“A nation that is not given to reflection, that does not take stock of its past activities and not inspired by its aspiration and hope for the future cannot realistically plan for its greatness.”
–Fidel Castro
By Daniel Kanu
Re-enacting his old element during the week, Prof Attahiru Muhammad Jega was unequivocal in his damning verdict on the nation’s political parties and the leadership of the country.
Experiencing consistent leadership disappointments to actualize desired political growth and development in the country within the past 20 years, the ebullient academic and former chairman of the Independent Electoral Commission of Nigeria (INEC), urged Nigerians not to vote for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), as well as the main opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party, in any future elections.
Jega had alleged that the two major political parties have destroyed everything, and are like Siamese twins of corruption and that it was high time Nigerians looked for a credible alternative.
The erudite teacher who spoke during an interview with BBC was unambiguous in his declaration that: “Nigerians should dump the two parties because of their bad antecedents over the last 20 years.”
For him, APC and PDP have ruined the country, and, therefore, no longer deserve any vote from the people.
In his admonition to Nigerians Jega noted: “Looking at their inability to change the economic fortunes of Nigeria for 20 years now, it is now apparently clear that they would not do anything even if Nigerians vote for any of the two parties again.
“The bad things these parties committed in those past years, Nigerians should never give their trust to them again. It is now very clear that these parties will never change, even if they are given another chance. They have destroyed everything.
“I believe now is the time to establish a platform which every good Nigerian should join and contribute towards building the nation on the right path.”
Expectedly, Jega’s submission has continued to elicit heated debate. While the PDP asked Jega to stop comparing it with APC that has turned Nigeria to wasteland from the robust fortune it left it, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), and Middle Belt Forum (MBF), had wondered why he was saying this now when he was part of the process that ushered in the politicians to power.
But the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, asked Nigerians to key into Jega’s call, just as APC warned Jega to desist from attacking it as part of his schemes to revive his political career he has berthed with the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP).
The bitter truth is that most Nigerians align themselves with the position of Jega. This is because what obtains here, according to those who spoke with Sunday Sun, is prebendal politics centered on ethnic and religious biases, politics with no ideology, politics of bitterness, one that disobeys the rules of the game, politics of stomach infrastructure, and winner takes it all.
Sadly, what we have in most situations is the politics of grabbing power not for the public good, but for selfish aggrandizement.
A critical evaluation at what is presently happening to the two political parties in terms of inability to resolve simple internal matters within them speaks volumes, as the gale of ditching/decamping from one party for another for selfish interest has continued to reign.
Indeed, Jega’s observation, according to political analysts, is an indictment and even a vote of no confidence in the claims of the President Buhari-led government that its leadership has been on the right track.
Unarguably, Jega is not an arm-chair critic, but one that has been in a vintage position to know better.
Jega, the activist as President of the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), politically leaning towards the left, was an avowed opponent of the military government in the early 1990s.
He was appointed a member of the Justice Mohammed Uwais Electoral Reform Committee, which submitted a report on 11 December 2008 with recommendations that included establishing commissions to deal with Electoral Offences, Constituency Delimitation, and Political Parties Registration and Regulation. The committee also recommended proportional representation, stating that the INEC head should be appointed by the judiciary rather than the president.
On 29 April 2010, he was guest lecturer for the NLC May Day celebration where he presented a paper on ‘50 Years of Nationhood: Challenges of Good Democratic Governance, Credible Election, and the Working Class.’ So, Jega is widely seen as an astute intellectual with a strong sense of ethics and morality.
Jega’s antecedents show that he knows what he is talking about, but can his Third Force prescription as alternative be realised given the fact that Nigeria has been badly and deeply divided in recent times?
Commentators say Nigeria needs political re-birth, a political revival by those who see politics as altruistic, and willing to provide selfless service for the good of all.
Jega may not be a saint, but it will be wrong to throw away his message, according to Engr. Martins Onovo, activist and former presidential candidate of National Conscience Party (NCP) in 2015 elections.
Jega was born on January 11, 1957 in Jega, Kebbi State. He attended Sabon Gari Town Primary School, before between 1963 and 1969, proceeding to Government Secondary School, Birnin Kebbi. He was later to be admitted into the Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in 1974, graduating in 1979 with a B.Sc degree in Political Science.
He was the deputy vice chancellor (Academics), Bayero University (1995–1996) and was appointed vice chancellor of Bayero University in 2005.
On June 8, 2010, he was nominated by then President Goodluck Jonathan as the new Chairman of INEC. He is the only INEC chairman to oversee two Nigerian general elections (2011 and 2015).