As the All Progressives congress (APC) Chairman, Chief John Odigie – Oyegun has pointed out no one should rule out another shift in the date of the postponed election. His reservations are very much in order. This is because there appears to be no end to the confusion as to how to interpret what has happened with the `postponement` of the election.
On the surface it will appear as if the postponement has to do with administrative convenience leading to fine- tuning. Unfortunately it is everything but. On the contrary what is before us is an attempt to spark a constitutional crises and in the process subvert the will of the people.
There is in addition,an undermining of the institutions of the state by exploiting the structural defects in the system. Compromising the security agencies in this way is fraught with grave dangers for a democracy, especially one that is as fragile as ours. Turning the security agencies of the state into an arm of the ruling party can, for our democracy, be like riding on the back of a tiger with the predictable consequences.
The`postponement` is in effect a coup d`etat.It can also be interpreted as a` self- coup`.
For this reason it is important to understand the real nature of a coup. It is understandable in this light to realise that the original nature of a coup was to change the nomenclature of one`s own government in order to stay in power. This is precisely what Louis Napoleon Bonarparte did when he `overthrew` his own government in France in 1851 popularly referered to as the`eighteenth braumaire`.
Napoleon instituted a series of brilliant military and political stratigies with which to overthrow his own government. He subsequently re- emerged as Consul and then Emperor. This is instructive.
For Nigerians tend to view the coup strictly withing the prism of a military officer overthrowing either a civilian or military government. This needs not of necessity be so and was not originally so.
Therefore, what we are observing in the current manoeuvre is a very subtle attempt to change the template of the constitution. The similarity with the June 12,1993 electoral debacle has been well noted. It makes us to recall the observations of Karl Marx often quoted about Louis Napoleon`s self – coup.
As Marx pointed out, “The philosopher Hegel has pointed out, all great world historic facts and personages appear, so to speak, twice. He forgot to add: the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce”. This is important! For the tragedy of June 12 which almost dismembered the country is now being replayed as farce. It could end up as tragic- comedy. Which ever way it goes the cost to our fragile democracy will be high.
The current manoeuvre is to hold on to power at all cost by all manner of subterfuge. The issue goes farther than General Muhammadu Buhari,the APC and any other formation. As in 1993, the manoeuvre is to subvert the looming emergence of a new national majority. Such a new national majority which will unite the country behind a progressive banner and programme of reconstruction and rejuvenation is the only feasible way to say `farewell to poverty`. Such a programme is vitally needed.
For this advance the valiant effort of the Jagaban Borgu, Bola Ahmed Tinubu. He has shaking the polity by precisely putting toghethr a new coalition which is on the verge of creating a new national majority and in the process midwiffing a new political economy. The new template will banish poverty by re-ordering priorities and in so doing re-direct capital towards building the social and physical infrastructure. In the process our improvished people will be saved. This is an historic opportunity which must not be missed.
Jagaban`s worthy lieutenants are already showing in places such as the State of Osun what can and will be done. Those attempting to subvert the will of the people can only delay a tryst with destiny; they cannot defeat it.
