By Tayo Oke

For the last 20 years or so, the democratic space in Nigeria has been dominated by familiar faces across all the levers of power; central, state and local. Ministerial power is yet another echelon from which many often emerge to serve. What has become commonplace is the laundering, (or re-cycling), of individuals through different political offices. Term limit was an ingenious device weaved into the fabrics of the federal system of government from its foundation. It is designed to check the natural impulse of man (and woman) to elongate their stay in power in perpetuity. Term limit in Nigeria, however, has become largely redundant. It has lost its intrinsic value since the person affected can just walk into another office, in a different garb, and set another ball rolling. First, you are a local councillor, then, you move into the state House of Assembly, and after four years, you move into the National Assembly for two or even three terms, then, move into the Government House, serve two terms of eight years, then, get a ministerial appointment, cling onto office for four to eight years, after which you move back into the National Assembly, collecting multiple gratuities and pension allowances along the way. This is surely a mockery of the democratic system, but, it is, nonetheless, the reality of life for a lot of Nigerian politicians. It is classic round-tripping at the expense of the citizens. If ever there was any such thing as ‘state capture’ by an unproductive and parasitic elite, look no farther than in Nigeria.

The most egregious examples of round-tripping amongst the political elite in this country, are to be found with the “Executive Governors” across different states. At the last elections in 2019, there was a rash of former governors taking office as members of the National Assembly. Many were even elected senators whilst still occupying the governor’s seat: Kashim Shettima (Borno), Tanko Al-makura (Nasarawa), Ibrahim Geidam (Yobe), Rochas Okorocha (Imo), Ibikunle Amosun (Ogun), Adamu Aliero (Kebbi), Abdulaziz Yari (Zamfara), Seriake Dickson (Bayelsa). The two Olympian round-trippers are: Ibikunle Amosun, and Adamu Aliero. Amosun first represented Ogun Central as senator, 2003-2007, two-term governor of the state, 2011-2019, now, back in the National Assembly, again, as senator in his old constituency. Aliero was a two-term Governor of Kebbi State, 1999-2007, then, senator, 2007-2008, Minister for the FCT, 2008-2010, now serves as senator for Kebbi Central. Orji Uzor Kalu was a two-term Governor of Abia State, 1999-2007, ran unsuccessfully for President in 2007, now serves as senator for Abia North. Ibrahim Shekarau was a two-term Governor of Kano State, 2003-2011, presidential candidate in 2011, Minister of Education, 2014-2015, now, represents Kano Central in the Senate. Gabriel Suswan was a two-term Governor of Benue State, 2007-2015. Before then, he was a member of the House of Representatives, 1999-2007, now serves as senator for Benue North-East. Okorocha was a two-term Governor of Imo State, 2011-2019, now senator for Imo West. Dickson, a former member of the House of Representatives, a two-term Governor of Bayelsa State, 2012-2020, and now, senator for Bayelsa West.

The above list is clearly not exhaustive; the whole system is riddled with many other serial round-trippers of all hues in the labyrinths of power. Suffice is to highlight the most prominent ones amongst them. It is not going to get any better I hasten to add; it is going to get worse. The allure of political office in Nigeria is too great, and too tempting to cut loose from. It takes a politician of extraordinary convictions to say, ‘I quit’ in Nigeria. I do not know of one in the horizon. Political office in Nigeria is one of the most lucrative of all careers in the world. It comes with an unrivalled sense of entitlement; humongous salaries and allowances, outrageous pensions and gratuitous benefits, a coterie of servants, endless line of aides, security details, bespoke medical entitlements, jet-setting lifestyle and unlimited budget for socials and entertainment. The largesse is extended to family and friends, some of whom are incorporated into their ‘chop n chop’ political orbit as advisers and special assistants, to begin their own tour of the power houses as ‘elected leaders’ at some point later.

What is more, there is no recourse to the electorate for wrongdoing. Votes are subject to the highest bidding settlement, backroom deals, and outright fraud in places. There is hardly an elected politician in Nigeria whose mandate can pass the litmus test for transparency and honesty. Candidates are usually out to outspend, outfox and, in extreme cases, outgun their opponents.

To this end, you make the playing field as hostile to your opponent as the circumstances permit. Concerned citizens and non-governmental organisations have gone to court on the issue of multiple allowances accruing to politicians across different levers of power, but it has not yielded any concrete result. Sometimes, one shudders when one hears people talk of ‘North’ versus ‘South’, and how Nigeria is about to go up in flames. The best counsel is take a deep breath and see whether round-tripping politicians pay attention to North, South, ethnicity, or anything of such. Anyone who thinks any of these political harlots want to burn down Nigeria in an orgy of ethnic violence is living on cloud cuckooland, I am afraid. The politicians are masters of deception and manipulation of ethnic sentiment. They understand and know how to brandish the ethnic joker in an attempt to mobilise and demobilise their ‘base’. It is a bargaining chip they deploy often with innocent blood on the streets. Political office in Nigeria is the sumptuous dinner table no one in their right mind would want to flip over even in a fit of pique. My turn, our turn to eat has a powerful resonance with the Nigerian political elite. What is more, the electorate themselves know. Some are even complicit in the grand con; aiding, abetting, facilitating, and providing cover for the boss.

Let us play the devil’s advocate for a moment. What about the argument that round-tripping politicians could possibly be a blessing in the sense of their ‘vast experience’ and longevity being put to good use for their constituents? The immediate answer to that is, take a look at the downward spiral of the Nigerian economy and the near collapse of social services. The proof of the pudding, it is said, is in the eating. Besides, you do not need ‘vast experience’ to make a difference in public life; you need conviction and moral backbone glaringly absent in the round-tripping politicians. Major political parties are designed to accommodate new entrants; to make contested positions as open as possible and, from time to time, infuse new blood and energy into the party hierarchy. That throws up the good, and sometimes, the bad, but, it serves the purpose generally well. In Nigeria, we do not have authentic political parties. What we have are democracy merchants creating special purpose vehicles for power. And, with their access to state funds, they are hell-bent on keeping out ‘outsiders’ whose ideas may conflict with their aim of clinging onto political office. They live in an echo chamber wherein they are content to milk the system for their own self-aggrandisement rather than manage it on behalf of the people. It is a recipe for disaster, of course, but who cares? They are ensconced in a bubble that breeds inertia, and makes democratic renewal nigh impossible. Are they a curse on the country’s fledgling democracy? Without doubt. It is precisely their obduracy, and their lack of imagination that, ironically, threatens the survival of Nigeria as a corporate entity. They are the ones who, unwittingly, would end up killing the proverbial goose that lays the golden egg.

drtayooke@gmail.com