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Dr Yunusa Tanko, the national coordinator of the Obedient Movement, in this interview, looks at the reasons for the weak opposition in the Nigerian political space, saying, among other reasons, the lacuna in the Electoral Act and intimidation from ruling parties remain the problem. CHIBUIKE CHUKWU brings the excerpts
The Obidient Movement, you have said several times, is out to champion good governance; the same should apply to all oppositions, but what do you think is the problem of opposition in Nigeria, given that they don’t have strong footing anymore
The opposition has many challenges, internal and external. For the internal issues, number one, funding, very critical. Two, the issue of internal democracy. Three, ideological belief and championing that particular issue. Four, the issue of leadership becomes a big problem. Then five, the principles that guide that particular political party is key. Then when you look at the issue of the external problem, it has to do with the issue of the Electoral Act and then the laws that we have in our country. Number one, when you talk about external issues, the lacuna within the Electoral Act gives room for those who are in power to use it as a political game plan. I’ll give you an example. When the Electoral Act presents the fact that you can easily defect to another political party when there are crises in your political party, it is an issue. Sections of the constitution also further say that if you do that, you will be liable if the party takes you to court and declare that particular seat vacant. Also, the issue of misuse and intimidation by the other political party who may find themselves in the power become an external issue. Then there are issues outside that particular line with our laws and the courts; maybe one way or the other, they assist in making a difficult situation for the political parties. Many of the contestants who contested under a political party can easily defect with the creation of mishap within that party. And then at the same time, they just jump ship and then just come in from party A to party B and you maintain your seat. It’s morally wrong. Completely wrong. This is because you traded a manifesto of political party A, you got support from political party A, you were mobilised, you were sponsored by political party A. At the end of it, you just dumped that political party A and joined political party B, still maintaining your seat. So the laws should be stringent in that particular manner to ensure that the moment you defect, you go back and contest election in that new party that you are interested in. Nobody should stop you from moving. There’s nothing wrong with you. But that seat must be declared vacant. These are the issues that we must work against in a new Electoral Act that will be definitive.
Obidient Movement seems to be walking a different path with the Labour Party, a platform on which Peter Obi contested the presidency; why is it like that?
Interestingly, you remember towards the 2023 general elections, a lot of Nigerians, especially the youths, decided to take the bull by the horn and really challenged the establishment as regards to misgovernance and the way in which people politic in Nigeria and at the same time to demand for good governance. And this came out of statements and actions, records of the former governor of Anambra States, Mr Peter Obi, who was able to galvanise the Nigerian youths, speaking to them in a manner they understand. Peter Obi’s action and character challenged them to be voluntarily involved. That also led to about 12.5 million of them coming out to register. And for the first time in the history of our country, a lot of people traveled back home from outside the country to come in and be part of the electoral process. Those actions and messages were simply issues of the four C’s, credibility, character, consistency, and compassion. All of these, some might even intend them to be seven, point towards good governance. And that particular process was done voluntarily, where people moved in, sponsored most of the things that they did by themselves. And at the end of it all, a name was coined called the Obedient Movement. And the Obedient Movement is simply demanding for good governance. You’ll find them everywhere, even in government, even in the presidential villa. Every Nigerian who wants Nigeria to be better always finds a way of saying that, look, we need good governance in this country. Therefore, as we move along, it became very important that that particular ambitious organisation be turned into a well-choreographed organisation that can take care of all of the interests, so that we can use that energy to continue to demand for good governance, irrespective of the political party. But most importantly, the message of Mr. Peter Obi. So the Obedient Movement is not about political party. It was just a movement demanding good governance. You can find them anywhere, even in the ruling party as we speak.
Peter Obi is seen as the face of the opposition, always keeping the government on its toes, but he seems like doing things outside the party. He is like on his own while the Labour Party is on its own. Everyone had thought that it is the party that he contested with that should be with him walking towards this, keeping government on its toes. Is that the true situation of things?
As far as we are concerned as Obidient Movement, we are not competing with any person or political party. What we are simply saying is that we need to champion the cause for a good governance. And if we find ourselves in a political party, we carry that particular principle down to that political party and work together in synergy. That is because at the moment now, we don’t have an independent candidate, we can only work for power through a political party. And so in that case, you as Obidient carry your cause into the political party and marry it together with the manifesto of the party. Let me give you an example. The PDM was a similar organisation led by the former Chief of General Staff, Shehu Musa Ya’Adua. He midwifed the PDM and the PDM became a strong pillar in the PDP. And so also is the Kwankwasiya, for example, which has been midwifed by Engr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso with his own ideology of what he believed and is championed under the NNPP. And so at the moment now, the Obidient Movement also has been championed by His Excellency Peter Gregory Obi and then it was in Labour Party. So at every point in time, leaders of movements decide and in collaboration with the people who believe in that ideology to use a vehicle that could help them to achieve their set goals and objectives. And that, of course, can become a very strong tool as regards to opposition politicking in a way. recently, the wife of the president went to Niger State and donated N100 million for the victims of the tanker mishap. Well, remember that as part of the opposition that can champion and bring out the best in our politicking, His Excellency Peter Obi actually visited that particular site earlier. When His Excellency visited there, he was able to identify some of the challenges. It’s good he gave N100 million. But the problem in that particular place was not about N100 million. It was about the roads. There was no shoulder on the roads. And so everybody and truck who wanted to park and then going ahead may just stumble. The question is, why not use the sum of money (N100m from the First Lady) to put the roads in order and avoid other such issues from happening? This is the work of the opposition, to bring out the issues that demand attention for collective purposes and that was what Peter Obi did. So it’s like sometimes most of the decisions that we take in position of power is aftermath of a certain very mishap, after a serious mishap has happened. Then we try to mitigate it using money.
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