On power and fairness

Political scientists argue that political power can never be served a la carte, what that means is that political power is not or cannot be given but taken. However, in Nigeria’s brand of democracy, that theory does not hold water as history is replete with instances where power was served a la carte or power was given and not necessarily taken.

During the second republic, late Alhaji Shehu Shagari’s ambition was to be a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. He was never interested in the presidency of Nigeria. However, by stroke of fate against his ambition, he was literally drafted and forced to contest for the presidency of Nigeria. He won and became the first democratically elected president of Nigeria.

In the third republic, Chief MKO Abiola had the ambition to preside over the affairs of Nigeria. He was not forced to contest for the presidency. Unfortunately for him, he won the position but never tasted the seat. Chief Ernest Shonekan who had no such ambition served the power a la carte even if for a very brief period.

In this current fourth republic dispensation, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was in the gulag at the behest of late General Sani Abacha when the democratic struggle that ushered in this republic started. Late Umaru Musa Yar’Adua was an obscure and reclusive governor of Kastina State when he was chosen as Obasanjo’s successor in 2007. Yar’Adua never nursed the ambition of becoming the president of Nigeria. He was literally dragged out of his cocoon to govern Nigeria for almost three years. Yar’Adua’s successor, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan was also literally dragged out to become the Vice President of Nigeria in 2007 against his ambition to continue as the governor of Bayelsa State. Divine providence made him the president of Nigeria in 2010.

The foregoing background shows that from the days of Shagari down to Jonathan, power was served to them a la carte. They never really struggled for it in the real sense of the word.

Now that it’s the turn of the South-East to produce the president of Nigeria, some people are saying that Ndigbo must struggle for power. Equity, justice and fairness demand that power should be served a la carte to the South-East people of Nigeria as had been done in the past.

If the concept of power not being served a la carte had been strictly practiced in Nigeria, some regions of Nigeria wouldn’t have produced the president in the past and some regions will never produce the president of Nigeria due to the lopsided nature of the country and the disparity in population.

Ifeanyi Maduako, [email protected]