By Abu Shekara
Leadership is a task: the pursuit of ways and means of providing for the people. It is the employment of resources and exploitation/creation of conditions for the purpose of that task.
Leaders are thus opportunists who utilise state resources to realise desirable outcomes in the interest of their subjects.
In its pure nature and what it consists of, leadership is dispassionate. It matters not, therefore, in what garb of doctrine it is delivered. Its character is determined by the norms and values of a given society, including the rules and conventions guiding the practice of governance.
Still, the character of leadership is ultimately a function of style and style is determined by the personality of the leader, as it is produced by his experience and perspective on life. These in turn affect and determine his ideas and priorities and objectives. All these combine to cause the success of the leader or his failure.
Philosophers and thinkers on governance are inspired by these facts to prize temperament nurtured by wisdom as the best quality in a leader. Chief among holders of the opinion is Plato, who in his exposition on the matter, advocates what he calls the Philosopher King.
A ruler, Plato prescribes, should have a love for knowledge and intelligence. He ought to be reliable and must live a simple life. Knowledge ultimately determines the scope of the leader by affording him familiarity with the conditions and situations that interplay to produce the issues demanding attention. Drawing lessons from antecedents, a leader will employ the indices of cause and effect as bases for decision. His capacity to do that is the measure of his intelligence.
Intelligent actions on the part of the leader are those that advance the state by increasing its fortunes and minimizing its losses. And in all cases, the best of decisions are dispassionate because the leader, who is austere materially and emotionally, not giving in to mundane pleasures that may limit his ability for appropriate action, is bound to achieve success.
All these virtues are embodied in philosophy, which is the pursuit of truth, guided by principles that tailor the actions of adherents towards the realisation of desirable results. And principles are anchored on ideology, upon which all endeavours are founded, especially those that concern the affairs of state.
Governance therefore, ought to be inspired by ideology, if it is to be good. For, nations and states may subsist on brisk commerce and strong defence but only upon ideology can great empires and civilisation thrive and endure.
Nigerians recall with nostalgia, the First Republic, which is regarded as the era of ideological politics, when political parties were identified by distinct ideologies. In that period, the political elite founded partisan groups, whose views on national issues and governance were predicated on ideological principles.
The different regions of Nigeria were administered along the lines of their ideologies of subscription, which also characterised their stand on disputed matters, thereby facilitating settlement and comprise. Policies and programmes of regional governments bore their ideological badge, while the opposition adopted rival ideologies for dissent.
Ideological politics builds strong institutions, rather than strong politicians. Strong institutions are the instruments for good and stable government, while strong leaders are given to dictatorship and societies in their charge achieve success that is limited to their reign.
This fact, which is echoed by former US President Bill Clinton, during his visit to Nigeria, is not only the thrust of Tambuwal’s campaign but also part of his philosophy on governance. It is a conviction realised through service in all the three components of democratic government.
Aminu Waziri Tambuwal’s search for the platform for ideological politics inspired by principles has been long and sustained. His sojourn through political parties and positions in two arms of government, including his legal practice, are a schooling in the potentials and limitations of Nigerian politics as a vehicle for inspirational leadership.
It is these antecedents that, in 2015, motivated Aminu Waziri to leave the ruling Peoples Democratic Party, on which platform he was elected Federal House Speaker to the opposition All Progressives Congress. He was motivated to make such move that was described as “bold and courageous” by APC chieftain, Ahmed Bola Tinubu, by that same nationalist spirit that has guided his politics from inception.
For Aminu Waziri Tambuwal, privileges and comfort are small prices to pay for the higher principles of national unity, survival and progress. He, thus, jeopardised his position as number four citizen to defy a ruling party that had all largesse to extend for loyalty and wrath to visit for dissention, by supporting the emergence of APC’s Muhammadu Buhari as President.
That support was, however, based on the promise of change that is positive and enduring for Nigeria. For Aminu Waziri, partisan choice is a function of the need to uphold the principles of progress of the citizens, freedom and rule of law.
Sadly, however, the principles upon which the coalition of 2015 was formed to produce the APC leadership have all been negated. While the lives and property of Nigerians are being lost in the worst security situation they have witnessed, the worst economic indices are bringing upon the masses, the greatest hardships they have experienced. The situation is compounded by the posture of impunity and unabashed disregard for the rule of law by the APC government.
Aminu Waziri was so soon again and regrettably so, constrained by similar circumstances to those of 2015 to abandon the APC, in a continuing search for a platform that can guarantee for citizens those rights and entitlements enshrined in the laws of the land.
Unfolding events in the opposition PDP indicated a shift in attitude and posture within the party and an effort to learn from the bitter circumstances of the defeat of 2015. Aminu Waziri was encouraged by those events to rejoin the Peoples Democratic Party.
The philosophy of governance of Aminu Waziri Tambuwal has been clearly illustrated by his style of leadership through democratic participation. His service in the National Assembly was a lesson in partnership, teamwork and due process.
His term as Speaker of the House of Representatives exhibited energy and upheld inclusiveness, unity across all divides and unity of purpose for progress in the service of Nigerians. These are features inherent in his current tenure as Governor of Sokoto State.
Abu Shekara is a Special Adviser on Public Affairs to Governor Tambuwal.