictability of the nation’s political climate is attracting the attention of various stakeholders in the Nigeria project.
While there is nothing wrong aspiring to political leadership, unfolding scenarios across the country are becoming serious sources of worry to all, including political science teachers who are also integral parts of the Nigeria project.
For the scholars, they have at different times; consistently warn of the likelihood of danger if the trend goes unchecked.
Between March and August, the teachers, under the auspices of Nigerian Political Science Association, never for once ceased to express their concerns over the seemingly gloomy political situation in the country.
NASS invasion For instance, rising from a meeting recently in Abuja, the association expressed shock at the executive/legislature face-off, saying that has the tendency to endanger the nation’s democracy.
The body, which also noted with dissatisfaction the interference of security agencies in the affairs of the legislature, said defections and counter-defections among politicians are manifestations of constitutional lapses.
The association’s positions were contained in a statement issued by its President, Professor AloysiusMichaels Okolie, and Secretary, Dr.
Gerald Ezirim.
NPSA spoke against the backdrop of the recent invasion of the National Assembly by operatives of the State Security Service, a development that drew flaks from within and outside the country.
As a first measure, Acting President Yemi Osinbajo sacked the Director General of the SSS, Lawal Daura.
Condemning the development, the association said it “views with great concern the raging and deepening Executive/Legislative distrust and intolerance which, in our view, portend grave danger to the survival of democracy especially in the provision of common good to Nigerians.
“This lack of collaboration regenerates crisis of development and sustains poverty and pauperization of the already traumatized citizens.
“Defections and counterdefections are largely manifestations of defective Constitutional Provisions and beleaguered Electoral Act which urgently needs to be addressed through legislative instruments and processes,” the statement further added.
“Added to the bizarre show at the National Assembly on Tuesday, 7th August, 2018, the law enforcement agencies have once again exposed fundamental governance deficits especially on the synergy between the Presidency and management of security in Nigeria.
“The hard lesson learned from this, points to the direction that the relevant authority does not appear to have control of the operational activities of critical law enforcement agencies and by extension, perhaps, other institutions of the State.
“Recall that the Association had on 19th April, 2018, in a press briefing at the National Assembly, expressed our concern over the overt invasion, intimidation and banditry exhibited by few Senators and the complicity of the law enforcement agencies in the ill-fated ‘legislative coup’.
“Less than four months after, yet another bizarre incident played out.
This time, the operatives of the DSS claiming to be ‘acting on orders from above’ virtually invaded, denigrated and occupied the National Assembly for several hours,” they added.
Furthermore, “the association condemns in very strong terms the meddlesomeness of the law enforcement agencies in the constitutionally assigned roles of the Legislature and the Judiciary.” They further noted that “in the contestation for power among the various political actors, the security agencies quite unfortunately have been seduced and made part of the contestation at the expense of providing security guarantee for all Nigerians irrespective of their party affiliation, religion and creed.” On governance And long before now, the NPSA, at its 31st Annual Conference, also noted what it called frightening situation of the nation.
Addressing the conference, the then outgoing NPSA President, Professor Shuaibu A.
Ibrahim, declared: “One makes bold to say that the country is now visited by many more frightening developments than any other period since our attainment of independence in 1960.
“It is rather saddening that for a country which in the 1960s was generally believed to be a beacon of hope not only for Africa but all blacks across the world, is today receiving unabatedly negative commentaries in major global reports.
“Despite various efforts at defending herself on many fronts such as human rights, corruption etc, not much has been achieved as a result of the torrent of issues that continue to rear their ugly heads in the governance environment.” “Several issues are in the public domain on the state of our nation.
There have been so many experts that have commented on the existence of the Nigerian nation.
Questions have been asked on where the NPSA is and what is its position on numerous issues agitating the mind of Nigerians.
“I must confess that our association has been digging below its weight in intervening in Nigeria’s political economy problems.
Due to this, the name NPSA has virtually disappeared from the minds of informed Nigerians but that is not to say we are totally absent.
For instance, in 2017, we addressed the press and put forward our ideas on the issues of the moment at that time,” he further added.
Parties’ internal democracy While stressing the undemocratic nature of Nigeria’s numerous political parties, the varsity don opined that “our political parties are everything but democratic in their orientation and outlook.
Internal democracy is a scarce commodity that one can associate with our political parties as the culture of impunity is being displayed by them.
“For instance, the ruling APC that raised the hope of Nigerians for a better future is being bogged down by internal conflicts incubated in the winner-takes-all syndrome.
Members who own the political parties in the country are not being allowed to exercise their power.
Moneybags and public office holders have hijacked the parties to the displeasure of their members.
“Ideology that ordinarily should define a political party is not subscribed to.
It is thus easy for members of APC to wake up in the morning and swim along with PDP or vice-versa because there is nothing in terms of philosophy and ideas that separate the two and other visible political parties in Nigeria.
“Quite strangely, officers elected on the platform of the parties who are holding elective and appointive positions are ultimately the leaders of people dishing out directives to the party leaders without recourse to members.
“Political meetings both statutory and others are not being held yet the parties are running and operating.
One then wonders how decisions are being taken at the levels of political parties in the absence of approved meetings,” he added.
Roundtable Still not done, the scholars were also at a special roundtable and special plenary where they employed extant conceptual and theoretical explanations to interrogate unfolding dynamics of governance, nation-building and development problematic in Africa with emphasis on trends in Nigeria’s political structures and processes, foreign policy and national security among others.
At the end of the sessions, the participants observed that; “the nature and structure of states inherited at independence from the colonialists, constitutes invitation to perennial conflicts and instability in Africa.
“Separatist struggles and agitations in Africa have intensified since the Arab Spring in North Africa and the Middle East.
“Sustained rapprochement between strong regional actors like Nigeria and Cameroon constitutes vital building blocks to foster integration between and beyond West and Central Africa sub regions.
“Nigeria has poor record in the management of relevant treaty documents such as diplomatic protocols, conventions, agreements and letters among others.” Their resolves Following this therefore, the conference resolved that “African countries, particularly Nigeria, should de-emphasize the use of military response as first option in the management of internal conflicts, but should embrace genuine dialogue, political restructuring and inclusiveness for addressing conflicting political interests, separatist agitations, fostering inter-group relations and nation-building across the continent.
“Again, members recommended that a conscionable blend of the kinetic and non-kinetic strategies will address the depreciating security conditions.
“Functional cooperation at bilateral and inter-regional levels should be embraced and strengthened by core actors in the respective Regional Economic Communities (RECs) to enhance peace, security and integration in Africa.
“The objectives of Nigeria’s foreign policy and external relations in peace and crisis period should be strengthened and broadened beyond western allies by accommodating more strategic partners across the globe.” While urging Nigeria to evolve a robust strategic plan for arms procurement and military-industrial complex to avoid superpower meddlesomeness and sabotage in crisis situations, the body called on the federal government to evolve efficient and effective mechanisms for the management of treaty documents.
Restructuring They further posited that “Nigerian government should articulate a body of national interests that will prevail over parochial ethnic, party and/ or private interests of governing elite on issues of national security, electioneering and governance.
These interests should serve as the source of various national policies and action plans.
“Restructuring should emphasise effective decentralisation of power to the core federating units in the country.
These must be geared towards reinventing productive instincts and healthy development competition among the various nationalities.
“Professional groups like the Nigerian Political Science Association (NPSA) should rise to the challenge of giving credible policy directions to Nigeria’s political leadership.
“Effective community engagement and a functional criminal justice system are very instrumental for combating the threats of kidnapping, terrorism and other insecurities threatening peace and stability in Nigeria.” On the perennial herders/farmers’ clashes, they stressed the need for government to be “sensitive to its integrity and the integrity of defence and security forces in combating the menace.” And like other individual groups and associations, NPSA has raised its voice on salient national issues.
It is hoped their positions will be critically looked into by the appropriate quarters for the nation’s positive development.