By:Dr.Isaiah Osifo
The All Progressive Congress,( APC), the ruling political party in Nigeria conducted primaries on Saturday,17 February,2024 for election of APC gubernatorial candidate for the 2024 governorship election in Edo State.Many Nigerians, particularly the good people of Edo State,watched the conduct of the primaries, and expectedly,were fed with the usual meals of lack of internal democracy in the political parties in Nigeria.
The conduct of primaries is an internal affair of the political party.This is not in dispute and it has been emphasized by judgments of the court, including Supreme court, that the conduct of political party primaries is an internal affair of the political party.The Court of Appeal in the 2023 presidential election petition,held in the judgment that,” no matter how painful the conduct of a political party primaries may be,an outsider can only stand at a distance to watch”.Iam outsider to the APC and I stood at a distance on Saturday, 17 February,2024 to watch the brazen violation of internal democracy by the ruling political party in Nigeria in the conduct of it’s gubernatorial primaries in Edo State.
The outsiders like my humble self, and others that are not members of APC cannot influence or interfere in the conduct and outcome of APC primaries.We can only watch from a distance and learn lessons that can apply to the efforts for the survival of Democracy in Edo State in particular and Nigeria in general.What are the lessons learnt and the application to the survival of Democracy in Edo State:
1.APC with impunity violated the principle of internal democracy.A political party that is not interested in democracy in it’s own party, can never be interested in democracy in Edo State,or in Nigeria.It is clear that APC is not interested in democracy and the citizens/ voters should work hard to prevent such authoritarian agents from winning the governorship election in Edo State.
2.The candidate selected through such process of arrogant disrespect of members of their own political party will only be interested in the personal interest of the godfather, not the collective interest or the welfare of the people of Edo State.The candidate is dangerous to democracy and the people of Edo State/ voters should ensure that he is not elected as the governor of Edo State.
3.The people of Edo State should emphasize the choice of a credible candidate on the basis of his/ her credentials, not on the basis of a political party affiliation,ego of the godfather,fat bank account of stolen storage,etc.
4.President Tinubu should know that there are leaders/ members of APC in Edo State that are not helping the federal government to grow democracy in Edo State, instead they are boasting that they will rig the governorship election with the support of the agencies of federal government.To allow and support the destruction of democracy in the state is to create a foundation that will eventually grow to destroy democracy at the center.If democracy thrives in the political parties, local government areas and at the State level,it will help to promote national stability and prosperity.
5.Leaders and members of APC that worked against internal democracy in their political party are clear enemies of democracy. The remedy to prevent these enemies of democracy from destroying our dear Edo State in particular, and Nigeria in general is through eternal vigilance and large turn out of voters.The voters should not be discouraged by the abuse of APC members by these enemies of Democracy.The conduct of APC primaries and the assault on internal democracy by those that conducted the primaries is a wake up call to all the good people of Edo State that the notorious enemies of democracy are still at work and they should be frustrated from achieving their anti democratic agenda through the large turn out of voters and resistance to the dubious elements in INEC and Security Agencies that are fond of subverting the choice of the people.
The quickest and the only sustainable path to the development of Edo State and the prosperity of the individuals is democracy.Sustainable democracy is rooted on the participation of the people and internal democracy of political parties.The success of democracy will be a victory to all,irrespective of Senatorial zone, religion, or political party affiliation.