The dust emanating from the alleged phone conversation between the presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Gregory Obi, and the Founder and Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, Dr David Oyedepo, may have been blown out of proportion; there is no doubt however that it is contributing to the heated polity. Embedded in the whole saga is that politicians have continually failed to raise their personal conduct above board, or to showcase that their ambition for political offices transcends themselves to public service.
Indeed, many politicians and public office holders, including President Muhammadu Buhari, had been guilty, at one time or the other, of making comments that are inflammable or otherwise inciting. Rather, politicians consistently show that their lust for power is largely self-centred. This is unfortunate. The current state of Nigeria demands stately conduct and utterances from highly placed politicians in order to calm frayed nerves and allow due process to take its normal course.
In the leaked telephone conversation, Obi had allegedly sought Oyedepo’s intervention to mobilise his church’s members to vote for him (Obi) in the February 25, 2023 presidential election, which he described as “a religious war.” Although Obi later denied the conversation, saying it was “fake”, one of the spokespersons for the Labour Party Presidential Campaign Council, Kenneth Okonkwo, and the candidate’s Media Assistant, Valentine Obienyem, had both admitted the veracity of the audio.
Okonkwo described the leaked audio as a private conversation, blaming the APC for causing the comment by fielding a Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket and having Muslims occupy key positions in its government. Nevertheless, the issues arising, rather than abating, have escalated into a fierce exchange of brickbats among politicians and public commentators.
The Federal Government has criticised the commentary, which it describes as a call for insurrection and anarchy. Speaking in United States, Information Minister, Lai Mohammed, accused Obi of inciting people to violence over the outcome of the presidential election, thereby committing the offence of treason.
To heighten the tension, Obi’s running mate, Yusuf Datti-Ahmed, pointedly asked the Federal Government not to inaugurate the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, on May 29 for purportedly failing to meet the constitutional requirement in Section 134 (2) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). This stance, in addition to an underground clamour for an interim government, has further heated the polity.
Latching onto the development, Festus Keyamo (SAN) the lead, All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential Campaign Media Team, petitioned the Department of State Services (DSS) accusing LP Presidential Team of Peter Obi and Datti-Ahmed (‘ObiDatti’) of making incendiary post-election comments capable of inciting the people against the government. He called for their arrest and prosecution for incitement and treasonable felony.
In a separate action, the DSS alerted the public that some members of the political class are planning an interim government to truncate the smooth transition of power. According to its spokesman, Peter Afunanya, “the DSS considers the plot being pursued by these entrenched interests as not only an aberration but a mischievous way to set aside the Constitution and undermine civil rule as well as plunge the country into an avoidable crisis. The illegality is totally unacceptable in a democracy and to peace-loving Nigerians. This is even more so that the machination is taking place after the peaceful conduct of the elections in most parts of the country.”
This development no doubt was avoidable if only politicians had been more circumspect. While the politicians in the limelight have freedom of expression as other Nigerians, they ought to be conscious of public tension that is yet to abate over the disputed election, as well as the fact that the main grievances have been presented to the courts, which in turn should be allowed to perform its constitutional function. Rather than dissipate energy on “weightier matters of the law,” political actors and their allies are heavily invested in an innocuous issue.
Given the elasticity of the country’s laws, including the debatable state of treason vis-à-vis judicial precedents; and the rights of citizens to privacy (Section 37 of the Constitution), Obi and Datti may indeed have some protection in law. Notwithstanding, LP’s resort to diatribe and emotional blackmail over the outcome of the presidential election, particularly after submitting itself to the jurisdiction of the Court of Appeal sitting as the Presidential Election Petition Court, is unbecoming and negates the spirit of national unity, peace, progress, and the sportsmanship that elections depict.
Its conduct gives the impression that it lacks confidence in the country’s justice administration system. Why then did it petition the Appeal Court? Why the constant dabble into a matter that is already subjudice? In contrast, the first runner-up in the said election, Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which equally disputes the result, has commendably maintained a stoic silence while trusting the court to dispense justice.
It is seemingly characteristic of some Nigerian politicians to be excessively vituperative whenever they perceive that things may not go their way. In 2014, the APC threatened to form a parallel government if the integrity of the 2015 presidential election was compromised. Similarly, the incumbent president, Muhammadu Buhari, warned that “if what happened in 2011 should again happen in 2015, by the grace of God, the dog, and the baboon would all be soaked in blood.” Therefore, it is rather hypocritical for APC, as the pot, calling the LP, as the kettle, black, or berating LP over its post-election tantrums.
Notably, the DSS too should exercise greater professionalism on this issue, so as not to unduly escalate tension. Referring to an election that is now a subject of litigation as ‘peaceful,’ betrays its lack of circumspection. It is not in the place of the DSS to comment on a live issue before the court but to concentrate on its primary responsibility of intelligence gathering and internal security. While the public disclosure of the supposed interim government plot may be to sensitise Nigerians and to warn the plotters from executing their plan, the DSS remains a secret service; hence should, as much as possible, be discreet with its activities.
Moreover, the DSS should do its job no matter whose ox is gored, rather than talk or act as if it is afraid to take action against some offenders of the law particularly during the general elections when some people clearly engaged in conduct aimed at marring the elections. Nigerians are waiting for the DSS and other security agencies to bring to court dozens of suspects arrested for election violence and other distractions, including physical assault of some voters.
This campaign after election is not only immaterial but is also diversionary. Nigerians deserve to have fore-knowledge of the blueprint of the next government – APC should focus on this fundamental issue. The era of politicking is over; it’s time for governance, while awaiting judicial review of the elections. Indeed, the primary consideration is good governance! Only purposeful and excellent-driven governance predicated on national competence and national unity will take the country forward; not bickering and fanning of religious and tribal sentiments. While the aggrieved are at liberty to seek redress in court, nation-building is a collective responsibility. All Nigerians are jointly and severally liable for keeping the peace regardless of their political leanings. Accordingly, the language of all, particularly political actors, should be “seasoned with salt,” mild-tempered, and minister “grace” at this time.
Focusing on the politically created fault lines of religion and ethnicity is allowing unscrupulous elements to “put a knife on the things that hold us together.” Therefore, we should not be distracted but be fixated on developing Nigeria on the foundation of oneness amid our diversity.
