The disgraceful behavior in the hallowed chamber of supposedly honorable members of the Senate the other day, clearly advertised their political immaturity. By getting into a shouting match and near fisticuffs over the simple matter of how to resolve image problems confronting the upper legislative chamber on grounds of the trial of Senate President Bukola Saraki and his deputy, Ike Ekweremadu, the legislators displayed the most embarrassing verdict on their poor democratic credentials. Political disagreements are a necessary part of democracy, but taking such differences to a level of insults and obscene, sexist language is not only unfortunate but also unacceptable. Lawmakers ought to be role models and a pride to their constituents.
It was a rowdy session as the Senate became a theatre of the absurd. The trouble began at a closed door session, when Senator Dino Melaye (APC-Kogi West) suggested that Senators Kabiru Marafa, Othman Hunkuyi and other members of the Senate Unity Forum who sent a petition to the police that eventually resulted in the trial of the Senate leadership, be suspended from the chamber. Melaye was backed by some members of the Like Mind Group of senators. But the Unity Forum Senators led by Oluremi Tinubu opposed the suggestion, provoking verbal attacks and threats by Melaye against Tinubu. As the meeting got rowdy, Melaye launched a barrage of insults, casting banal and vituperative aspersions on Tinubu; even threatening to rape her. The confusion that ensued prevented the Like Minds senators who were in the majority to carry out the suspension plan.
Regrettably, this latest incident is not a novel case in such disdainful shows in the legislature. Even the Seventh National Assembly treated the country to a similar spectacle of odium. Among other acts, a woman legislator once came to tears as she was thoroughly assaulted by her male colleagues. Melaye even went further threatening he would rape Tinubu; a mother and married woman on the senate floor! Sen. Melaye is an embarrassment not only to Nigeria, but to democracy as a form of government. This is one spectacle that has brought untold shame to the country but more importantly to each member of the senate; supposedly distinguished representatives of the people. By his infamy, Melaye embarrassed himself and betrayed the people’s trust. The least Senators can do to redeem themselves and the image of the red chamber is to order Melaye to personally apologize to Tinubu without any further delay.
Obviously, Sen. Melaye is a man who’s in the wrong place. He has a high penchant to demean, disparage, objectify and insult women, including his wives, past and present. Several months ago, Melaye compared Edo Governor Adams Oshiomhole’s wife to a chattel. Although he has never been prosecuted for assault and battery, Melaye is a certified wife beater and abuser. His two ex-wives – Tokunbo Fabiyi and Alero Falope – reportedly divorced him because he assaulted and abused them. The headache that his uncouth and undignified behavior has unleashed on Nigerians must stop.
The shameless altercation in the Senate certainly compels reflections on how these politicians would lead the people! Besides, from a more extensive social angle, what kind of leaders are these warring politicians? What impression are they passing to well-meaning Nigerians, who hold the civil government very dearly, and are convinced that socio-economic and political development is hinged on continuous refinement of man’s capacity to adopt democratic values? It seems the senators have lost the verve to do anything. Either they are overwhelmed by the fact that a civil process that should be controlled by law and order is controlled by laws of the jungle, or they are complicit in this seeming reign of anarchy.
Democracy, as French philosopher and author, Bernard-Henri Levy observed, is a passion, a long difficult walk. So, political tolerance and accommodation of other views are imperative in a democracy. What happened in the Senate was, therefore, an aberration, a complete desecration of democracy itself.
Indeed, not only does the democratic culture suffer in the face of such behavior as recorded in the Red Chamber, the sensibilities of the nation’s law-abiding citizens are assaulted. Shortly after the debacle, the immediate past President of the Senate, David Mark, was asked to take up the challenge of restoring peace among the two warring groups. It is left to the imagination what weight Nigerians would attach to his assignment when he and his fellow lawmakers could not lead by example.
Nigeria may be heading to the end of two decades of uninterrupted democracy but political maturity is literally still at a nursery stage. All the same, operators of the political process ought to advance it. That growth, however, can only be predicated, as a matter of urgent necessity on a leadership recruitment process that can throw up true patriots and genuine servants of the people. Political parties in Nigeria today are run exclusive of many patriotic, interested and qualified individuals and they are like cult groups open only to certain categories of Nigerians with the physical and financial means to dare.
Because the system is populated by too many political touts and rogues, the electorate should be circumspect in the choice of representatives or leaders. Character test is, therefore, imperative. Elective positions must not be reserved only for the highest bidders who turn out to be national parasites. This also calls for a new orientation for the citizens to appreciate that their elective offices should only be given to performers or the best their constituency can offer.
In fact, combative lawmakers such as Melaye should be given training in decorum and other democratic ethos while the legislature should also be self-regulating. Constituents should also learn to exercise the power of recall as necessary when their representatives misbehave. The people should jealously protect their mandate and guard how it is executed on their behalf by their elected representatives.