ITV Debate: Political Conflicts
and Resolutions: Focus on the Edo Gubernatorial and Local Government elections
held on Sunday the 24th of Feb 2013 between SDMP, Chairman Edo state
Prince frank Ukonga, A CN special adviser Hon. Tony Osazuwa and ANPP
Representative, moderated by Mr. Wilson of ITV.
Preambles: Edo state political landscape is being heated up by various
conflicts of intra party politics, conflicts among political parties, conflicts
among the alliance parties in the july 14th, 2012 governorship
polls, conflict resulting from the primaries of political parties in the Local
Government polls of April 20th 2013, conflicts resulting from the conditions
and requirements of Edsiec – the Edo state Electoral commission and others
resulting from other causalities. So the ITV Television invited notable leaders
of Political parties in Edo state to discuss the conflicts and find solutions
to the conflicts as the Media’s contributions to the development of democracy
in Edo state, in Nigeria and the world in generality…which is a great novel
approach to conflicts and resolutions…
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| ITV CONFLICT RESOLUTION DEBATE OF 24TH FEB 2013 BETWEEN- ANPP, ACN AND SDMP LEADERS |
ITV. Mr. Wilson: His Excellency
Frank Ukonga, There are rumors of political conflicts in Edo state in recent
times and the local govt polls of April 2013 is hooting the polity, could you
give an insight into the conflicts
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga:
Chairman SDMP: Yes the rumors are true. There are lots of political conflicts
in Edo state which I will classify into two broad categories- First the intra
party conflicts of the April 2013 local government polls; results from lack of
internal democracy of some parties in the ways at which the candidates were
chosen largely based on alleged selection and hand picking of stooges and man
Fridays of some powerful elements of some parties rather than proceed for genuine
primaries some parties opted for consensus candidates so at this juncture some
other candidates that were edged out are at daggers drawn, but at SDMP we
conducted the freest and fairest primaries in the state free of rancor and all
elected candidates for the local government election were duly ratified by the
polls committee monitored by Edsiec, INEC, the Police and the SSS. While in
some parties it was war and there is still war in those parties but that is
their internal wahala which is not the business of SDMP. The second category of
conflicts is among political parties which also showcase several gray areas.
A CN- Hon. Tony Osazuwa: Yes it
is not rumor that the A CN has internal conflicts as regards the choice of
candidates but we have resolved it amicable applying internal conflicts
resolution mechanism, in some cases we had up to ten candidates competing for one
slot of chairmanship or councillorship, so what we did was to resolve the issue
by advising the nine candidates not chosen to work with the victorious one so
that it can be a win- win affair.. And we have been successful as there is no
single case in court that I know of..
ANPP Representatives: Yes, Political conflicts must result as a
consequence of irreconcilable differences among party members while those that
come up to resolve the conflict with the applications of dialogue and perhaps
horse trading are generally appreciated as the process of conflict resolution
and it is often a global basis
occurrences of party political conflicts
which are consequential of dysfunctional internal democracy but with time and
proper handling this would become more manageable…
ITV- Mr. Wilson: Your Excellency, Frank Ukonga can you explain the
second category of inter parties conflicts and perhaps some panacea of
resolutions-
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: The
second category frontiers on the relations among the political parties on
ground in Edo state, and there is big conflicts but we all pretend that all is
well.. for instance in the 2012 governorship election in Edo state it is open
secret that the allied parties of CPC, SDMP, Labour Party, and NCP all collapsed
their structures and worked for the success of the A CN Party of comrade Adams
Oshiomhole, and that was why he won the election and the tremendous land slide victory
was a collective effort, were we allied together to put our eggs in one basket with
the promise of forming a UNITY GOVERNMENT – which translate to the fact that he
will carry the PDP as well as the allied parties along in the choice of
appointments and in the governance and decision making of the state which will
translate to all being represented in the State Executive Council… but
unfortunately in the list of commissioners sent for ratification by the House
of Assembly , all the names of the 19 commissioner nominees are all A CN
members and we believe the A CN should be magnanimous enough to be fair and to
come to equity with fair ethical resolves and not dissolve into hedonistic ,self
centered chauvinism.. To tell you the
truth it was really lowly..
A CN: Hon.Tony Ozazuwa: That is
not the complete picture; apart from the post of Commissioners there are other
posts like the Special Advisers, board appointments and directorships and as we
set up the government we shall certainly carry every body along. For example
the choice of the SSG and the Chief of Staff represented a leverage of olive
branch to some other powerful stakeholders of the polity who worked as well for
the success of the polls, so as the Benin adage goes- those who have worked and imputed to certain success must certainly
expect reward and I promise you it will manifest…
ANPP: But to be adequately
represented in conflict resolution it is expected that other allies be
represented in the State Executive council which is the ruling body of the
state for an ideal situation otherwise allotting sundry positions to them as
appointments would merely be consolatory and not partnership government as far
as alliances of political parties are concerned traditionally and universally.
ITV-Mr. Wilson: His Excellency Frank Ukonga, what’s the view of your
party about the role of allied parties in the proposed Unity Government as
espoused by the A CN discussant Hon. Tony Osazuwa
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: I agree
with the ANPP representative that for a truly acceptable Unity Government, the
traditions and universality of every stakeholders being represented in the
State Executive council is imperative, magnanimous and a true sign of conflict
resolution.
ITV Mr. Wilson: His Excellency; could you be more explicit for the sake
of our numerous viewers
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: It is
like we all worked together to cook a pot of soup and a great meal of pounded
yam and when all is ready, one of the parties hijacked the pot of soup and
pounded yam to his house and began to feast with his spouse and children and
family leaving the rest partners-allied parties short changed, vulnerable and hungry;
wallowing in misery, scavenging, penury, denigration, self pity and regrets.. I
don’t think this is a good example and it will impact negatively on future
alliances, cooperation and mergers of political parties in the state, in
Nigeria, sub Saharan Africa and the world in generality.
A CN: Hon. Tony Osazuwa: why do
you paint such a gloomy picture of the situation? The list of commissioner nominees is only the
first list of appointments and there are still lots of other appointments like
the board of directors, directors, special advisers etal ; as soon as possible we believe others will be carried
along in an all inclusive government.
ANPP Representative: But if other
allied parties are not represented in the State Executive Council it would not
be an all inclusive affair, as that is the highest governing body of the state
if they are relegated to sundry appointments it will not be adequately
inclusive and perhaps signal an abysmal party relations which portends grave
dangers for future cooperation of political parties.
H.E Prince Frank Ukonga: Edo
gubernatorial polls which I contested as a governorship contender along with
the Comrade Governor His Excellency comrade Adams Oshiomhole and other
gladiators, was adjudged the best in Nigerian History and one of the best polls
in the world in the year 2012 and the entire world is interested on how the
post election victory will be managed by the allied parties that produced such
a spectacular landslide victory and success in the annals of elections and
political legacies of the world.. So the entire world is watching us.. from
USA, Russia, Canada, EEC, UNO, Britain etal most of whom were observers in the
polls of July 14, 2012 and were supportive in training our polling agents as the
IRI of the United State of America were the people that trained SDMP agents and
they followed me as far as to Igarra my home town to observe the elections and
see me voting with lots of photographs to report to their head office.. They
are all watching us, how we manage the post election victory… which will also
go into world record either as positive or negative strategy of managing post
election victory and the future consequences and recommendations will come out
as rational inferences to be used to teach students and researchers alike. We
are not alone … it’s a global village. And that is why we need to set credible
records for posterity and not degenerate into the Machiavellian philosophy of
use and dump which is the antithesis of political and historical developments
that is no more fashionable, archaic, lowly, and disrespectful to all and
sundry involved in the election process. Mankind and the global village has
evolved more polished , fashionable and presentable methods since the mundane
age of Machiavelli and that is expected by all the observers and participants
to bear in the management of post election victory..…
ITV-Mr. Wilson: What are the conflicts in the pre local government
elections that are generating so many feuds among the political parties…
ANPP Representative: The issue of
mandatory deposits of 50 thousand Naira and 100 thousand Naira being demanded
by Edsiec- the Edo state electoral commission as well as the prohibitive tax
clearance requirements were the tax offices are alleged to demand as high as
500 thousand Naira from candidates for the councillorship polls and 780
thousand Naira for the Chairmanship polls is hooting up the polity as it is disfranchising
lots of candidates from contesting.. It is supposed to be a free and fair
election…
H.E. Frank Ukonga: I am the newly
elected Chairman of the Edo SDMP and from the look of things we shall find it
very difficult to field candidates as most of our candidates are youth and
women with extremely lean war chests for the polls. I have sent a message to
the comrade governor His Excellency Adams Oshiomhole to waive the mandatory
deposit demanded by the Edsiec so that we at SDMP can field our candidates for
the Local Government polls and if these albatross is not removed most of our
candidates may not participate in the local government election of April 20 because
they cannot afford the prohibitive fees and conditionality which are strange
and totalitarian..
ITV-Mr. Wilson: Does that means you may boycott the elections-
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga; we are
still consulting and soon we shall let you know of our decision.
ITV Mr. Wilson: His Excellency: Talking about mergers of political Parties
in Nigeria, is SDMP part of the new mega party of A CN, ANPP, CPC etal
H,E, Prince Frank Ukonga; SDMP is
not part of the merging political parties
as we view the whole drama as reactionary addressed to checkmate the PDP
in the 2015 general polls and win elections as the soul reason de entre of the
new mergers of those political parties. Which is reactionary and self servicing
as not directed to the noble ideals of building formidable, credible political
institutions in Nigeria based on the merging of political parties with similar
ideological orientations and commitment to service delivery of dividends of
democracy to the teaming masses of Nigerians has not been the fundamental
premise of the merger…SDMP is the first political merger of 25 political
parties to be legally consummated by INEC
registered in Nigeria and sub Saharan Africa and pioneered by the Late Chief
Antony Enahoro addressed to merge to make a difference in service delivery to
the electorate and not a consequence of merging on reactionary premise to
wrestles power from the ruling party and that was why it was registered by
INEC. And perhaps that is why INEC is foot dragging in recognizing the new
merger of APC..Because it’s like a gang up of political parties of strange bed
fellows..
ITV: Mr Wilson: what are the present and future consequences of this
your analysis His Excellency Frank Ukonga-
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: This portend grave danger for the polity when the
power tussle begins in APC after the courtship is consummated , the male spider
syndrome will begin to manifest to the new merger of APC, as a consequence of internal
rivalry which could implode and because of its giant nature could snowball in
its fire conflagration to engulf the entire country as in the case of Action Group of the
merger between Akintola’s UPGA which was a conservative , and Chief Awolowo’s
AG which was a social democratic progressive, in the Western Region, which after its
consummation exploded after its success produced chief SLA Akintola as the new
Premier of Western Region and he tried to edge out chief Awolowo’s men from the
party in the general elections of Western Region and the entire West began to
burn, which subsequently snowballed into a national issue and the military had
to strike and take over the government of Nigeria using these premises as
reason de entree for a coup de Etat… and as history repeats itself we may be on
the path of another cataclysm..
A CN: Hon. Tony Osazuwa: I do not
subscribe to what His Excellency Ukonga is espousing as such in the first place
the SDMP was not a merger of political parties as such but a merger of
associations, NGO etc which cannot be compared to what is on ground at the
merger of APC. Right now APC is coming together because Nigeria lacks a credible,
big opposition party that is formidable enough to win overwhelmingly in general
elections and present a credible alternative government to the people for the
beauty of democracy and this premises cannot be described as reactionary but as
a positive contribution to the development of the weak political institutions
of Nigeria…
H.E. Prince Frank Ukonga: No this
is not true SDMP, was a merger of registered political parties like ADC, DPA,
National Reformation party etc and some of the proscribed political parties by
INEC had already collapsed into SDMP in the 2011 general polls…and besides we
at SDMP has very strict rules and code of conduct. We stay away from such
alliances as the conference of political parties and all such alliances, we do
not often participate in Unity Governments on state and federal levels and if
we do it is a great respect and privilege to the other ruling party to have
SDMP peoples in their governments be it on state level or federal level and there
are many other rules we adhere to strictly in our party. And we are not
desperate to serve in other peoples governments.
ITV Mr. Wilson: can I say that the conflict has already started from
the studio as you both are now at daggers drawn.
General laughter
ITV. Hon. Wilson: Well, we thank you all for responding to our invitation
to resolve the conflicts among the political parties in Edo state in our studio
and we hope that all the points discussed and the solutions raised by the
participants will be addressed by the authorities in order to move Edo state to
the promised land of greatness, progress and prosperity… we also thank you all
our viewers across the state and the Nation and the entire world for joining us
in this most important debate.
Thanks and Have a nice week end..
