APC-nPDP merger and opposition political capital (2)

Aliyu Musa

“Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupt absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men, even when they exercise influence and not authority; still more when you superadd the tendency of the certainty of corruption by authority” (John Dalberg Acton, 1834 – 1902).

The INEC with its leadership has never left anyone in doubt of its unwavering fidelity to its paymaster. The once intrepid, incorruptible Professor Jega is now a trail. Elections organized under his nose are a mere confirmation of the wishes of those in power. Sanity, here, has no place or meaning. Cry foul at your own peril.

The police have always been an integral part of every aberration. These days they find it embarrassing to disguise their attachment to the ruling PDP. Wherever opposition stalwarts congregate they smell conspiracy and threaten them with treason charges. And who says the fear of being branded a Boko Haram sponsor is not the beginning of wisdom?

But the fact that the ruling party is at the centre of these malpractices does not make the opposition an assembly of saints. We could tell, perhaps, exactly who they are if tested with power. And in the few instances such has happened we know too well what the outcomes were.

In his book The Lucifer Effect –How good people become evil the American professor of social psychology Philip Zimbardo appositely revalidates Lord Acton’s theory about the potency of power to corrupt. In studies in which situations in the notorious Abu Ghraib prison are remodeled volunteer prison guards show just how easily power carries people away.

Earlier this week a video clip of an encounter between Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State and a widow went viral on the social media. In the short clip was the governor seen screaming at the cowered woman whose attempt to salvage her source of livelihood fell on deaf ears. And the governor was heard telling her to ‘go and die’. Not that I speak for serial lawbreakers; if the law says street trading is outlawed so be it. But such law could be enforced with humaneness and Governor Oshiomhole’s action was certainly how not to do so.

As a former champion of the rights of workers ‘Comrade’ Oshiomhole should not have been so dismissive even though it was clear he wanted to enforce the law. As a governor and one of the biggest harvesters of the fruits of our collective fight for democracy (unlike most other politicians earning fat wages today he was actively involved in the fight to chase unruly soldiers back to the barracks) he should have thought of a better way to make her realize the need to keep the streets clean, free of street hawkers (assuming they are the actual problem).

But can anyone blame a poor lady for trying to earn a few hundreds of naira justly in a society that allows millions to be stolen by a few, millions meant for the welfare of tens of millions like her? ‘Progressives’ like Oshiomhole should not be seen projecting such a distressing image of draconianism, only to come back desperately trying to control the damage. A two million-naira bribe, an apology and a job offer may have soothed the pain of the humiliation handed the woman, but such gesture does not delete the encounter from history. It also does not change the fact that the term progressive could as well mean opportunism, which many of the so-called progressives are already showing traits of.

Irrespective of the distrust most Nigerians have for the ruling PDP many would like to know what alternatives the opposition would provide. If replacing a set of over pampered despots with an assembly of potential tyrants is all there is, it is, therefore, of no use.

Now that the pendulum is fast swinging to the other end, it is time for the opposition to put their acts together and stop feigning a messianic posture. They need to get real fast and take advantage of the political capital the PDP’s numerous headaches bring.

Postscript:

This article also appeared in the Blueprint newspaper of 6/12/13.