Says a Political Sociologist and Public Policy Analyst at University of Port Harcourt Rivers State, Professor Steve Wordu in this interview with Omolara Akintoye, Prof. Wordu speaks on an Assessment of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration after two years among other sundry issues, he proffers the way forward. Excerpts..
(Cont’d. from last edition)
What is your opinion about the State of Emergency in Rivers State?
It is very unfortunate to observe not only the squandering of democracy under the regime of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu (PBAT) .but worse of all the reverting to authoritarian inclinations in the manner of the military system of government…
This is what the regime has introduced by declaring a State of emergency in Rivers State under a military administrator. On that inglorious action PBAT has squandered his glorious legacies in pro democracy. He has upturned the little progress Nigeria has made in democracy
Is a formidable coalition possible with the opposition in the light of recent developments within the leadership of the parties?
Let me say that in a democratic system, the political party system matters, the behaviour of politicians, the administration and management of political parties is key to assessing the performance of a Country using democracy, politics and governance performance.
The political parties in Nigeria, particularly the so called opposition party has not demonstrated any seriousness with respect to national political development.
A party that is running or a group of people that is hoping to change or confront the ruling party should be prepared to provide the Country with alternative policies, alternative transformation strategies and well coordinated coalition that will be strong enough to confront the ruling government. I can say based on keen observation of the internal wranglings, internal crisis in the major opposition party which is PDP shows that it will be very difficult for them to arise as a consolidated coalition that can withstand the ruling party in the next election.
Unless the politicians involved are ready to sacrifice their personal aggrandizement and greed, they will not be able to achieve anything.
The coalition party is made up of people who do not understand the need to rescue the country from any form of bad governance, they do not understand the importance of national cohesion and nation building, they are only interested in running election to form government in order to control resources. That is not the spirit of democracy and national development. Hence I do not see any strength in the ongoing coalition arrangements.
Until they are able to agree on a party and candidates to run election under the umbrella of the Coalition. But as long as greed, religion, regional and ethnic inclinations continue to influence the process of building a coalition, I do not see any emergence of a consolidated capable coalition to counter the incumbent administration come 2027 election.
The opposition and ruling party have started race for 2027 in earnest, is this not a distraction?
Let me say empirically that in Nigeria, the four years in running election is not fours years, in actual fact, it is two years. The reason is that when govt are sworn in, they spent only two years trying to consolidate their hold on power, the next two years is used for the preparation of the next election so it’s very appalling to say that the four years is actually two years; two years for governance and two years for politicking.
That does not augur well for this Country. It is too early for a govt to begin to politick that is why I can agree that it is too early, it’s distracting, confusing and frustrating to begin to judge govt. only in two years.
It’s drawing back governance, governance is placed lower than politics and that is not the best way a country can go.
Let a policy or constitutional amendment be put in place, or rather INEC should be able to regulate the period when politicking for the next season election should start. The reason is so far as Tinubu as spent two years, the next two years will be for politicking, hence we are short changing the governance period for political competition.
So that is one of the weakness in our electoral politics.
That period has to be properly extended. I can say that there should be no politicking, the constitution should make provision that there should be no politicking for the next election until about six months to the end of incumbent administration.
Are the State and local govt performing up to expectations with increase in Monthly allocation from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC)?
It is true that federal funding and physical allocation policy has improved to the point that the local and state govt. Levels are receiving funds as at when due.
But it is one thing to receive funding and it is another thing to show working with the available funds received.
Physical Federalism is one of the contending issues in this country and the way it is managed will also be used in assessing the government.
This current administration has not disrupted the FAAC and I commend President Tinubu for that, but there has to be an oversight to ensure that the funds received by State and local government be utilized to render service and improve the living conditions of the masses.
Most local govts. are ungoverned, I can say that the local government areas in Nigeria constitute part of that ungoverned spaces where there is no evidence of govt. involvement in the management of affairs of communities and societies, where there is no supervision, the citizens don’t know how much is allocated to their LGAs not even to their States and do not have any way of monitoring accountability.
So lack of accountability is undermining the gains made in the name of physical Federalism and in the achievements so far in consistent release of fundings for LGAs and for States. This is kudos to Tinubu’s Administration for not distorting the flow of physical Federalism. But there is need to provide oversight and accountability for the funds received by LGAs and States are deployed for effective governance and for improving the living condition of people.
There’s not much not much that the federal government can do in terms of oversight on the activities of both State and LGAs, that is a constitutional issues. This therefore call for the constitutional amendment to deal with accountability of governance at LGAs and States levels.
The constitution has to be strengthened to ensure that there is a reporting system, audit and accountability system on how funds and other resources at State and LGAs is properly monitored by the federal government.
Again when it comes to supervising what political parties do, I don’t think that the President should be assessed based on happenings at the political parties, the different Political Parties, even his own party as the ruling party APC, the President may not have an overriding control over how the party affairs are managed. So INEC and other constitutional body should look into the issue of supervising the attitude and behaviour of politicians and their political parties, the internal party management and ensuring that the internal party issues does not disrupt national elections.
So far so good for this country, at least we are still forging ahead as a nation but in actual fact, things are not going well with citizens of the country.
It’s been two years without unrest in the education sector, how would this impact on the education sector
Though it would seem that Nigeria has witnessed a stable work environment in the past two years in the education sector. This situation may not be a kudos to government policy, instead it is a result of compromise by leaders of Trade Unions. Also Unions like ASUU have become fatigued by strikes.This regime has not liquidated its indebtedness to Lecturers, but lecturers are overwhelmed by debts and unsustainable salary that they fear to embark on strikes which always complicate and compound the stranglehold of poverty on Nigeria’s working class.
