As Party Primaries Approaches, Let’s Beware Of Another K-leg Syndrome
K, as a noun according to A.S Hornby (2010) is the 11th letter of the English alphabets.
Arithmetically, 11 is an odd number that cannot be divided exactly by the number two.
K-leg is not a denotation but connotation as it affects the movement of an individual. It connotes the inability of someone to walk uprightly because of knitted knees perhaps as a result of an accident or from birth.
If the arithmetical definition of an odd number is accurate then it presupposes that the K-leg tag on the incumbent occupant of the Rivers State Brick House, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi is still in force irrespective of the purported clearance as announced by its proponent, the former general and ex-president Olusegun Obasanjo recently.
Listen, if you divide 11 by 2, the result is 5 remainder 1. Can anyone imagine how and why Governor Amaechi is always almost along in his activities or in the way and manner in which he does his own things? It is because he is alone and cannot be evenly divided.
It could be recalled that the governor sometime said that “nobody voted him as governor,” hence his administration tailored that same direction.
Before the Supreme Court judgment of 2007 that brought Governor Amaechi to the Brick House, he was suspended by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) but was later readmitted into the party.
A critical analysis of Governor Amaechi political story revealed that he is mostly alone at some point or the other, his House of Assembly election was not excluded, as he took it via the court.
It seems the K-leg syndrome of 2007 was a source of power to the governor, not minding that his second tenure election was the mandate of the electorates across the state.
“A man who is alone takes decision without consultation irrespective of the populace outcry”. Anonymous.
The singular reason that the former speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi was allowed to contest the PDP primaries, and later was substituted with his cousin His Excellency, Sir. Celestine Ngozichim Omehia, was the genesis of the problem in the state polity which landed in the christened K-leg by Obasanjo at the liberation stadium.
Unfortunately, it was regrettably that the same Obasanjo for whatever reason(s) best known to them for the sudden reunion between him and Rivers State Governor and whatever may have exchanged hands, was the one who told their fans that the K-leg syndrome may have been straightened by the Supreme Court and branded Amaechi’s achievements as world class, it’s indeed ridiculous.
While the K-leg syndrome persisted, many Local Government Chairmen were severely tortured and some sent packing by his (Amaechi) government with impunity, but he is the only governor that is shouting and crying of impunity now. Ofcourse, the Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) election which Governor Jonah Jang of Plateau State was recognized as chairman and the ceeding of oil wells was to him an act of impunity.
But, the slicing of Local Government Allocation votes was never an impunity, sacking of chairmen through any guise was never a wrongful act, selective payment of FG/State share of subsidy reinvestment funds (Sure-P) is in no way an impunity, what is happening?
Having learnt the many lessons from the K-leg saga, what is the position of the numerous political parties in Rivers and beyond.
Now, it is obvious that all the political parties are getting set for their respective primary elections to select their flag bearers for the February, 2015 general elections, the question is, could there be sanity, fairness in the nomination, screening and conduct of the primaries? Remember the K-leg.
Already, there is planned or threat of pulling out or if you like, call it secession from the opposition All Progressive Congress, (APC) by some aggrieved group over the concluded congresses so far.
Issues Abattoir have before hand predicted this scenario, so it would be no news when it happens in Rivers because many do receives the measure with which they measure to others. APC, pulled or planed a stage walk out at the PDP convention in Abuja, therefore they should not expect anything less than their action, in their upcoming convention and states congresses.
K-leg emanated from congresses and primaries, and it is obvious that these cannot be 100 % fair but the important factor is the possible way to eliminate, avoid or prevent it before it occurs.
Monies meant for development of Rivers State may have been sunk into the litigation processes from the High Court to the Supreme Court, so the better time to checkmate any further k-leg is now.
Issues Abattoir posits that the Political Parties must be thorough in the screening since many aspirants may purchase their intents and nomination forms.
It is certain that no fewer than 10 aspirants may be interested in vying for the number one seat of the state depending on the amount of the nomination forms in the respective Political Parties.
It is also suggested that, the various Political Parties should have the power to stop any aspirant who is not likely from the area their zoning may fall. This will not only check the K-leg problem but may also avoid unnecessary waste of resources and time of the screening committees.
Again, aspirants who are likely to pose difficulty to a Political Party should be advised against picking the forms, otherwise the K-leg issue would definitely arise.
Furthermore, zoning system would indeed be of immense benefit and help to all the Political Parties at all level of elections irrespective of whose ox is involved and may be affected negatively or positively.
Compatriots, the fear of K-leg syndrome is not only the demise of wasteful funds, cure to rulership but also a Nunc-dimis to tyranny in the state.
All Political Parties particularly in Rivers State should learn from the PDP experience of K-leg saga during the projection of their aspirants for primaries, since the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) does not accept the political grammar “Consensus Candidate”.
Therefore, as the Primary elections of the various Political Parties approaches, it is incumbent on the Parties to beware of another K-leg syndrome.
Finally, it behooves of the would be aspirants to acknowledge that, living to fight another time amounts to great wisdom since the dead cannot work anymore.
God bless you all. ###
With James Mgboineme
Jamesprojectgodwin@yahoo.com.
