NIGERIA 1994
ISLAM AND POLITICS IN NIGERIA
THE ABORTED THIRD REPUBLICNigeria's Second Republic ended with the coup of 1 January 1984, which brought General Buhari to power. The Buhari-Idiagbon regime, as it came to be known because of the strong influence of the second-in- commmand, lasted until 27 August 1985, when General Ibrahiim Babangida took over. He announced a phased transition to civilian rule, which was to have many starts and stops in its execution. When the green light was given to political action, many former politicians were banned after they had begun campaigning. The many political parties which were inaugurated were suddenly banned on 7 October 1989 and all reduced to two government sponsored parties: the NRC (National Republican Congress — "a little to the right") and the SDP (Social Democratic Party "a little to the left"). First local governments were elected, in ???, then state legislatures and governors were elected in ??? Party primaries for the presidency were held in ??, and finally, after American-style TV debates between the candidates, the presidential election itself took place on 12 June 1993.
Before the results were completely announced, Babangida cancelled the election outright! Specious reasons were given for this action, which convinced no one, and it brought about massive demonstrations and riots within Nigeria and the condemnation of the international community. Ibrahiim Babangida stepped down on 26 August 1993, handing over to a puppet intrim government led by Ernest Shonekan (a Yoruba from Abeokuta). That government too had no credibility, and on 17 November 1993 Shenekan handed power back to the military, in the person of General Sani Abacha, who went ahead to call another constitutional conference. The elections for delegates were mostly boycotted, but he went ahead anyway, adding to it another rostrum of personal appointees, including the notorious Umaru Dikko. On the first anniversary of June 12th, Mashood Abiola, the presumed winner of the presidential election, declared himself President, and was promptly arrested and charged for treason. Protests and strikes continue all over the country, but especially in the West, demanding the acceptance of the June 12th election. Who was behind the cancellation of June 12th, and what were the real reasons? In most of the political crises in Nigeria since independence Islam was a key factor, as I have written about elsewhere. What was the position of the Muslim community in this crisis?
Here we find a surprising situation. Unlike previous political issues, such as the establishment of Sharî`a courts, where Islam had practically one public voice with few dissenters and the nation seemed divided between Muslims and non-Muslims, in this crisis Islam is not the dividing line. One would almost be tempted to say that the crisis is ethnic, social, economic or anything else, but not religious. Yet constant references to the power of the "caliphate" point to a strong religious dimension to the crisis, even though the "caliphate" may command few Muslim supporters.
The basic reason why the crisis did not divide Nigeria along religious lines is that both presidential candidates were Muslims. Before the elections Christians were much concerned that manipulations from on high should not impose another Muslim president on them, and it was alleged that much money from foreign Muslim governments went to assure that both parties put up Muslim candidates. Tofa symbolized the Hausa north and was the favorite of Babangida (and his backers), whereas Abiola was a Yoruba businessman who made a fortune especially on questionable deals with A. T. & T. He avidly sought every possible title that Yoruba traditional chiefs could confer, and went out of his way to champion the cause of establishing Sharî`a courts in all the southern states. Nonetheless, his utterances about Sharî`a courts, for instance saying that they are optional not only for Christians but also for Muslims, show that he really did not understand what Sharî`a is all about. He was first and foremost a Yoruba, whose business success enabled him to be the generous patron of any popular cause, including Christian church launchings.
Tofa picked an Igbo Christian as a running mate. In the vice-presidential debate before the election this man assured the Christians that he would represent their interests in the government. Abiola, on the other hand, had Kingigbe, a Muslim, as a running mate. Kingigbe protested that he would be in government to represent all Nigerians evenhandedly, without discriminating on the basis of religion. The Christian electorate concluded that Tofa's Christian running mate would be a stooge to carry out fanatical Muslim designs, while their best chance would be with the Abiola ticket. As it turned out, Abiola not only won most of the Christian vote but also most of the Muslim north, including Tofa's home state of Kano.