By Tonnie Iredia

For the third consecutive time in one month, this column has had to premise its thoughts on one issue – insecurity. It is not that it is hard to find something else to talk about; the rationale has been to underscore the overriding importance of the subject by using the mass communication theory of ‘force multiplication ’.

For the benefit of the layman, let me quickly explain that the theory propels the media practice of continuously publicizing a particular subject until it sticks. The strength of the theory is that it can create copious awareness on a subject such that it becomes the interest of all and sundry. It is in earnest a theory which is most useful when the subject of discussion is a matter of public interest.

Against this backdrop, it has become expedient to continue to focus on the topic of insecurity which has of recent attained a height never before experienced in Nigeria. Last month’s capture of over 200 harmless school girls in Chibok, Borno State is probably the most scandalous.

Ordinarily, such a subject which has greatly dented the international image of the country should not have required any media hype to dissuade the nation from thinking of or doing any other thing until it is resolved. Unfortunately it is not so with us.

While giving kudos to our many patriots who have till date not relented in clamouring on government for more commitment to the people’s protection, we cannot similarly commend our political class. Whereas our politicians publicly purport to be touched by the high level of insecurity in our clime particularly its toll on the people; neither their speeches and body language, nor their general disposition reveals any signs of sobriety. Rather, they have continued with politics, politics and politics all the way.

A youth corps member serving in Ekiti State told this writer a few days ago that some elderly women in his neighbourhood have vowed not to vote for Governor Fayemi in next month’s governorship election in the state. According to the story, the women now prefer former governor Ayo Fayose for openly demonstrating against the abduction of the Chibok girls.

If Fayose belongs to the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) that the whole world seems to hold accountable for the abduction, who was he protesting against?  Was he playing to the gallery or was the public demonstration being used to replace the cancelled official launching of his governorship campaign by the President?

To some people, PDP which claimed to have cancelled its campaign in view of the mood of insecurity in the nation is to be preferred to the All Progressive Congress (APC) which still held its planned campaign. As the main opposition party that has made so much noise about the nation’s security trauma, it should have been sensitive enough to put its campaign on a low key more so as it was held a day after the twin bomb explosions in Jos.

Was the APC rally actually necessary considering that as the ruling party in the state, it knows how to garner ample votes by doing what incumbents normally do in Nigeria to win an election? Perhaps this accounts for why people condemned the rally. As expected, the rival party- the PDP seized the chance to do its own blackmail-another term for electioneering campaigns in Nigeria.

It promptly organized a news briefing where Olisa Metuh, its National Publicity Secretary accused the APC of hypocrisy. Of course the charge of hypocrisy is easy to sustain bearing in mind the earlier noise the APC made over President Jonathan’s presence in a rally in Kano a day after the Nyanya bomb blast
What the political brick-bat suggests is that our two major political parties are not genuinely perturbed by the avoidable loss of lives in the nation.

Indeed, they seem to be the source of the problem. How else can we understand the revelation a few days ago by Governor Uduaghan of Delta State, that some politicians were piling weapons in the state, to unleash mayhem in the October 2014 local government polls and the 2015 general elections?

When will our politicians do something to halt this ‘do or die’, ‘fight to finish’ and ‘winner takes all’ democracy? If they will not, what options are open to the masses concerning the nation’s ‘kekehebu’ politics? The best way to answer this question is to first ask if Nigeria is a democracy.

From what political science describes as democracy, Nigeria cannot correctly lay claim to being one. In a democracy, the most important feature is the sovereignty of the people because power belongs to them. Does that happen in Nigeria? Again, it is generally agreed that democracy is premised on the rule of law; where everything is done according to the due process of law and where everyone is equal before the law.

Is it true of Nigeria which has become notorious for justice for sale? Another feature of democracy is periodic free and fair elections. Yet, not many will dispute the general perception that our elections are usually fixed. Indeed, those who are declared winners in Nigerian elections are sometimes charitable enough to admit that they did not really win.

One obvious effect of this is that we often breach the democratic principle of majority rule- a feature which implies that a party or candidate with the highest number of votes carries the day. Is majority rule not an anathema in a country where even among state governors, 16 is greater than 19?

Civil society groups, artisans, farmers and workers must find a way of insisting on a reduction in the excessive material gains attached to our type of politics. Put differently it is time for Nigeria to take steps to make its politics less attractive.

If elected officials are required to begin on salary grade level 08 like other public officers, the do or die politics will definitely reduce. If allowances of politicians are the same as those of public servants, our fight to finish approach to politics will also reduce. We obviously have had enough of kekehebu politics