Onwe Wisdom
Continuity Without Choice Is Not Democracy: A Rebuttal to Speaker Abbas’ Call for Automatic Tickets for Legislators
As a frontline aspirant for the 2027 House of Representatives election and a democratic icon, I found the recent appeal by Speaker Abbas Tajudeen for “continuity” and the implicit push for automatic party tickets for legislators deeply troubling with shockwaves. This is not merely a political proposition but an affront to the very essence of democracy, the people.
This is the height of insensitivity to political dynamics like zoning, performance index and acceptability of the legislator by the people that constituted the electorate (people)
Democracy is not sustained by the permanence of politicians but by the sovereignty of the people. Any attempt to guarantee legislative return tickets, no matter how subtly framed, amounts to the subversion of the people’s will. Which is the fulcrum of democracy.
As Abraham Lincoln famously defined it, democracy is “government of the people, by the people, for the people.” It does not say “government of incumbents, by incumbents, for incumbents.”
The Speaker argues that high turnover in the legislature weakens institutional memory and disrupts governance.
While experience is valuable, it cannot and must not override the electorate’s right to choose their representatives freely. To suggest otherwise is to elevate political convenience above democratic legitimacy. As Thomas Jefferson warned, “The will of the people is the only legitimate foundation of any government.”
The notion that Nigeria “cannot continue to start every cycle afresh” dangerously implies that voters are liabilities to progress rather than its drivers.
This reasoning, Onwe said is fundamentally flawed; adds that renewal is not a weakness of democracy but its strength. The periodic opportunity to elect new representatives ensures accountability, injects fresh ideas, and prevents the entrenchment of political monopolies.
Moreover, cloaking this appeal in the language of “stability” and “discipline of progress” does not disguise its anti-democratic undertone. Stability that silences competition is not stability but stagnation. Progress that excludes the people’s choice is not progress but regression. He said.
Political parties must resist the temptation to impose candidates under the guise of continuity. Internal democracy is the bedrock of national democracy. When party elites predetermine outcomes, they erode public trust and weaken the democratic fabric. As Nelson Mandela once said, “A critical, independent and investigative press is the lifeblood of any democracy”and by extension, so too are free, fair, and competitive elections.
Let us be clear: no legislator, regardless of performance, is entitled to automatic return. Every mandate must be earned anew from the people. The House of Representatives is not a private club of recurring members; it is the people’s chamber, renewed by their consent.
Besides, with Speaker Abbas’s experience and understanding of the country’s political dynamics woven with zoning at all levels to ensure inclusivity, amongst other things; that statement falls short of expectations. Hence, he should withdraw that statement with an apology to Nigerians.
If we are truly committed to democratic ideals, then we must reject any policy or rhetoric that seeks to pre-empt the people’s voice. The path to national progress lies not in insulating incumbents, but in empowering citizens.
In 2027 and beyond, the Nigerian people must remain the fulcrum of democracy not spectators to predetermined outcomes.
Onwe Wisdom, 2027 House of Reps Aspirant and he writes from Abuja.
Email: eilceodesk@mail.com
