Sensor Newspaper

For democracy to thrive in Akwa Ibom State nay Nigeria, legal practitioners in the state say opposing views should be accommodated because there are normal, healthy and desirable for the success of democracy.

The immediate past chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association, Uyo branch, Ekanem Ekanem Esq. and Chief Anselem Eyo are of the opinion that persons who have opposing views should be allowed a breathing space in our political space. Ekanem Ekanem Esq “Opposition in any democratic culture is normal, healthy and desirable for the success of any democracy. It gives an opportunity for opposing views to be expressed. It should not come out of frustration because any opposition from frustration is selfish. I believe that the opposition we are having today is to provide alternative voice to the government, thereby giving the people a choice or choices as regards the political party to choose, or persons to run their affairs. It allows us to hear the other side of how governance should be. It should be welcomed by every right thinking Nigerian who is a true democrat because it clearly signifies democracy at work. Where only one party state exists, there is a propensity for anarchy to ensue. But where you have divergent views expressed in either opposing political parties or individuals within a political party being accommodated in a polity, democracy is thriving there”. To Chief Anselem Eyo, he has this to say. “I would want independent candidacy because political parties have failed us. We could have loved to see the actualization of independent candidacy in the next democratic dispensation. Why? Political parties have failed us in that as many as they are, they do not appear to be different from one another. Interested aspirants only go to political parties because it is the only avenue through which they can participate in a democratic process. There is nothing like ideological differences among parties. Political parties are expected to differ from one another through their ideologies and policies. All along, they are singing the same song and our economic policies do not help in that every party talks about sharing money. I don't appear to hear somebody or party say something different from another as how they will change our economic base from sharing money to making money to sustain the economy. In the long run, the poor people remain where they have been while the rich people continue to hold sway; no hope for the masses. For example, we have flyovers and roads, but where is the provision for the disabled to cross the road or flyovers. The socio-economic system is for the survival of the fittest. The masses are excluded and that is anti-democratic because democracy has to do with the evolution of power from the masses. In this country, we have too much celebration and which celebration admits those below the poverty level? Celebrations are carried out with resources while those without resources are spectators. There should be a deviation from the status quo ante”. The Sensor at weekend opines that Democracy cannot thrive in any given society where divergent views are not accommodated. Democracy, as agreed universally, is the government of the people. The sovereign power or authority rests with the people. In a true democratic practice, it is the people who, through election, elect their representatives. And the people so elected are accountable to the electorate. Democracy abhors impositional representation as such could spark off disquiet among the people. Because people differ in their world views and orientation, there is bound to be alternative voice to the government of the day. Opposition political parties are not out to discredit or run down the political party in power. They are not enemies of progress and development. The primary purpose for the existence of opposition political parties is to keep government in check. Because of the fear of losing the next election, political party in power will not leave anything to chance in rendering services to the electorate who will decide its fate at the polls. Unfortunately, the strength of opposition political parties in Nigeria, which are about fifty, appears to be warning by the day. We do not appear to see strong opposition to the political party in power in terms of policy articulation and realistic manifestoes or ideologies which could sway electorate to its side at the polls. No wonder, People Democratic Party (PDP) continues to wax stronger even when it has seemingly overstayed its welcome. Today, there is mass exodus from other political parties to Peoples Democratic Party because it appears to be the only political platform where people seeking elective offices can actualize their political ambition. Regrettably, persons who formed one political party or the other, rather than nurture same to provide alternative voice to the party in power, are now desperately seeking cover in PDP. The likes of IBBs, Buhari, and Atuku's falls into this category. They are now jostling for presidential ticket on the platform of PDP to realize their selfish political ambition because to them, PDP gurantees express access to Aso Rock. Back home, Peoples Democratic Party is deeply rooted in the state, limiting the political space. Every person appears to swim and sink with PDP and as such, persons who are members of other political parties are given names. Either they are selfish and narrow minded who do not want to team up with the government of the day to move the state forward, or they are styled detractors. Realistically, all persons cannot belong to one political party because our constitution guarantees freedom of association. Recent happenings in the state are capable of generating political tension and over heat the polity. The seeming emergence of opposition political parties appears to be bringing political misfortunes or woes to person seeking elective offices in the state. When Engineer Udonwa appeared on the political scene to declare interest in the 2011 gubernatorial election, little did he know that he was going to sacrifice his mother on the altar of his governorship ambition. Persons suspected to be kidnappers invaded his residence, and he escaped death by the whiskers but not until he was allegedly shot in the leg while his aged mother was whisked away. Sadly, after payment of ransom, the body of the poor old woman was found along the road; they killed her in cold blood. Today, nobody appears to hear anything about Engineer Udonwa, probably he has scampered away bidding farewell to his gubernatorial aspiration. While other governorship aspirants were keeping their ambition to their chest, probably learning from the bitter experience of Engineer Udonwa, Group Captain Sam Ewang (rtd) the military administrator of Ogun and Rivers States respectively, emerged again on the political scene having gone through political baptism, in 2007. Today, he is almost covered by the murky political waters as his wife is now spending days in the kidnappers' den shortly after he declared to vie for governorship in 2011 on the platform of All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) From reports, we learnt that Sam Ewang is told to drop his gubernatorial ambition if he wants his wife back, even after the kidnappers collected N25 million. The political atmosphere is charged and tense, pointing to a bloody 2011 general elections, assurances of a free and fair election by the president notwithstanding.

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