By EZEMENARI CHRIS
It was pr
ime minister, Lee kuan Yew who said that “we need good people to bring about good governance” which is why our leaders must know the fundamental rudiments of leadership rather than asking the electorates to cast their votes for them when they cannot deliver their campaign promises. Unfortunately, we dwell in a country where irrational behaviours and unsubstantiated vituperations are the order of the day. Where the presidency will claimed that he is not aware of arraignment of chief justice of the country, where a national chairman of a ruling political party will say “if you join APC, your sins will be forgiven”. Oshiomhole stated this on 17th January, 2019 at APC presidential rally in Edo state. So many Nigerians are of the speculation that he has directly confirmed that the APC is sanctuary of treasury looters and that president Buhari’s fight against corruption is mere racketeering.
In any case, the general election is just weeks away from now and contestants jostling for different positions have lobbied their way to become flag bearers of the various political parties. One thing is certain someone must definitely emerge. The stake is high and every voter has a part to play at this time. As we have entered the month of general election, the choice of who governs us should be of utmost importance rather than who gives more money. We normally ask numerous and different questions when we want to get married but fail to ask pertinent Questions about political aspirants before going to the poll.
We need radical wisdom to transform our nation. Those we call our leaders use the electorates to their own advantage knowing fully well that the nation is plunged into adverse poverty, wanton killings etc. In the words of Martin Luther, to go against conscience is neither right nor safe. Nigeria has passed through political tsunami in the last three and half years despite the fact that the ruling party claimed that they are fighting corruption and recovering looted funds without naming any infrastructure built \constructed with looted funds.
Since independence, most Nigeria government have not been able to translate the national wealth into meaningful developmental activities in the life of her citizens. We claim to be the richest in terms of natural resource but our people continue to live in abject poverty and aspire to remain that way by casting their votes for this same group of people who care less about them, the same individual who stated that Nigerian youths are lazy, the same cabals who is not aware about invasion of National Assembly on August, 2018.
It must be noted that any government by whatever mode that fails to reduce poverty substantially in any given polity suffers a possible black lash from the people. There is always a certain correlation between indiscipline, crime, hunger, and poverty. So our president, we give it to you that there is obviously a new face to our national government, too many things are changing hopefully, positively but the masses are hungry. The governing party should be mindful of the fire after pan. There is hunger in the land .Hunger breeds urban jungles, deviants of all hues, anti- life apostles, stealing of female pants by yahoo guys etc. That was the situation in Anambra state after the electoral robbery of 2003 but Peter Obi came, saw and conquered. He refused to accept the electoral heist and proceeded to court during which period he rebuffed attempts by stakeholders, traditional rulers and even a section of the church to accept his fate and allow the man declared by INEC to remain. The political juggernaut continue in the struggle and became first person in Nigeria to unseat a sitting Governor through judiciary and recorded giant strides in Anambra state. If he did it for Anambrians ,he will do it for Nigerians.
Nigeria at this point need a group of leaders, thinkers and acts as a pressure point and voice of reasoning. We must be ready willing to change the change and see the change .There must be willingness to leave the past and move into the future. I can only hope that Nigerians will exercise their franchise come February 16th, 2019. I also hope that we truly understand that power lies in our hands .Let us not be hopeless about the Nigeria situation and think that our votes do not matter. Let us not assume that because of power of incumbency, Buhari will remain on seat even though he has not added value to the lives of Nigerians since he came to power. It is said that to whom much is given, much more is expected. A lot of Nigerians gave Buhari their votes in 2015 and entrusted their utmost confidence in him, all for nothing. When Hon Amaechi was jeered and booed at Osasu Symposium, the anchor of Osasu show at NAF conference Centre Abuja in November,2018, I tweeted that this might soon be the norm , Osibanjo went and tried himself at live Debate and was booed. Behold President Buhari during presentation of 2019 Budget thought the hollow space of the joint session of National Assembly would save him but there is no hiding place for failure. He was whisked away by his security operatives when Nigeria lawmakers promptly countered his many lies during the ceremony.
As Nigerians begin to agitate for replacement of rapacious politicians with a breed of selfless leaders who will not tamper with public funds and who will see their mission as a desire to serve in the truth sense of the word if APC led Administration would pass litmus test of conducting free, fair and transparent general election not a replicate of what happened in Osun and Ekiti states on September and July, 2018 respectively. INEC as an umpire should know that a lizard that stop his father’s funeral will carry the corpse on his head because uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. It is not calling oneself superior that matters but working hard as a superior.
We cannot say it is better to stick with devil we know than sail with the angel we don’t know because we know both APC and PDP. Nigerians cannot aim for sky scrapers when we cannot maintain simple toilet. It is not enough to sit as it unfolds; we must take active part in deciding our fate as a nation and people. Let us educate and enlighten the voters on what is actually going on between major contenders (APC and PDP). Let us devote our times and conscience in voting a credible personality who must not fail to liberate this nation from the shackles of political deceptions, intimidations and hunger. Remember that John Lock believed that the state exists for the people and not the people for the state .Catholic Bishop of Awka Diocese, Most Rev.Dr Paulinus Ezeokafor in his new message call on Nigerians to issue Red Cards to Bad leaders. The Bishop said, the response Jesus gave to the Pharisees who were devoted to testing him,” Give to Caesar what is caesar’s and to God, what is God’s is a call to both civic and religious responsibilities. The Catholic Prelate believed that a Christian has the privilege of dual citizenship, a citizen of the church and that of the state (Fides Newspaper 13-18 January, 2019). Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo also in his recent letter to President Buhari titled ‘POINTS FOR CONCERN AND ACTION” Stated that Nigerians have been fooled and cannot be fool again. If we don’t get it right this time, then our nation is irredeemable.
