By Jonah Okah

The legendary Indian nationalist Mahatma Ghandi listed the seven deadly sins that can destroy a society when he spoke on the importance of adhering to the guiding principles of ethics and politics. For the purpose of this write-up, let me mention only two out of the seven cannons; politics without conscience and politics without principle, which Ghandi identified as capable of causing distorted value system that can lead to a disconnected socio-political will.

Playing politics without conscience and politics without principles have devastating effects on the polity. The scenarios of playing politics without conscience and playing it without principle are also characterised by ungodly conduct by public office holders, lack of accountability and prioritising personal gains over public interest.

It leads to perversive corruption, abuse of power; manipulative attitude by betraying one another, propaganda to bury the truth, causing division, disregard for human rights and undermining public faith in governance. Such evil acts have devastating consequences, ranging from social anomie, frustrations, widening inequality, eroding democratic values, unnecessary tensions, lack of peace and security, rising poverty indices, lack of access to what Plato would describe as the good things of life, socio-economic and political instability.

The reason for ethics in politics is not far-fetched. When the National Party of Nigeria-controlled federal government of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, in the aborted Second Republic in 1979 launched what is called Ethical Revolution, it was meant to be a programme geared towards re-orienting our value system in all spheres of life. Unfortunately, the programme did not see the light of day as it ended up as another political lip service.

It is an incontestable fact that politics in Nigeria is characterised by distrust, betrayal, eye service and backstabbing. This is why many decent and competent individuals stay out of politics. Besides that, many political figures have been sent to their untimely grave on account of political betrayals by their trusted foot soldiers and mentees.

However, in Nigeria we can still find few men of conscience and principle, who over the years have kept their integrity without any blemished record of betrayal both in the political and business space.

This is where the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri comes in as one of the rare breeds with an impeccable political record of conscience and principle. He cultivated early in life the political culture of conscience with zero tolerance for eye service all through his years in public service.

With a thorough moral background, groomed by his parents with absolute fear of God, particularly his father, who was a disciplinarian, a teacher and Lay Reader in the Anglican Communion. Governor Diri carved a niche for himself in his moral disposition towards public service, driven by the strong conviction in the Biblical Injunction in the Holy Book of Ephesians chapter 6 verse 5-7 which states that “servants, be obedient to them that are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in singleness of your heart, as unto Christ ; not with eyeservice as man pleasers; but as the servant of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart; with good will doing service to the lord and not to men”. These are injunctions which define his political philosophy of conscience with an electrifying impact running through the entire gamut of his life generally.

According to one of his political associates of over twenty five years, Mr. Ebiye Gagariga ; “In my over thirty years experience in politics, Governor Douye Diri has distinguished himself with an unparallel sense of morality, conscience and principle in his public service, whose word is a bond, who has not betrayed anybody he had worked with in a country where political betrayal is a common phenomenon”.

Little wonder, against all odds, when he commenced his political journey to serve the state as governor in February 14, 2019, he started with the ecclesiastic template heralding this inauguration by making it clear to all and sundry that the government is resting upon the shoulder of God, by dedicating the affairs of the state to God, believing that he is a mere vehicle to fulfil God’s promise.

Thus, the appellation, “Miracle Governor of a Prosperity Government” became apt in driving the collective development vision of the state. Even in the face of several provocations to distract him, he has remained focused with the spirit of forgiveness and still help those who betray him.

To the surprise of all, recently the governor could not restrain his feelings when he openly warned one George Turnah, his estranged political god son, who had toyed with a much publicised planned political rally in Bayelsa in honour of the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Mr. Nyesom Wike.

Governor Diri’s reaction against the planned rally was not based on deliberate political antagonism or intolerance but to prevent the security challenges in the neighbouring state of Rivers from spilling over to Bayelsa, a state that is enjoying the status of the most peaceful in the Southern part of Nigeria due to the governor’s huge investment in peace and security. It is a situation that no security conscious governor will tolerate.

Contrary to the twisted narratives of outright blackmail against the governor, who simply advised the organisers to put the rally on hold. It is a sad commentary that Turnah and his co-travellers went on the wild goose chase of seeking political relevance by propagating the blatant falsehood that the governor was anti Tinubu and against the President’s re-election bid. As cheap as the blackmail is, the so called rally is widely condemned by vast majority of Bayelsans, describing it as a mere transactional politics of survival and nothing more.

In spite of the all manner of blackmail concocted and hauled at the governor, he has maintained equanimity, restraining even his media team from responding or attacking his detractors. That is the spirit of conscience and decency one is talking about. The question on the lips of many Nigerians is that, how many governors would have tolerated this sheer nonsense of provocation by these merchants of political ill wind that will do no one any good in the state.

Governor Diri believes in the Biblical injunction that “Vengeance is mine, thus says the Lord”, believing that forgiveness is not a weakness but a source of strength.

Those who have closely associated with his brand of politics of conscience and principle often liken him to India’s Mathama Ghandi, with a deep spirit of humanism.

In 2019, when he contested for the governorship election under the ticket of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in the state, his long standing friend, brother and political benefactor, Chief Ndutimi Alaibe, contested against him at the PDP primary election; there were lots of mixed reactions majority of which spoke on the need for friends to prevail on Chief Alaibe to step down. When Alaibe eventually lost the primary election, he challenged Diri’s emergence up to the Supreme Court.

Interestingly, Governor Diri who won at the apex court had the opportunity to celebrate his victory at by throwing tantrums at his benefactor, Alaibe, but he resisted all that temptations and never for once abused him, Rather in his characteristic culture of humility and conscience, Diri extended his hands of fellowship to embrace Alaibe and others who contested against him. This is a character that is not common among the average Nigerian political actors.

More over, while he served as Executive Secretary, Bayelsa State Centre for Youth Development under the late Governor Diepreye Alamieyesigha’s administration and later resigned to support Alaibe’s governorship bid in 2003 against the incumbent, Alamieyesigha, Diri did not on any occasion make any statement against Alamieyesigha. This was borne out of his moral values with respect for leaders and elders, in spite of the political differences. This is unlike what is happening in the political space today, a situation where people demonise their political mentors and benefactors, once they shift their political allegiance.

Currently, Nigerians are living witnesses to the open battle between governors and their predecessors. In Bayelsa State under Governor Diri, it is an all inclusive government with passionate disposition towards peaceful and mutual respect for his predecessors.

Besides investing hugely in peace and security in the state, he has elevated zero tolerance against cultism to the zenith. In today’s politics, many politicians patronise cultists and hired assassins in pursuit of their political ambitions. Happily, since Diri came on board he has not hesitated in proving his preference for positive political values, distinguishing himself as a moral torch bearer in value re-orientation of youths in the state, by engaging over three thousand youths in his government. He has provided a moral barometer that politics is all about the people’s happiness, serving the people with conscience and principle.

This is what the great political thinker, Jeremmy Bentham emphasized in his principle of hedonism, that politics should be all about doing the right thing in the interest and happiness of the greatest number of the citizens by their leaders.

Today, even ardent critics of Diri’s government are lavishly conceding the fact that he has brought a new value system of government with conscience to bear in the political landscape of Bayelsa, where peace and security flourishes, which has made the state become an investors’ delight. It is against this background, many Nigerians are not surprised that Vanguard Media Limited, the publishers of the Vanguard Newspaper, recently capped it all with an award as Governor of the Year for the indomitable Diri.