Hon. Dr. John Kome, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain, is the party’s 2023 candidate for Ikeja Constituency 1 seat in the Lagos House of Assembly. He spoke to on crucial issues in the polity, including the State of Emergency in Rivers State, and the raging crisis in the Senate concerning the Senator representing Kogi Central, Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio. Excerpt:

Nigerians are irritating the tenets of democracy in all ram­ifications since the decades we entered this democratic expe­rience. A particular Head of Government will come in and his style of democracy will look like a monarchy. When another takes over, his brand of democ­racy will look like dictatorship. After that, the style of the next one will look like Theocracy. Then, the next one will look like a combination of all. But, all these are far from real democracy. The popular Greek philosopher, Ar­istotle, said that democracy as a form of government will fail because of individuals practis­ing it. That is exactly what is happening in Nigeria. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo lent credence to what Aristotle postulated when he said that we should have our own brand of de­mocracy in Africa because what we are practising, especially in Nigeria since the last adminis­tration, is dictatorial democracy, in fact, a pro-Military democra­cy. The American version of de­mocracy is not working with the Nigerian version. In the US, the Judiciary works. In the US, the Legislature works. Now, in the US under Trump, the Judiciary and the Legislature are currently at loggerheads. Even the American version, Nigeria is copying it up­side down. Under the US democ­racy, leaders are by choice of the people. In Nigeria, elections are by selectocracy. The American system does not allow godfather­ism in its tenets. But, in Nigeria, godfathers determine who will serve, and who will serve them. Consequently, democracy is not working in Nigeria. Democracy should build public order, while ours precipitates breakdown of public order. Democracy is not working in Nigeria and will not work because we mix our de­mocracy with religion, ethnic­ity, culture and dictatorship. There is moral decadence and lack of values. All these have made our democracy not work. China and the Asian world are developing because they are not following the western kind of democracy. As Obasanjo put it, let us have an African brand of democracy.

The issue is that other coali­tions that removed the ruling party were formed by one in­dividual. They were the com­ing together of many political parties. Therefore, El-Rufai’s coalition will do Nigeria more harm than good. If a coalition originates through individuals, it will be harmful and cannot go anywhere; El-Rufai lacks the na­tional political clout to form a co­alition that can unseat the ruling party. He does not have national integrity to form a political par­ty that Nigerians will trust. That is why a lot of people, including me, have maintained that those in glass houses should not throw stones. El-Rufai has religious in­tolerance. In a country where the citizens are religiously inclined, El-Rufai is religiously intolerant. He cannot therefore draw anyone to the SDP. No one will follow him. He defected to the SDP as a one man and his move cannot strengthen the party. Even if he is able to draw some bigwigs to the SDP, we will not be surprised that their followers will not fol­low them. Someone else should have been behind the coalition, and not El-Rufai.

It is becoming obvious as different scholars and schools of thought have reacted, that President Tinubu was not con­stitutionally right in declaring the State of Emergence in Riv­ers State. The declaration did not meet constitutional or ethical standards. The haste, when the second aim of the government has not completed their duties, is wrong. We always argue that the different arms should carry out their duties to the letter.

There is an even division among the various arms of gov­ernment as could be seen in the amendment by the National As­sembly. If the President had fol­lowed the rule, the Legislature would not have amended some of the sections of the Emergence declaration. Because the presi­dent was hasty, the constitutional requirements were not adhered to. It is interesting to note that the international community and historians are taking note of what is happening in Nigeria and are assessing the country. As former President Jonathan said, what is happening in Nigerian democracy is ridiculing Nigeri­ans. Nigerians are being humil­iated abroad because of what is happening at home. Even when government officials and actors travel, they are denied visa and the local actors are not bothered. Time does not forgive errors. One’s errors devalue one.

I do not have any advice for Governor Fubara, except that he should go to God in prayers for the Lord of Justice to pre­vail in Rivers State. I have been following the media, especially the social media that have been digging into Wike’s past. Those that live in glass houses should not throw stones.

I don’t think the Emergency declaration will restore peace in a volatile environment like Rivers. It can only exacerbate the crises in the already troubled state. The state has already been polarised along ethnic and political lines. After the six months, will Fubara return to his position? The Sole Administrator may have put in place some structures. If the structures are not okay, Fubara may pull them down and Wike’s faction may not agree. If peace is to be restored, the elected officials should restore Rivers State is not only important, it is a major oil producing state. Even the international community is interested in what is happening in Rivers.

It is both political and admin­istratively motivated. I think the PDP should do the needful. It is political because if there is rift between PDP and Wike, Wike as the FCT Minister can revoke the C of O of Wadata House. If the re­lationship between Wike and the PDP is not cordial, let the party do the proper thing by paying all the rates.

Nigerian Politicians have the nature and habit of defecting from one party to another. This is not good in democracy. In west­ern democracy, they remain in their party no matter the situa­tion. Jandor’s defection is a Nige­rian game. In politics, there is no permanent interest, but individ­ual interest. Where your interest is not represented, the tendency is for you to defect. People even cross-carper, even in groups within a party. But, is Jandor’s defection of any significance? No. PDP members are happy. I cannot say if Jandor was an APC mole in Lagos PDP. As someone who worked with him in the last election, Jandor has a passion for Lagos. But, like El-Rufai, he is in­tolerant. But, as a governorship candidate, he had a blueprint of what Lagos should be if he had won. However, his leaving PDP is a good riddance as he did not contribute much to the develop­ment of PDP in Lagos. Rather, he divided the party.

I am disappointed in the way the hallowed chamber has been handling the matter, especially as it concerns the image of the Senate and the image of Nige­ria globally. On the issue of the Standing Order and reallocation of Natasha’s seat, it is on record that that was not the first time seats were reallocated. Former Senate Presidents did that. But, the way it was handled and sub­sequent allegation of sexual harassment have done a lot of damage to the image of the Sen­ate and that of the country. The Senate should be matured and re­spected elderly who have made their marks in government, busi­ness, industry, professionals and in careers. Some of the Senators are former governors. Such peo­ple should have been more of a blessing to the nation. Why did they allow this matter to escalate to such a level? The Senate Ethics Committee should have salvaged the situation, instead of escalat­ing it and making the country a laughing stock. That committee has become partial arbitrators. They have taken sides. See how one of the Senators was insult­ing an eminent citizen like Dr. Oby Ezekwesili. That Senator deserves to be recalled. Blaming Akpabio is an understatement. Atiku said that Akpabio’s action as a governor and minister was questionable.

The Recall move against Na­tasha is another disgrace. It is another bad thing about Nige­rian politics. Her allegations were yet to be investigated, yet some people were instigat­ing her recall. Thank God the INEC saw through their mach­inations. May the Senate find a way to resolve this issue? The opposition is already warming up for 2027 elections. Everyone will be judged according to one’s actions. We know that Natasha quarreled over the way the Aja­okuta Steel Company is being handled. She has been active in the Senate. I believe that soon, all their actions will be exposed. Natasha is an activist. The way Natasha has been pursuing her service as a senator has brought her on a collision course with the corrupt establishment, hence she is being attacked from different angles.