• Caution against inflammatory utterances
FORMER governor of Old Kaduna State and leader of the Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Alhaji Balarabe Musa, on Monday cautioned politicians against utterances that could spell doom for the country as the 2015 elections move closer.
Expressing worry over what he called persistent tension in the polity as we approach 2015, Musa said: "The only option, if at all President Goodluck Jonathan and the National Assembly would listen, is to convene a national conference."
In a similar manner, a leading member of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO), Ayo Opadokun, warned that any attempt to conduct another election in the country on or before 2015 without first convening a conference might drag Nigeria into unprecedented chaos.
They spoke separately with The Guardian on the tension in the polity.
Although Musa said the tension is not new in Nigerian politics "it has always been there since 1960. It has always been worse from one election to another. The difference is that the one we are witnessing now is taking a dangerous dimension due to the state of insecurity all over the country."
Listing some of the factors that have always been the cause of tension, killing and other crises anytime Nigeria approaches elections, Musa pointed out the failure of the ruling party to make itself relevant in terms of performance, the consequence of the misuse of the power of incumbency by government in power, lack of development under democratic rule, misrepresentation of civil rule for democracy, inability of Nigerians to protest effectively against bad policies of government and corruption.
On the notion that the Presidency is becoming a contest between the South-South Zone and the North, Musa said it is not a new situation. "The fact that the South-West and the South-East are quiet does not mean they are not interested. The worry is the violent utterances and near war statement some elements from the South-South and North are making ahead of the 2015 polls."
Musa, however, said those dreaming of making any gain or benefit out of a disintegrated Nigeria would be disappointed "over the consequence such unwarranted desire may bring."
Opadokun said the tension is a fall-out of a combination of factors. "The North believes it is its turn to produce the next president and anything short of that will lead to chaos. The South-South region where Jonathan comes from is also insisting that the President must go for a second term.
"Asari Dokubo recently said any attempt to stop Jonathan from running for second term will lead to crisis. Looking at the situation, one could conclude that the nation is heading towards mutual destruction. What the President can do to redeem the situation is to consult with the leadership of all ethnic nationalities with the aim of convening a national conference."
He added that it is a very dangerous thing for Nigeria to conduct another general elections without first addressing the issue of how to convene a national conference.
The Guardian