ONE remarkable fallout of the controversial 2003 general election in Nigeria was the multiplicity of opposition forces that emerged on the political scene to challenge or checkmate the ruling Peoples Democratic Party’s dominion of the polity. Prior to the election, there was strident outcry from the citizens and forces outside the ruling party to the effect that PDP was planning to hijack the polls in order to retain power. Not only the PDP, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Nigerian police were specifically accused of colluding with PDP to give the party a landslide victory. As the election period approached, apprehension and anxiety pervaded the entire six geo-political zones and within the 30 registered political parties. PDP was then perceived as the real threat to the survival of democracy.
The election fever persisted until the elections were concluded with the exception of the local government polls some of which have not been held till date in some states due to unresolved political differences. But the band of opposition swelled shortly after the election results were announced by the electoral body. Individuals and groups that hitherto were optimistic of free and fair elections became disillusioned at the turn of events.
Thus, the group of political parties led by the All Nigeria Peoples Party (ANPP) then came together under the aegis of the Conference of Nigerian Political Parties (CNPP) to collectively fight against what they saw as irregularities and injustices of the election allegedly perpetrated by the ruling PDP. That was how the CNPP was born. And while the opposing parties were crying blue murder over alleged rigging, the PDP obviously savouring its electoral victory urged the aggrieved opposition to take their frustrations to the court rooms and particularly, to the election tribunals.
ANPP presidential flag bearer, General Muhammadu Buhari, his All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) counterpart, Dim Chukwemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu as well as Chief Gani Fawehinmi of the National Conscience Party (NCP) were the most vociferous. They initiated almost immediately legal proceedings at the courts to stop the inauguration of President Olusegun Obasanjo for a second term.
And while the opposition parties were locked in series of meetings to fashion out how best to tackle the situation, a few party leaders who were the ring leaders of the resistant group were mandated to set up and run the CNPP in a collegiate arrangement. These men were Alhaji Balarabe Musa of Peoples Redemption Party (PRP), Chief Chekwas Okorie of APGA, Alhaji Habu Fari and Kenny Martins of the National Democratic Party (NDP) and Alhaji Saleh Jambo of the United Nigeria Peoples Party (UNPP). Within seven days, the leaders launched the CNPP which eventually became the rallying point of the main opposition. Balarabe Musa was elected to head the organisation.
The following weeks were to be moments of intense activities and campaigns for the conduct of another election based on alleged electoral malpractices by the PDP. The call for a Government of National Unity (GNU) by the new CNPP was outrightly ignored by the PDP. In an apparent mockery of the call, PDP national chairman, Chief Audu Ogbeh called a PDP National Executive Committee meeting to review the outcome of the April 19 presidential and governorship elections and described the unity government demand as “baseless” and out of tune with realities.
“If you say a government should seize to function, what would function in its place”, Ogbeh then queried. He advised the CNPP to channel its protest to the tribunals. The PDP also accused the CNPP members of “not campaigning when PDP was going about everywhere to campaign”.
But in spite of its setback, the CNPP successfully entrenched itself as a potent challenger to the ruling PDP. And though the ANPP which was like the lead group within the larger CNPP membership suddenly pulled out from the CNPP to fight its own cause, that did not stop the coalition from surging ahead.
This, however, did not break the spirit of the group. And with vigour, the members individually and collectively continued to challenge certain decisions by government as they would lend their voice in support of labour in the latter’s battles with the incumbent administration.
But it was not too long before cracks began to show in the CNPP fold. The first was the planned May 3 mass rally. Suddenly, the ANPP pulled away from it. Steadily, others began to sing same tunes. Yet, the leadership of the group played down the backing out of some members even as Chief Don Etiebet, the ANPP boss stoutly defended the party’s decision.
But what finally exposed the cracks was that when the Nigeria Labour Congress was set on a war path against the government following the recent fuel hike, many leaders of the members of the CNPP were known to have criticised labour’s move to confront the government.
Beyond this, there have been established cases of instances where those who call the shots in these coalition parties have been known to openly collaborate with the government. But some of them would readily say that they were intimidated to take such positions whereas some accuse the CNPP leadership of “not carrying everybody along.” They accuse the leadership of the body of lacking team spirit. Presidential candidates of the ANPP and APGA, Buhari and Ojukwu were also fingered to have hijacked the CNPP.
However, there are those who admit that inadequate resources coupled with frustrating political climate foisted by the PDP regime all contributed to the ineffectiveness of the CNPP. So, has CNPP been driven under the tunnel?
“Not at all”, says Balarabe, the CNPP chairman. “Rather than be strangulated or cowed by government, we’re growing in strength. The CNPP has remained in the forefront as the main opposition group which was why the CNPP was set up in the first place. You must recall that the CNPP is an umbrella body of political parties in this country who were cheated out of the 2003 elections by the PDP. Now, we have the NLC which is another strong opposition organisation and you know of course, that CNPP is strongly backing the NLC in its opposition to the increases in the fuel prices.
While the CNPP is fighting this government mainly on the political front, the NLC is waging its own war on the economic front and both groups are supporting each other very well. So, I see no reason why anybody can say that there is no opposition in the land. If the opposition is not there, the PDP and their government would have pocketed this country completely”.
National chairman of Justice Party (JP), Chief Ralph Obioha sees the opposition in Nigeria as being ambushed with state machinery by the party in power. “What they (PDP regime) are doing is to ensure that the opposition gives way so that they can do what they want. You can see how they stopped our mass action to protest their electoral injustice. The same thing they are doing to NLC especially with the labour bill Obasanjo sent to the National Assembly. They have ensured that the opposition has no source of funding to be able to fight and that is why it seems as if some our members in the CNPP are indifferent to what is happening in the country.”
But Chief Emma Okereke, leader and presidential candidate of the All Peoples Liberation Party (APLP) told Weekend Vanguard that the problem with the opposition is in coordination and team work. “How can the CNPP be run by only a few persons? We, the 30 registered political parties who were rigged out by the PDP came together to set up this organisation but now it seems that the thing has been hijacked. Some of us decided not to condone a situation where two or three people will decide what happens and it will be taken that they alone represent the CNPP. In some instances, these men will feel that they are above the group and do things independently.
This behaviour is injurious to the survival and relevance of the CNPP as a leading opposition outfit.”
So, what future is there for the coalition? We spoke to some leaders of the parties in opposition and they aired their views.
