When the civil rights revolution swept through the United States in the 1960s, it rode the crest of other reform movements like the wave of liberalism that ushered in the youngest President in American history, John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the anti-Vietiam war movement, the young officers coup that propelled Muammar Ghadaffi to power in 1968, the French-Algerian civil war that led to the swift decolonization of the Maghreb and beyond, and the Mau Mau struggle in Kenya that was a precursor to the eventual liberation of East and Southern Africa with the active support of redoubts like Kenneth Kaunda, Julius Nyerere, Jomo Kenyatta, Joshua Nkomo, Robert Mugabe, Walter Sisulu, Nelson Mandela etc.
Indeed the leftist and liberal revolutions that swept through North America, South America, Europe, North Africa, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South east Asia upended the discredited conservative order while enshrining a new world order hinged on respect for universal human rights, opposition to tyranny and dictatorship, the political, economic and social liberation of women and oppressed minorities and a resolute commitment to the abolition of hunger, poverty, disease and homelessness in all its concomitant ramifications. Thus the 1960s could be described as the golden age of revolution, reform, renewal, reparation and renaissance of ideas, opinions and ideology vigorously attuned to restoring the dignity of mankind on earth.
In the same realm, the convocation of the 7th House of Representatives could also be likened to a renascence of the popular ideas that drove the 60’s ideological tsunami as a fresh generation of youngish leaders signposted their determination in ushering a brave new era of democratic populism and legislative activism all attuned to the critical delivery of crucial democratic dividends to their long suffering constituents. Among the Best and Brightest crop of the House of Representatives set of 2011 included Hons. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Bassey Ewa, Albert Sam-Tsokwa, Yakubu Dogara, Bethel Amadi, Patrick Ikhariale, Uche Ekwunife, Ibrahim El-sudi, Haruna Manu, Aliyu Ibrahim Gebi, Sani Legbo Kutigi, Kyari Gujbawu, Sylvester Ogbaga, Opeyemi Bamidele, Shehu Bawa amongst others. Indeed this articulate and erudite First Eleven were able to push the boundaries of credible and responsive legislation, representation and over sighting of the nation’s ponderous MDA bureaucracy as never before experienced in the history of the nation’s parliamentary reckoning. Indeed Nigerians had an inkling of what to expect from the audacious Best and Brightest cognoscenti when one of their number, the irrepressible Hon. Aliyu Gebi held forth in his inaugural address: ‘I am here to restore the dignity of my people because over the years, their dignity has been collectively eroded by misrepresentation, misdirection and political tyranny of a few people belonging to certain affiliations. My mandate is clear, the covenant I have entered with the people is the covenant I have entered with our creator God, we are not a nation or state or constituency of beggars, we have pride though our dignity has been eroded and we want our dignity to be restored.’
One of the critical battle grounds in which the struggle to restore the dignity of man manifested was Bauchi State then under the political control of the PDP in 2011 with the Executive Governor, Mallam Isa Yuguda playing to the larger than life gallery in his unstinting determination at crushing all elements of opposition or dissidence to the absolutist rule of the PDP both at the local, state and federal levels.
With the active backing of the federal law enforcement agencies, an unrelenting Isa Yuguda utilized all available means of coercion and sanction, whether legal, legitimate or otherwise to stifle the spread of opposition politicking, campaigning or organization. However the erstwhile banker and former Minister of Aviation was to find his political match in the trio of Hons. Yakubu Dogara, Aliyu Gebi and Maitama Tuggar, then serving members of the House of Reps with the exception of Maitama Tuggar, who were firm and resolute in their conviction that the days of the PDP’s colossal misrule, unremitting profligacy and blatant kleptocracy were at an abysmal end. Despite the awesome deployment of the federal and state machinery of deterrence and suppression, Dogara, Gebi, Tuggar and all other progressive forces were undaunted in spreading the message of political change and total liberation from the oppression, maladministration and crony capitalism of the decadent PDP. Indeed the terrific trio went to great lengths to sensitize, proselytize and mobilize the vast majority of the Bauchi holloi polloi including market women, traders, artisans, farmers, youths, the unemployed, students, the physical challenged etc on the necessity of hitching to the unstoppable bandwagon of political change and social redemption exemplified by the APC and its presidential candidate, President Muhammadu Buhari. A stalwart Hon. Aliyu Gebi had on several occasions spoken truth to power regarding the dismal level of governance in Bauchi State: ‘We have had several security breaches in Bauchi State and natural disasters and we ask, where is our governor, where is our leader, where is our chief security officer. There are certain components of governance that cannot be delegated. Mind you, I have the greatest respect for Mallam Isa Yuguda as an individual, but as my governor, my chief security officer, there are a lot of questions begging for answers. And I think of what we expect of him, what he is capable of doing really has not been matched for now and we are still asking where our governor is’.
Indeed the solid phalanx of opposition and the critical mobilization of the politically aware citizenry succeeded in breaking the PDP camel’s back and enthroning a regime of change, accountability, anti-corruption and moral supremacy to the Pearl of Tourism State and the progenitors of the APC’s astonishing and astounding victory have moved on to the federal level with Rt. Hon. Yakubu Dogara bestriding the Speaker of the House of Representatives chair, Maitama Tuggar as Ambassador Designate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the ever resourceful Hon. Aliyu Gebi holding forth as a Senior Special Adviser (SSA) to the Honourable Minister of Interior, General Abdulrahman Dambazzau, the nation’s top strategic thinker on internal security.
Without doubt the sun is yet to set on the political and professional resume and careers of the Best and Brightest constellation of the 7th House of Representatives, indeed the best is yet to come.
-COMRADE AUSTIN ASADU is the Chairman Legislative Writers Forum.