There is need for absolute caution as the crumbling nation wobbles bumpily to February 14th general elections. The peace pact signed by all the fourteen presidential contestants against non-violence elections under the auspices of the former Secretary-General of United Nations, and the former Commonwealth Secretary-General, Koffi Anna and Chief Emeka Anyaoku respectively is meant to snatch the nation from the jaws of bloodbath and ultimate disintegration.
What came out from the PDP campaign almost the same time the non-violence election peace pact was being signed in Abuja suggests that President Goodluck Jonathan’s political party is overtly at war with itself and the nation. The signal came to the fore at the party campaign activities in Sokoto State. Political intimidation was exhibited during the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) governorship campaign flag-off in that state. President Goodluck Jonathan threatened that the ruling party had all it takes to win the February election.
Speaking through the former National Chairman of the party, Dr. Bello Haliru Muhammad, President Jonathan boasted that since the PDP was in control of government and all security agencies, “nothing will be left to chance in securing victory.” According to him, “We have the power because we are the ruling party; we have the strength; we have the soldiers; we have the Police; we have the Civil Defense; indeed, we have all security apparatuses and power at our disposal to deal with the opposition.”
While calling on PDP supporters not to compromise their direction, Jonathan also assured that the party would not succumb to any form of political intimidation by the opposition. The President added that “PDP is working tirelessly to ensure credible representations at all levels come February. “We are offering Nigerians our best. All we need is your mandate to consolidate on national peace, stability and development where our teeming youth will smile.”
This is not the first time such callous statements will be (coming) from the mouths of misbegotten political actors from the hard hit violence plagued Northern part of the country. In November last years, the Governor of Katsina State, Ibrahim Shema was caught in a video telling his party follower to kill the APC candidate because “they are cockroaches”. There was no condemnation from either President Jonathan or the PDP.
However, the United States Government rose stoutly and condemned the statements made by the governor, and chided him for his bad vices. The U.S. Government’s position was made known by its embassy office in Abuja via a press statement posted on its website November 20. The video, depicting the governor making the threat, went viral after it was posted on the Internet on November 12. It showed the governor, dressed in white agbada and brown sandals, standing on a red carpet, and addressing a crowd in what seemed like a political rally. He spoke in Hausa language, ironically, he was recorded by his (supposedly) illiterates supporters, for the whole world to see and hear what was meant for secret.
In that video, Mr. Shema likened opposition politicians to “cockroaches” before asking the crowd what to do if they found the nocturnal insect in their apartments. The crowd chorused “Kill them!” “Crush them!” The governor responded, agreeing with the crowd that opposition elements are truly disposable lots.
This was before the European High Commission also condemned Mr. Shema’s speech after the story was given maximum circulation. The Head, EU Delegation to Nigeria and ECOWAS, Michael Arrion, told journalists that Mr. Shema’s call to his supporters to “kill” and “crush” political opponents was “extremely dangerous and unacceptable”. “If it is confirmed, that kind of statements are I’m sorry to say, extremely dangerous and unacceptable,” Mr. Arrion said.
In its statement, the United States said as Nigeria looks ahead to the February 2015 general elections, America strongly supports a free, transparent, credible, inclusive, and non-violent electoral process. “We are deeply troubled by Governor Ibrahim Shehu Shema of Katsina State’s recent statements calling for the killing of the “cockroaches of politics”. It also said the rhetorical threat of violence undermines the democratic process and it is utterly unacceptable in a democratic society.
“The United States reiterates its call upon all Nigerians to refrain from advocating, fomenting, or condoning violence before, during, or after the elections,” the statement said. “Participants in the electoral process must demonstrate passion for their convictions and beliefs in a manner that shows respect for opposing differences.
“The Nigerian Constitution itself states it is the duty of every citizen to ‘respect the dignity of other citizens and the rights and legitimate interests of citizens to live in unity and harmony’”. The U.S. said the use of languages that threaten or incite violence short-circuits the democratic process. “All Nigerians must be free to voice their opinions and participate in the electoral process without fear of physical retribution. “Political parties, elected leaders, and candidates for office have a special obligation to uphold these democratic precepts,” it said.
Those who accused the PDP and the Presidency of wanting to turn Nigeria into Rwanda may be right, after all. Do you remember the battle cry for the killing of cockroaches during the Rwanda genocide? Do you remember the bloodshed and human carnage that brought the seven million nation to near decimation? Do you know that 800,000 men, women, and children perished in the Rwandan genocide before the dust settles on the cockroaches inciting statement beginning from April 6, 1994 by political actors?
The Ekiti and Osun gubernatorial elections in June 21st and August 9th respectively are critical examples of straight indictments on the wrong uses President Jonathan has put the Nigeria security apparatus.
While the PDP leadership went to Ekiti to campaign for its governorship candidate, including Mr President, the Presidency instructed soldiers to shot opposition governors who went to Ekiti to campaign for the APC candidate. Governors Rotimi Amaechi, Adams Oshiomhole and Rauf Aregbesola were almost killed by the overbearing soldiers. The same goes for State of Osun’s election with 76,000 security forces deployed, and 25 security men were allocated to man each polling unit!
As an advocate of “blood and iron”, President Jonathan and the PDP didn’t see anything wrong with the brutal machete attack on Mr Kingsley Emenike, the APC ward 17 youth leader, in Obio/Apor Local Government Area of Rivers State. They didn’t see anything wrong with the bombing of the APC campaign office in Port Harcourt. But they were quick to shout themselves hoarse when the president’s campaign bus was attacked in Jos in a retaliatory gesture.
Governor Shema and his co-travellers must be smarting dangerously from what Prof. Wole Soyinka, the Nobel Laurel referred to as “a nest of killers in the PDP”, some years ago. Perhaps, Governor Shema is merely re-confirming what the PDP has been from the outset. The only difference now is that, they may want to go into wholesale mass murder.
Killing the “cockroaches” in political terms, is another coded message for PDP followers to embark on calculated genocide and brutal murder as preached by shameless Shema and approved by the clueless leadership of his party. Nigerians should rightly call out and demand a recant and an apology from President Goodluck Jonathan, Dr Bello Haliru Muhammad, Shehu Shema and their minders to halt the impending genocide.
Erasmus Ikhide write in from Lagos, Nigeria
ikhideerasmus@gmail.com
Follow me on twitter @erasmusikhide
