BABANGIDA’s Eight Years of Dynamic Leadership (Part 4): The Transition Programme

By Eteteonline

In his budget speech to the nation on January 1, 1986, just a few months after assuming power, President Babangida announced a programme that would pave the way for the return of democracy in Nigeria. That was certainly good news, rekindling the hope of a return to civil rule. It would also restore the reputation, dignity, and credibility that the nation lost through the failure of the Second Republic and subsequent military takeover. This landmark decision to restore democracy clearly demonstrated the honour, integrity, and wisdom of the Babangida administration in not following the trend of dictatorship that was prevalent in other African countries. It showed that the administration had a vision for a happy and prosperous Nigeria. Thus, the Babangida administration was applauded for taking that unique and bold step that marked the beginning of the transition programme.

The Political Bureau

The democratic process began with a sense of good judgment on the part of the Babangida administration, which avoided unilateral decisions, primarily arrogating to itself the wisdom needed to fashion out a lasting and successful democracy for the nation. Having regard to the fact that the first and second republics failed woefully, the Babangida administration realized that there were lessons to learn so as not to plunge back into the mistakes of the past.

The administration realized that it was proper to embark on a fact-finding mission and consultation with the people.

It therefore decided to leave the task of fashioning out the nature and form of politics of the Third Republic to the people. The First Republic parliamentary system was the product of the colonial government. The Second Republic presidential system was designed by the Mohammed/Obasanjo military administration. The Third Republic political system was that of the people, to be determined and shaped by them after a nationwide debate. To attain this goal, the Political Bureau was set up by the government to organize a nationwide debate and collate the views, ideas, and opinions of Nigerians for consideration by the government.

The establishment of the Political Bureau marked a giant step in the democratic process and the making of the Third Republic. It was seen as a display of a strong will, determination, and commitment towards the entrenchment of a true democratic system that would become part and parcel of the Nigerian culture, orientation, and way of life. The government was determined to bring about a system that would stand the test of time, usher in a lasting, enduring, and unshakeable democracy, and bring about a system that will put an end to the recurrent military intervention and takeovers.

The Babangida administration inaugurated the Political Bureau on January 13, 1986. The Bureau consisted of 17 members and had Dr S.J. Cookey as the head. The Bureau was faced with a tremendous task of reviewing Nigeria’s political history, identifying the problems, and also organizing a nationwide debate on the social, economic, and political future of the country, and suggesting a workable system. At the inauguration, President Babangida reaffirmed the task before the Bureau: “To bring about a new political culture which, like a veritable fountain head, would bring forth a stable, strong and dynamic economy”.

The Bureau was also mandated to initiate “a collective search for a new political order.” The new political order was the ultimate responsibility of the people to determine. This was to do away effectively with the authoritarian tendencies and dictatorial mistakes of the past. It was also a general belief that only a system evolved by the people could withstand the storms, tests, trials, and tribulations of time.  According to President Babangida at the inauguration of the Bureau: “Consistent with our stated philosophy of government, we are committed to popular participation in the process of evolving … a viable political order.”

Right from its inception, the Babangida administration emphasized its intention to run an open-door administration. It was not surprising, therefore, that the principle of popular participation was introduced into the work of the Political Bureau. Popular participation was and had been one of the greatest tools of governance adopted and meticulously used by the Babangida administration to the admiration and approval of the Nigerian public in reaching decisions on very serious and fundamental issues of public interest. Many people then referred to that principle as “military democracy.”

The task before the Bureau was enormous. It was a feat that required hard work and dedication by all concerned to succeed. It became apparent that to achieve the goal would not be easy, having regard to the nation’s past, the state of political awareness, maturity, and disposition of the people. The Bureau thereafter set out for the task with vigour and assurance.

Patriotic, eager, and anxious Nigerians equally rose to the challenge, and a good majority did respond and participated in the national call. The great debate moved from state to state and gathered strong momentum.

The Bureau interviewed many Nigerians. Topical issues were debated extensively, and memoranda on national questions were submitted to the Bureau. The national discussion lasted for about six months.

The debate finally came to an end, and all the views and opinions expressed by the public were gathered and carefully collated by the Bureau. The leadership of the Political Bureau submitted the report to the government on March 27, 1987. It made several recommendations, among them were the establishment of a directorate for mass mobilization, retention of the presidential system of government, creation of more states, the establishment of two political parties, and a review of the 1979 Constitution.

The Paul Omu Committee

When the government received the report, it set up another committee to examine its contents. The committee, headed by Major General Paul Omu, Commandant of the Command and Staff College, Jaji, and a member of the Armed Forces Ruling Council, was mandated to scrutinize the report, prepare a draft white paper, and submit the same to the AFRC. The AFRC would then deliberate on and give approval to the recommendations of the committee. As was expected, the Omu committee set out to work and made its recommendations to the government. One major recommendation that was considered very significant to the transition programme was the change in the timetable originally set to return the country to civilian rule. According to the Omu committee, the final disengagement of the military should be extended from 1990 to 1992.

The Armed Forces Ruling Council met to consider the recommendations of both the Political Bureau and Paul Omu. Committee. In July 1987, the much-awaited white paper was published. The President, in a nationwide address, presented a systematic and well-articulated transition programme that will terminate military rule on October 1, 1992. Among other things, the president stated:

“From our past experiences, our political programme must be gradual, purposeful, and effective. It must aim at laying the basic foundation of a new socio-political order.

“We must create a new set of values – a new set of political culture aimed at ushering in a new social order. For this administration, this is a duty we owe to the future generations yet unborn. For us, it is a challenge we shall face with resolve and fortitude characteristic of our military profession. We are committed to laying such a foundation for political stability as will render military intervention unnecessary as a vehicle for alternating or changing governments.”

The government accepted some of the recommendations of the Political Bureau and the Paul Omu Committee. The transition timetable was extended from 1990 to 1992. Subsequently, certain important institutions were set up to carry on with the democratization process. Among them were the Constitution Review Committee, the Constituent Assembly, the National Electoral Commission (NEC), and the Directorate for Social Mobilization, popularly known as MAMSER. On September 23, 1987, two states, namely Akwa Ibom and Katsina, were created out of Cross River and Kaduna States, respectively, bringing the number of states from 19 to 21.

Constitution Review Committee

Unlike the practice before the Second Republic came into being, in which a Constitution Drafting Committee was set up, a new draft was not necessary for the Third Republic. This was because the people had already settled for a presidential system to be modelled after that of 1979, with some modifications. So, all that was necessary was the review of the 1979 Constitution.

The democratic process took another step forward with the inauguration of the Constitution Review Committee. The Committee, headed by Mr. Justice Buba Ardo, was made up of 46 members and was inaugurated on September 7, 1987. The main task before the committee appeared easy. Since the nation had operated the presidential system in the Second Republic, and there was massive support for the system, the Committee had only to review the 1979 Constitution, make modifications, where necessary, to suit the new social, economic, and political order.

During its inauguration, the government stated its views on a number of national issues. The government stated its preference for the presidential system of government recommended by the Political Bureau. The retention of the Federal system was also put to the Committee by the government. The argument in support of federalism was that it took care of the diverse ethnic, cultural, religious, and linguistic groupings in the country.

Other areas of preference in which the government expressed its views were matters of public interest, such as the two-party system, the question of state religion, ideology, and the role of traditional rulers. The Committee was further mandated to see to the possibility of incorporating certain institutions like MAMSER, DPRRI, and NDE into the constitution. The Committee thereafter commenced work. It invited memoranda from the public and finally put together an elegant draft constitution, which was submitted to the government.

Constituent Assembly

The commitment of the Babangida administration to entrenching a lasting, stable, and institutionalized democracy was taken to another level with the inauguration of the Constituent Assembly. Like what was obtained under the 1979 constitution, the constituent Assembly was constituted to deliberate further on the draft constitution.

Membership of the Assembly was by election and appointment. Three-fourths of the members were elected. The election was done by the electoral college constituted by the newly elected Local Government Chairmen and Councilors. The other one-fourth were appointed by the government. The Assembly had Mr. Justice Anthony Naemezie Aniagolu as its Chairman.

The constituent Assembly went straight into business and deliberated extensively and intensively on all aspects of the draft constitution, of which some were amended, modified, or deleted outright.

After its work, the document, which was later to become the 1989 constitution, was submitted to the government. This document, however, was not conclusive and final as the government still reserved the power to amend or modify any provision in the overall interest of the Nigerian people.

National Electoral Commission

The democratic process took a unique dimension when the National Electoral Commission (NEC) was inaugurated in Abuja. The Commission was the body established in 1987 for the registration of political parties, the conduct of elections, and the screening of candidates eligible to contest elections into public offices, among others.

The Commission was headed at the national level by Professor Eme Awa and at the state level by State Electoral Commissioners. The commission was charged to be hard-working working upright, and impartial in the discharge of its responsibilities. Accordingly, it went into action and conducted the local Government election of December 1987. The government later on found it expedient to change the national leadership of the Commission; Professor Humphrey Nwosu was appointed to replace Eme Awa.

MAMSER

During the national debate conducted by the Political Bureau, the need to mobilize the people was emphasized. The people needed to be properly informed, educated, and carried along by the government in the implementation of its programmes. The government did not have any hesitation in adopting and effecting the recommendation of the Bureau in that regard.

On July 25, 1987, the President inaugurated the Mass Mobilization for Social Justice, Self-Reliance and Economic Recovery, popularly referred to as MAMSER. It had the following objectives:

1. To restore and sustain discipline in our national life;
2. To inculcate the spirit of nationalism and patriotism in all Nigerians;
3. To restore respect for culture and national development;
4. To instill in the populace a sense of absolute loyalty to our fatherland;
5. To ensure and uphold leadership by example;
6. To foster respect for constituted authority;
7. To revamp the economy through hard work and intensification of agriculture; and
8. To ensure self-sufficiency in food production.

MAMSER was to embark on mass literacy during the transition period, ensure a stable, coup-free and democratic third republic, and serve as a midwife of the promised new order. In an exclusive interview with Giant Strides in 1987, the President said:

“Nigerians have lived peacefully together through the years. The present problem of ethnic suspicion, rivalry, and intolerance is the manipulation by selfish and disgruntled politicians. With the introduction of MAMSER, aimed at promoting national integration, individual liberty, and equality before the law, this Country is bound to rise above aggressive ethnic competition, statism, and religious bigotry.”

MAMSER was organized at the national, state, and local government levels. The national Chairman was Dr Jerry Gama before he resigned to participate in the presidential elections in 1992 and was succeeded by a retired Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Muhammadu Gambo.

The 1987 elections

The government, having put the necessary institutions in place, conducted elections on a non-party basis in the local government councils on December 12, 1987. This was a test for the government and the people, being the first democratic election since the collapse of the Second Republic.

The Electoral Commission under Professor Awa went into action in preparation for the election. NBC had between November 2 and November 10, 1987, for the compilation of the voters’ register. The register was displayed for filing of claims and objections from November 11 to 17, 1987.

On December 12, 1987, the local government council election was held. It was not free from the ills of the past. Complaints of the First and Second Republics re-echoed. In some polling stations across the country, there were reports of rigging, vote-buying, and thuggery. This election provided a good framework for the government and the NEC to study properly the problems and prospects of conducting free and fair elections in Nigeria. They also responded with innovations, modifications, and adjustments.

Formation of political parties

Next in the democratization process was the formation of political parties in 1989, following the lifting of the ban on politics on May 3, 1989. The Political Bureau, in its report to the government, had recommended, two-party system for Nigeria, which was adopted. The NEC was mandated to prepare a report and make recommendations to the government on party formation and registration.

The formation of political parties was imperative because, according to President Babangida:

“Democracy, in nearly all pluralistic modern societies, is practised through Political parties. Political parties articulate and serve the aggregate coalition of interests that each of them represents. Political parties not only check each other in the process of governance, but they also provide known and assessed alternative leadership for the country.”

The people of Nigeria were called upon to form political parties that were national in character and with the active participation of the grassroots. Initially, more than 30 political parties and associations emerged. Eventually, only 13 applied for registration. After a thorough review by NEC, with regard to the guidelines provided, including verification of membership, it recommended six associations to the AFRC for registration.

The six associations were:

• People Solidarity Party (PSP)
• Labour Party (LP)
• Peoples Front of Nigeria (PFN)
• Nigerian National Congress (NNC)
• Republican Party of Nigeria (RPN)
• Liberal Convention Party (LCP)

In considering the report of the NEC, the government highlighted the emergence of the old lines of cleavage-ethnic, geopolitical, religious, and class in the political associations. The main and very serious allegations against the associations were factionalism, rigging, and falsification of claims, disregard of the guidelines for registration, poor organization, deep roots in the party politics of the first and Second Republics in their formation, consolidation, finance, and organization, and hijacking by money bags, and links to banned politicians.

Unfortunately, none of the associations was eligible for registration. As the President stated in a nationwide address:

“I feel sad to state here that what the National Electoral Commission (NEC) has recommended to the AFRC was clearly little more than the best six of the thirteen political associations, all of which had failed to meet the criteria laid down for registration as a political party.”

The government then proceeded to consider a number of options. The first option was the “All Political Associations Electoral Competition and Elimination.”  According to this option, President Babangida stated that:

“All the 13 political associations should be allowed to contest the December 1989 Local Government Elections, and then to register the two associations that have done best at the polls, and then dissolve all of the others or merge them with the victorious ones.”

This option was dismissed as expensive, cumbersome, absurd, and inconsistent with the constitution governing the transitional process.

The second option was “Merger Conference and Voluntary Merger among the Associations”. Under this option, the associations should be given a fixed period to negotiate and effect mergers in line with government guidelines. The option was not considered viable because the merger “will be a shallow marriage of convenience”.

The third option was “Ideologically-Based Parties.” The associations should be further screened and two registered on the basis of ideology. This option was not viable because the AFRC had already decided not to impose an ideology on the nation.

“Labour-Centric Two-Party System” was the fourth option. This option stated that one party should be registered as the Nigeria Labour Party and all other aspiring political associations registered as another. This was considered not viable for being ideologically based.

Another option, the fifth, was “The Serial Order”. Here, the AFRC should “follow the descending order of performance as recommended by NEC”. In other words, the first two associations should be registered. The government rejected this option because it would negate the purpose of the verification exercise and as none of the associations had satisfied the NEC guidelines.

The sixth and final option was the “Grass Roots Two-Party System”. It required the government to set up a grassroots two-party system with headquarters in each local government area. Every qualified person in the local government will register and obtain a membership card. The main advantage is that the parties will transcend the old lines of cleavage and lay emphasis on community spirit and organizational structure rather than on personalities. The AFRC therefore approved the registration of two political parties, namely the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and the National Republican Convention (NRC).

The Government established the two parties with the following objectives and beliefs that the system shall:

1. Provide a grassroots basis for the emergence of political parties:
2. Establish a grassroots or mass platform for the emergence of Leadership;
3. Give equal rights and opportunities to all Nigerians to participate in the political process, irrespective of their wealth, religion, geopolitical backgrounds, and professional endeavours;
4. De-emphasize the role of money in politics;
5. Reduce, to a minimum level, the element of violence in our electoral process:
6. Preclude the emergence of political alliances along the same lines as in the first and second republics and, therefore, give Nigerians a new political structure within which to operate;
7. Ensure the emergence of a new, more dedicated and more genuine    leadership cadre, which will not be a mere proxy for old political warlords:
8. Chart a new pattern of political recruitment and participation which will enhance Nigeria’s stability;
9. Establish strong institutional structures which will not only sustain future government, but also be strong enough to stand the test of time, and establish a political system that will be operated according to the spirit and letter of the constitution of the Federal Republic.

It is necessary to give a brief account of the evolution of the two parties, the Social Democratic Party and the National Republican Convention, because of the resurgence of unfair criticisms of these two parties, which were created by the government because the people failed woefully when they were given the opportunity to form grassroots parties.

The SDP and NRC, as they stood, had largely fulfilled the objectives for which they were created by the government. The exercise must be commended because it has given all Nigerians equal opportunities, and anyone could rise to any height politically without hindrance arising from money, tribe, or religion.

The call for the creation of more parties was untenable because the two-party system was derived from the collective will and decision of the Nigerian people after a nationwide debate. The multi-party system had failed the nation during the First and Second Republics, dividing people along ethnic, regional, and religious lines. The two-party system must be given a trial and adequate support to succeed. As aptly put by President Babangida, the system “will encourage cohesion in a land of pluralistic interests such as ours while at the same time guaranteeing an avenue for choice.”

The only genuine call that was made to the government was to allow independent candidates to contest, as obtained in the United States of America, so that those who did not belong to any of the two parties, but possessed good leadership qualities, could also aspire to the position of political leadership in the country.

Consolidating the democratization process

1. Centre for Democratic Studies

In an effort to consolidate the democratization process and ensure the success of democracy in Nigeria at all times, the government reaffirmed that democracy was not just the presence of political and governmental institutions alone but a state of mind. According to President Babangida:

“This Administration, having discovered this serious weakness in our political class, is deeply committed to inculcating a functional level of democratic attitudes in our people, until the culture is firmly embedded in all aspects of our national life, especially in political behaviour. To this end, a centre for the study of democratic institutions will be established.”

Pursuant to this goal, the Centre for Democratic Studies was established in Abuja with Professor Omo Omoruyi at the head. Since its inception, the Centre has played a tremendous role in actualizing the goal of institutionalizing democracy in Nigeria.

• Creation of states and local government areas

Another way of consolidating the democratization process was the creation of more states and local government areas. In 1991, an additional nine (9) states were created, bringing the total number to 30. The nine new states were Anambra, Delta, Edo, Enugu, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun, and Taraba. An additional 136 new local government areas were also created in 1991, bringing the total number to 589. The new states and local government areas were aimed at ensuring greater participation in the democratization process, grassroots development, and a balanced and stable federation.

• Lifting the ban on certain individuals

To further consolidate the process, the ban placed on certain categories of politicians of the First and Second Republics, certain categories of public servants, and members of the armed forces was lifted. The wisdom behind it was that every Nigerian had something positive to contribute under the new dispensation and a part to play in bringing about a stable and durable democracy in the Third Republic. Everyone except those indicted for corruption and other criminal conduct deserves a chance. Many of the old-breed politicians were already very active and doing fine in the democratization process, giving the new-breed a very hot contest.

• Relocation of the Federal Capital to Abuja

The consolidation of democracy moved to the federal capital. The idea of a new and centrally located federal capital was conceived in 1975 and had been progressing steadily. However, since the Babangida administration came to power, development work in Abuja had received great impetus and well-deserved attention. The dream of building a new capital for Nigeria came true when the Babangida administration officially moved the seat of power to Abuja in 1991.

Since then, Abuja has witnessed increased political, economic, and diplomatic activities. This certainly reduced the pressure and congestion in Lagos with the movement of civil servants to Abuja. Its central location would also improve the security situation in the nation’s capital. Most of all, it would facilitate the speedy development of the new capital and the movement of foreign embassies there.

• The population census

True democracy cannot be realized in the absence of accurate and reliable population figures. As part of consolidating the democratization process, a population census took place during the last quarter of 1991. The census issue was one of the recommendations of the Political Bureau. Earlier, in 1988, the National Population Commission was set up. The census became the first ever successfully conducted by independent Nigeria and put the population figures at 88.5 million, with Lagos and Kano having the highest of more than 5 million each.