By SUNNY IKHIOYA 

They say politics is local. It is also dynamic, which means always in a state of flux, subject to constant changes. It is all about how the common wealth should be shared and the people governed, and there is no uniformed agreement on this. That is why we are witnessing the unending crises in the world. 

In other climes, people are aligning for ideological reasons. We do not seem to know here what our alignments are for. Our kind of democracy has become really peculiar to us, and not even the Donald Trump effect can rival it. As it is, the world is watching with bated breath; they can tolerate the Nigerian indiscretion because it matters not to them. But how far will Trump go? We wait and see. 

Our own distortions of democracy have become part of our political traditions. While the country is mourning the death of countless human beings all through our lands, while unprecedented hardship is defining our landscape, while farmers cannot go to their farmlands because of the activities of invaders and subsequent lack of food everywhere, our politicians were busy thinking of their own political survival. It is just two years into the Tinubu administration. 

All these politicians are thinking about are their political interests. Whether it is right or wrong is for the moralists to analyse; but one thing is clear: the defections were for their political survival, let no one deceive you otherwise. The present structure, as constituted, is a moving train in the manner of the five leprous parties under the Abacha regime. Unless there is a divine intervention, it is going to be a one-way roller coaster. Even the deaf and blind can feel it. 

That Delta mass PDP defection was a battle for survival, for relevance and continued stay at the table to partake in the sharing of the cake. The people have watched patiently as strong men were decamping into the APC – All Progressives Congress –  one after another: Ibori, Nwoko, Ogboru, and others. The PDP ruling government in Delta State must have noticed the formidable force of opposition the movement was turning into, led by Senator Omo-Agege, and they decided to act fast to the surprise of everyone. “To be or not to be, that is the question, ” says Shakespeare in his play ‘Hamlet’. That was their dilemma. To continue with their disjointed and unorganised PDP at the centre or port to a safe berth that will guarantee support and all the apparatus of power from the ruling party at the centre? Having just witnessed the humiliation of the PDP ruling government in neighbouring Edo State, they panicked and decided on a safe landing. 

The same Shakespeare told us years ago that: “There is a tide in the affairs of men, which when taken at the flood, leads on to fortune; omitted, all the voyage of their life is bound in shallows and in miseries”. Have the Delta PDP defectors rode the tide? Time will tell. It is too early to unravel what will happen to the party in Delta State after the tsunami by the state governor and his supporters.  As it is, we are even made to understand  that there are centripetal and centrifugal forces within the new APC, the governor had tried to douse that fear, but with politicians you never can tell. They have decided to collapse the whole state PDP structure into the APC. We are indeed witnessing interesting times, the whole heavy weights collapsing into one – Ogboru, Omo- Agege, Ibori, Okowa and Oborevwori, together with their supporters in one boat. Will the boat stay afloat or sink? Considering the heavy ego of the occupants, will some people have to unboard for the boat to remain afloat? Will there be an Iscariot in the whole setup? We will wait and see. 

Two years is a very long time in the calendar of politics. The outward picture we are seeing is giving the impression that everyone who matters in the state has joined the porting to the APC; but is that really the case? Will some people not see this as an opportunity to present themselves for service? Is the PDP really dead in Delta State? We have not heard from the likes of the former minority leader in the House of Representatives, Ndudi Elumelu. Is he part of the decamping gang? What can be done to sort out the challenges of the party at the centre? It’s not about threats and pontificating. 

We must have to face reality. Will the leadership of the PDP accept the reality of their situation and reach a truce with the Wike faction? It is said that we “stoop to conquer”, are they ready to stoop to the Wike interest, in view of the bigger picture? That will be a big one, and it will be the beginning of their resurgence if they can pull it through. PDP needs men who can put their personal egos aside and submit to the overall supremacy and survival of the party. Do we have such men within? They should come out now, or else the demise of the party is assured. 

Now, back to Delta State. In all of these shenanigans, where is the position or interest of the ordinary citizens of the state? Will the collapsing of the whole structure into a one-party state bring the required succour to them? Is a one-party democracy good for a vibrant and multi ethnic state like Delta? If everyone, including traditional rulers and civil societies, is in support of a one-party state, who will be the opposition? Who will hold the government to account? Who will fight for the poor man? 

Burkina Faso is a West African country, comparable to the size of Delta State; a functioning and focused state government in Nigeria can equal the happenings over there, in terms of their agricultural revolution with the active participation of the people. I am talking about a people-supported government here.  

Where are the men of conscience in Delta State? Where are men of industry rich in ideas and wisdom? Where are the technocrats, both serving and retired? Where are the men of history who are ready to preserve the sanctity of our land? Above all, where are the true leaders, iconic and revolutionary, ready to offer true service to the people? 

 * Ikhioya wrote via: www.southsouthecho.com