Rare ironies are, however, the current features of the Nigerian democracy, which indicates the existence of huge gaps in the conceptualization, understanding and operation of the system. Are the clear attitudes of some politicians, particularly the holders of elective positions amongst them who should be defenders of the system, but turned themselves into some kind of saboteurs, not ironies?
As a system that completely abhors all forms of indecency, violation of established procedures as well as all actions and pronouncements that are injurious to public interests, genuine democracy is always the people’s choice. The general belief that the full observance of the principles of democracy in the course of governance is a strong guarantee for the attainment of desired objectives makes Nigerians and many other peoples of the world to implacably struggle for its enthronement and sustenance.
In Nigeria, even with the past intermittent take-over of political power by the military, democracy has always been the most preferred system that the citizens have vowed to strongly protect. All the disappointments that they, at various times and levels, suffered as a result of the violation of the tenets of democracy by some of the operators have not made them to dismiss it as either a failed process or useless project.
The current Majority Leader of the Federal House of Representatives, Honourable Alhassan Ado Doguwa, who has been in the National Assembly since 1999 when democracy was restored to the country is, by all standards, one of the key operators and beneficiaries of democracy in Nigeria. Having, in fact, been there as the representative of the Tudun Wada and Doguwa Federal Constituency in Kano State for over two decades, the House Leader is always expected to be one of the major standard setters in the practice of democracy in the country.
It is on the basis of this valid expectation that a lot of the attitudes of Honourable Doguwa and many others like him have openly become a source of terrible disappointment to most Nigerians. Rather than serve as a perfect role model, the legislator has continued to manifest penchant for the abuse of politics and democracy.
The lawmaker is a kind of politician who appears to have a tremendous tendency for the unjustifiable intimidation of people with opposing views and inclinations. His manner of approach is such that smacks of an intention to coerce other people into submission to his views and styles, which means that he is, unfortunately, intolerant of subscriptions that are contrary to his own.
His recent altercation with the Commissioner for Local Governments of Kano State, Alhaji Murtala Sule Garo, who is also the Gubernatorial Running Mate to the Gubernatorial Candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the current Deputy Governor of the State, Alhaji Nasir Yusuf Gawun, in the course of which he was reported to have physically assaulted the Commissioner, was just a further manifestation of his usual intolerance. All the reports on the incident that have already been widely circulated clearly indicate it was the House Majority Leader’s harsh approach that made the encounter to turn bloody as Garo was left with a broken mouth.
Earlier, there were similar reports on the harassment of opponents by Doguwa; all in his bid to continue to dominate the political space in his constituency. He has utilized his long stay in the National Assembly to effectively strengthen his grip of the political environment so that he can continue to bully others in the typical manner of a dictator.
His own kind of representation is such that, rather than guarantee the constituents’ freedom of choice, has only resulted in the severe reduction of the people’s fundamental entitlement to political expressions and association, which is the most vital component of democracy. He seemingly believes that the biggest achievement he has so far recorded is the domination of the political arena in the constituency through the use of coercive, rather than persuasive, instruments.
Doguwa and others like him (et al) are, by their attitudes, always described as braggart, arrogant and thuggish. Their deliberate effort towards the creation and sustenance of fear in the minds of the people in the name of politics has made them to become thorns in democracy’s flesh.
Nigerians will not forget in a hurry how, after he won a bye-election in 2019 and as part of the celebration of the victory, Doguwa paraded all his four wives on the floor of the House of Representatives just to, according to him, show that he is not only strong in the National Assembly but also equally so in his own home. One other piece of evidence of the arrogance and obsession with power to which he is associated is contained in a short video in which he was heard raining abuses and threatening to deal with some people in his constituency.
Now, considering the complaints over his apparent character shortcoming which are most pronounced in his constituency, it is clear that the reason for all the setbacks that democratic governance suffers in Nigeria have already been found in the attitudes of politicians like him, who have reduced its substance and essence to the servicing of their selfish desires. Real dividends of democracy that have continued to elude majority of Nigerians will hardly ever be achievable with them as the main faces of the system.
The Northerners in particular and Nigerians in general have every reason to worry about the various challenges that have continued to have crippling effects on their lives, even with all the Doguwas as their elected representatives and therefore responsible for the resolution of the crises. It has, in fact, been fully realized that their idea of representation is in sharp conflict with the purpose for which they have been elected.
As the country prepares for another round of elections, it is absolutely important for the voters, particularly those who have been victims, rather than beneficiaries, of representation to initiate a process of their own salvation through the effective engagement of contestants for the purpose of putting the right people in the places. The right to vote belongs to Nigerians, which they should therefore exercise strictly on the basis of the conviction that the persons to be so elected have the required quantity of concern for their security and welfare.
The Northerners have actually had enough of all those Doguwas who have believed that representation and, by extension, democratic governance is more about loquaciousness, intimidation of opponents and acquisition of material wealth. Their show of lack of appreciation of the essence of representative democracy that the country has adopted critically disqualifies them from being the ears, eyes and mouths of the people.
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