Going beyond political pursuit

Last week was tumultuous. The wheeling and dealing synonymous with politics were taken to a notch higher by the opposition- All Progressives Congress (APC). At the lower chamber of the National Assembly, the House of Representatives members were combative. The crux of the matter was that APC members in the House were trying to effect a change of leadership on the basis that the recent gale of defection has placed APC above the ruling PDP by number. Some principal officers of APC reportedly courted trouble when they began to address their colleagues in PDP in a less dignified manner. Although Aminu Tambuwal, speaker of the House, reminded his colleagues that the case was in court and as a result there cannot be any change of leadership, some APC principal officers were said to already seeing themselves as authentic leaders against the rule of the House. Their action caused so much adrenaline rise, leading to a riotous session.

A day after the commotion at the House, the national leadership of the party was at it again, this time, the broom party asked lawmakers in its fold to block consideration of the 2014 Budget as well as ministerial and military appointments until the Federal Government halts the escalating violence in Rivers State.

APC also threatened to direct its members nationwide, especially in Rivers State to resort to self-help to protect themselves if the situation in the state was not immediately brought under control by the Presidency.

While we concede to the APC that politics is all about strife of interest between opponents for political capital, we elect to point out that restraint must be exercised to avoid pushing the country to the precipice.

We have time and again urged the various interest blocs in Rivers State to play by the rules and hold fire. We have also, in a recent editorial, emphasised the need for peace and decorum in the oil-bearing state. But we are sad that rather than heed the warnings and doing the right thing in the interest of the nation’s fledgling democracy, the orgy of violence is still continuing, creating unnecessary fear in the heart of the common man on the street.

While we restate our condemnation of such level of brigandage in the state, we will not lend our support to any threat, action or inaction that is capable of exacerbating the already unfortunate situation in Rivers. It is in this light that we urge the APC to tread softly.

Recently, while addressing the media on the ‘state of the nation’, Olisa Agbakoba, a former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), raised the alarm that the proposed national conference might get swallowed up by the tension and strife of interest between the PDP and APC at the National Assembly.

It is our view that blocking the passage of the 2014 Budget and other important bills that are critical for the smooth running of the polity in general and the economy in particular, would be counter-productive.

However, we caution that all parties in the unfolding conflict should conduct themselves with a good sense of responsibility and in consideration of the public good. The presidency should not continue to appear unconcerned over the deteriorating political and security situation in Rivers State. The National Assembly should be decisive in intervening to resolve the Rivers State imbroglio. And the Police should desist from any action or conduct that would make it a culprit in any sort of political violence or lawlessness that may characterize the march towards 2015.

BusinessDay