Columnists
Obi/Datti: Anarchists In Nigeria Politics And The Legal Fireworks -By Richard Odusanya
At times like this, irrationality and self-destructive behavior can further complicate issues, because self-defeating behavior is the essence of irrationality and thus shows the limits of human rationality.
This past few weeks, before and immediately after the elections has been a fiery trial for Nigerians in confronting challenges threatening to tear down the foundation of our nation. Against the backdrop of fears that Nigeria is irreversibly sliding down the slope of eventual breakdown of law and order following the horrifying trails of the Obidients described as “Headless mob” by Prof Chukwuma Soludo the current governor of Anambra state and validated by the Nobel laureate Prof Wole Soyinka (WS) “NATTERING NITWITS”
Peter Gregory Obi, Datti Baba-Ahmed and the Obidients movement began to constitute themselves into a very serious threat, shortly before and almost immediately after the elections. It is instructive that, today there is one thing that is profoundly certain, it is the incontrovertible fact that our country, Nigeria, has been besieged by anarchism, and has therefore become divisively dysfunctional and a dangerous enclave to dwell in. To some outside observers, this is not just a volatile religious fault-line but ethnic prejudices.
Their problem starts with exaggerated sense of self-worth, arrogance, garrulous and delusional audacity. Once you convince yourself that you have a lock on patriotism, you start the perilous journey towards perpetual delusion until when reality slaps you in the face. As evidenced in the leaked audio conversation between Peter Obi and our revered Bishop David Oyedepo. Peter made some strong words which are capable of dividing the country along religious divide. What is more, his campaign was built on ethnic jingoism.
They push for interim government through proxies, unmindful of Section 1 (2) of the Constitution that says thus: the Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any person or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution. Apart from the embarrassing show of shame by an Obidient enthusiastic air traveller attempting to highjack aeroplane, they equally did the unthinkable; calling for military take-over including the treasonous national television show of Datti Baba-Ahmed on Channels TV anchored by Seun Okibaloye.
Historically, the law shapes politics, economics, history and society in various ways and also serves as a mediator of relations between people. Interestingly, Peter Obi and his running mate Datti Baba-Ahmed may not even be qualified to run for election given the documents sighted thus far, and based on the law that requires at least 30 days membership of a political party to be submitted to Independent National Election Commission (INEC), it will means at the time Peter Obi usurped the Labour party (LP) ticket his records with INEC still recognized him as a Peoples Democratic party (PDP), member.
Of equal importance, however, from a legal theory perspective; this is where Lord Dennis legal theory will come into play, Lord Dennis with a Ph.d in Physics and Law said you can’t place something on nothing, it was the theory which like ‘DNA’ of the modern period put an end to cases in many of the nation’s of the western world. Unsurprisingly, Lord Denise’s theory may ultimately end the dream of this anarchists in Nigeria politics. You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stay there. It will collapse’ like pack of cards.
At times like this, irrationality and self-destructive behavior can further complicate issues, because self-defeating behavior is the essence of irrationality and thus shows the limits of human rationality. Oftentimes, character failure is not based on the measure one’s character deficit but the inability to manage the same. Failure is something no one looks forward to or wants to experience. However, desperation and thoughts towards the idea of “do-or-die” politics must be discouraged.
It is against this backdrop that, I will like to conclude this contribution that focuses on Anarchists In Nigeria Politics with the profound words of Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah the current bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Sokoto. Kukah posited: “Leadership is no longer about office but about capacity to create and expand new frontiers of knowledge. This is where real power lies. It is the only means of neutralizing the corrosive identity such as ethnicity, regionalism and religious bigotry.”
Richard Odusanya
