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Written by:
Paul thomas
Ireland

Maurice Iwu: Political Scape-goat

The penchant to deal with the symptoms of a problem rather than with the root cause is why no lasting solution has been found to any major concern in our crisis battered entity called Nigeria. The recent call by most Nigerians for the immediate removal of the INEC chairman Mr Maurice Iwu before the next general election is our archetypical approach to issues of grave national concern. Iwu is not the problem of Nigerians he is rather the willing pawn of mindless power merchants who will use anything and anybody to accomplish political relevance in a polity of deceit and endless charade.

While there is so much hullaballoo about electoral reforms and credible umpires to oversee these elections; everyone seem to be missing the most important aspect of this discourse and that is, credible elections are conducted by credible people. Reformations are carried out by reformed people and political umpires are only as sagacious as the politicians want them to be. Maurice Iwu can only be as honest as his political boss is. Iwu can only be as transparent as those who appointed him to office want him to be. Iwu is not the problem; he is simply the shadow of the Bourgeoisies in power. Lambasting and chiding Iwu is like stepping on the shadow of a man and going away satisfied that you have dealt with the man by dealing with his shadow. As long as INEC remains at the whims of our mindless politicians; political forthrightness will remain a mirage.

If truth be told, Maurice Iwu or not, ballot boxes will be stuffed, political thuggery will be displayed, and voters’ votes will not count. Obasanjo clearly admits to the massive rigging and open obtrusiveness of INEC in the 2007 elections. Long before the 2007 elections ballot boxes where found in the house of the strong man of Ibadan politics, Adedibu. That whole episode went without one person being held accountable for electoral fraud. The Nigerian public must be more audacious in their demand than just desiring to get rid of Iwu. The whole electoral process that brought the incumbent government into being is fraudulent ( a fact to which Yar Adua attested) and if this government is a government of political chicanery; we can then safely argue that the whole 2007 election was a fraud and as such the products of that fraud are the enemies of the state. If the Nigerian government have openly and confidently admitted that they mounted leadership by fraud what other evidence
do we need to persecute these sophists for electoral mismanagement?

We must channel our energies not just to getting rid of Maurice Iwu but to re-enact what is happening right now in Thailand. The madness in our political arena can no longer be solved by merely tackling an aspect of the rot but by a holistic and vehement demand for reformation, justice and equality. Nigerian politicians are of the basest sort and therefore deserve no modicum of regard when it comes to demanding for sanity in our political process. All through history no tyrannical government or ruler leaves office without the opposition and determination of the majority for justice and fairness.

Whether Iwu remains at the helm of INEC or not, 2011 will be no different from 2007, because the same political bandits are still calling the shots. Ballot boxes will still be stuffed, political thuggery will still hold sway, the power of incumbency will still be used to oppress opponents, the resources of the state will still be used for party and political ambition, political violence will still be carried out by political and party hoodlums, etc. Iwu is not the problem the problem is the kind of leaders that occupy our political stage. The problem is the docility of the Nigerian public; the problem is the unbridled desire for rapacity by most Nigerians; the problem is the corrupt nature of both the public and private sectors. The problem is the get rich quick syndrome that has permeated our consciousness and made us sell our souls to the god of mammon; the problem is our tackling of symptomatic signs rather than the primordial problems; the problem is the perpetuity of ins
anity for too long which has now transformed into political normalcy.

Maurice Iwu remains politically relevant until after 2011; after which he becomes expendable. He already knows the ropes and will be called upon once again to mastermind fraud when the need arises. The incumbent government will keep Iwu beyond his first tenure as a means of ensuring that this government stays on by every means. An extension of Iwu’s position will guarantee that he will remain loyal to the very instrument that has elongated his relevance in the political scene. Credibility of 2011 elections will be another slogan in charade. The clandestine and subterranean political manoeuvrings are already taking place. The rule or break professional politicians who are good for nothing else but political brigandage, are emitting fire and brimstone if they do not reclaim political relevance come 2011.

Iwu, like the problem of electricity, is not the problem. Electricity generation is not our problem, our problems are the lackeys and courtiers who are determined to make gain at the expense of everyone else. Nigeria will never enjoy electricity supply until the hegemony emasculating the power sector is dealt with. The only way to providing electricity for Nigerians is by taking away the clog and sludge hindering the power sector. These clogs are gangsters who are determined to cripple Nigeria by any means possible. They own the generator companies or have tangible stake in them. They profit while Nigerians suffer. They amass wealth while the rest of us grope in darkness. Electricity will be successfully generated and distributed once these mindless merchants exit the stage. If Jonathan is serious with himself about providing and delivering any tangible and credible amenity before 2011 he first has to deal with the gangsters that have held Nigerians to ransom.

2011 elections races with utmost desperation; all the various parties are gearing up for space in Nigeria’s political entity. The onus is on the civil society to ensure that these kleptomaniacs are not given access to our common-wealth. As majority well know the elections will not be about the votes of the people making a difference; it is going to be about the perfidy of the ruling party against our collective choice. Those intending to appropriate our collective wealth to themselves and their cronies should better rethink. 2011 will clearly set the stage between the bourgeoisies and the populists.

Governance in Nigeria will remain tyrannical and despotic until the people demand for a change. We must demand for equity and justice, accountability and probity, honesty and professionalism. Nigeria can no longer be run as someone’s farm or bedroom. The political machinery can no longer be wielded by a minority while the majority are in abominable squalor. Nigerian politicians do not believe in decorum of politics nor do they regard public consensus on issue of national significance. It would be foolhardy therefore to expect these miscreants to vacant their lofty heights simply because the public demands it without a tergiversated vehemence in ensuring our rights and desires prevail. Caveat Actor is our simple admonition to any proposition of insanity against 2011.

Shalom.

Paul Thomas
Ireland

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