There was a mild disagreement in the House of Representatives yesterday over the state of the nation. The disagreement ensued during the debate seeking to condemn recent publications that categorised Nigeria as a "failed nation." The members referred to a report said to have been prepared by the United States Department and published by some Nigerian newspapers, alluding to the fact that the reach of Nigeria's weaknesses, has assumed that of a "failed state." Expectedly, members of the ruling People's Democratic Party, PDP, with a few exceptions, argued that the fact that the country is facing some challenges, which they said were not peculiarly grave, does not make it failed state.
Symptoms of a failed nation
Speaker Dimeji Bankole recounted his experience in Canada where, he said police officers allegedly offered bribes for extra votes at a University, during local government elections.
Another party member, Abdul Ningi (Bauchi State), said every indicator that makes a country fail, is present in all nations, and are not typical of Nigeria. He observed: "In every country of the world, we have poverty and we have unemployment." Sada Jibia (PDP Katsina State) in his contribution said, "If this country has any indication or element of a failed state, there is no way we would have been elected into the United Nations Security Council." However, the few dissenting voices drawn mainly from the opposition parties were scolded and shouted down by the other party. Ali Ndume (Action Congress), said though it is unacceptable to say the nation has failed, recent developmental indices show the nation is "failing". He added, "The World Economic Forum has said recently that Nigeria's infrastructures are one of the worst in the world." The immediate past Speaker, Patricia Etteh, who was contributing after a hiatus, admitted that it may be wrong to say the nation has failed, she, however, said it cannot ignore the emerging pointers to the fact it is a failing state.
She added, "As a party person, I belong to the PDP. But I am sorry to say that the PDP, as a ruling party, cannot be watching while things are getting worse. We do not need to wait for the opposition to tell us what to do." Ms. Etteh cited concerns about the growing insecurity in the country and the political situation in Anambra State.
Her comments were viewed by party members as an affront on the institution that produced her as the Speaker in 2007. Bala Na'allah (PDP Kebbi) deplored Ms Etteh's comments. He said, "The same party she is accusing today as lacking in internal democracy, coerced us to accept her leadership." However, his comments were condemned as many members agreed that he overstated his case and asked him to apologise to Ms. Etteh.
During the debate on a bill for provisions to be made for legal instruments regarding pre-election debates on Wednesday, Mr. Na'Allah, who is notorious for airing controversial views, had said the bill would not be necessary since the elections can be won without necessarily getting the support of the electorate.
Also in May 2009, while contributing to deliberations on military operations in the Niger Delta, he also said an assumed 25 million people in the region could be killed for the rest of 120 million Nigerians to have peace.
In concluding his contribution he asked, "Who is fooling who? From Monday to Friday, the papers write that the government is bad, and then on Saturday, they light up the Hilton Hotel and give awards to the same government officials."
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