Constructive criticism not jibes

TRACKING___The existence of opposition is indispensable to the functioning of parliamentary political systems, as uncensored public criticism and the threat of being thrown out of office, prevents rulers from acting with impunity.

Though it is the right of a democratically elected government to govern, it is also the duty of that government to do so in a manner that contributes to the consolidation of democracy. It is against this backdrop that the opposition’s main role is to question the government of the day and hold it accountable to the public.

Another major role is proposing alternatives to what the government is doing, so that the public gets the benefit of political debate between different directions, as opposition is not just about disagreeing with the government.

However, there are occasions that the oppositions agree with the government. This tend to be when it is simply in the wider public interest that a problem is fixed as well as when the solution the government is proposing has wide support and is hard to disagree with.

Regrettably, this has not been the case in Nigeria. Instead of holding the government accountable and serving as alternative platforms, most members of opposition parties chase after political offices. Much noise would be made to rubbish and paint the party in power in bad light, but immediately an opportunity is opened, they grab it.

While it is a general belief that no government could be long secured without a formidable opposition, some political analysts are however of the view that the opposition parties are equally guilty of the various misdeeds which they accuse the ruling party of.

To these analysts, apart from constant throwing of jibes at the ruling party, the opposition should at all times, bring to the fore, those programmes that government are supposed to embark on, which either by omission or commission, it has left undone. Criticisms should be constructive, positive and always seek to point to those in the saddle of government the way things ought to be done.

It was also suggested that the opposition parties should strengthen their respective houses and provide alternative platforms to the people during elections rather than unnecessary antagonism.

To those who hold this view the people cannot afford to wait for the time when members of the opposition will shun party lines and constructively criticise the government of the day in order to bring out its best for the good of all.