By Ochereome Nnanna

WHILE I was still on vacation, an anonymous source sent an interesting text message to me. It reads: “Tinubu’s democracy in action! His wife, Remi Tinubu, picks the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) senatorial ticket of Lagos Central. His daughter, Sade Tinubu, picks the ticket for Lagos State Assembly, Agege Constituency and Tinubu’s son in-law Oyetunde Ojo, House of Reps! Lola Akande, Remi’s elder sister, House of Assembly. Lagosians must resist this impostor and self-acclaimed custodian of democracy…”

Just about a week ago, a Lagos-based newspaper, The Premier, carried a screaming headline: “Tinubu Colonises Lagos”. That came in the wake of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN’s) primaries in the state, after which many interest groups complained bitterly that the wishes of the delegates were largely sidelined while candidates preferred by the leadership of the party “imposed”.

Candidates were also made to fill, sign and submit withdrawal forms. This means that even when a candidate had been given a ticket, he can still be withdrawn by the party’s leadership sending in his withdrawal form to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). The National Chairman of the Party, Chief Bisi Akande has already defended the party’s strong grip on its members, arguing that any member that is uncomfortable with the rules of the ACN should move along elsewhere.

The ACN is widely expected to return the South West to the era of block or group political behaviour in 2011 after an eight-year stint under former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Having taken over in four states (Lagos, Edo, Ekiti and Osun) it has its eyes on Ogun and Oyo states which are currently under the control of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

For the first time since we reclaimed democratic rule, we are beginning to see the emergence of a party (ACN) that believes in tight control of its internal affairs. We see in the party the gradual restoration of party supremacy. The ACN looks very much like a party that will soon become ideologically distinct from the rest. Unless this happens, there will be little that will bind members to the party except, perhaps, strong leadership and the ability of the party to provide an effective platform for winning of elections.

We may soon be provided with the choice to make between a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) (which appears to be dropping godfatherism and imposition in preference for internal democracies) and a tightly controlled, ideologically-based ACN. While the PDP is modelling itself as a party where members can come and go and return; an umbrella for all, the ACN and perhaps, the nascent Congress for Democratic Change (CPC) being nurtured by General Muhammadu Buhari, could gradually return to the pre-war party culture of strong internal control of party processes and membership behaviour.

In the PDP-type “open-house” party system, there are no permanent, visible single leaders. Obasanjo’s attempt to make himself “life leader” collapsed soon after he left office. Whoever heard of the single person who controls the affairs of the Democratic Party or Republican Party in the US? Anyone can belong to either of them by simply walking in. But they are differentiated by their ideologies, where the conservative Republicans incline towards strong state institutions, traditions and big business, while the more permissive Democrats lean more towards welfarism and social reforms.

It may be a Herculean task building a political party with strong controls at this juncture of our history. Tinubu appears to be setting up a cult of excessive godfatherism. It might work only in the near term while the ACN is on the upward swing. It may not survive for long outside Lagos. I do not see how Tinubu will be able to cage Comrade Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State as he did Governor Babatunde Fashola in Lagos. I also don’t see how he can unduly dictate to any governor the party might produce in the East or North of the country.

Any such attempt might simply result in the migration of such governors to the nearest open house, most likely the PDP. Unless Tinubu and his advisers evolve a means of building a strong party without compromising the right of members to play effective roles in the emergence of candidates (internal democracy) he might merely be building a sand castle that is soon blown down by incendiary discontent. If the outcome of the ACN’s primaries in Lagos is anything to go by, then, I am afraid that the ACN might be in for turbulent times ahead.

Tinubu should be reminded of the old warning by Sun Tzu: “Power without control is nothing”.

A shocking “romance”

I JOIN other well-meaning Nigerians concerned for free and fair elections in April 2011 in expressing my outrage at the decision of the Chairman of INEC, Professor Attahiru Jega to accompany President Goodluck Jonathan to his hometown, Otuoke in Bayelsa State to obtain his voter’s card.

It is shocking that both men did not see the implication of this move. As a candidate in the April presidential election, Jonathan must be treated like all the other candidates of other political parties. Jega should have known the difference between accompanying the President to inspect the on-going registration exercise (a state function) and following him to his hometown to register (which can be perceived as a subtle campaign for the President, especially as Jega has not done the same for other presidential candidates).

Is the person who employed the piper now calling the tunes? Is Jega returning the favour of the President in appointing him? Which law prescribes this privilege for a president who is a candidate? Which truly democratic country – Ghana, South Africa, USA, Britain, India, Israel, – reserves this favour for a president who is candidate?

Jega beware! “Holy man”, mind your halo.