No one has ever been taken for a ride like the Nigerian populace, whose politicians treat like orphans. We have moved beyond being a corrupt country to a mediocre country with no accountability whatsoever.
2023 is an election year, and we are abashed with declarations of intentions to be the next president from politicians exercising their constitutional rights to vie for offices. The declarations are not the problems but the abuse of Nigerians’ sensibility in its manner and form. It seems there is no moral basis or yardstick around the corridor of our leadership. How would it be, since we never develop any leadership enlistment culture? It is a game of the cabals with no guarantee for the best candidates to emerge but the selected stooge based on a consensus that is always not in the interest of the masses.
Our public institutions are not strong enough to support the best of intentions. We, therefore, need a leader who is part of them and not part of them in his resolution to make a sacrifice and cause a change in the political order
While I respect the rights of individuals to vie for political offices, some declarations have turned the race into a mockery of a sort given the entrance of people who had no records to be traced nor any hope of being selected. There must be some personal benefits that go with the title of ex-presidential aspirants. Otherwise, some people will not dare to spend their hard-earned money and energy on the frivolous process when they know they have no chance of being in the game.
The first among the declaration of suicide in no particular order is the call for Godwin Emefiele, the CBN governor, to contest for election. His propagandists claimed he was a bridge candidate, among others. I doubt whether the money spent on such comedy-oriented campaigns is from people’s productive activities or free money from the national wallet.
Those behind the campaign for Emefiele cannot claim to be unmindful of the state of our economy pre and post-Emefiele leadership. What were the naira-dollar exchange rates now and when Emefiele became the CBN governor?
Without wasting time and space, the answer will point to how unaccountable we are in Nigeria and how profound mediocrity has eaten our national fabric. Emefiele should be under investigation for lack of capacity to do his work, for underperforming, destroying value and earning income while working counterproductively to the cause he was employed to progress.
The exception is if his key performance indicators are what we see in our economy. But he has a defence. He is not solely responsible for the problem and only failed as a leader who cannot turn the tide positively in a difficult time and in an environment without solid institutions to support any good intentions.
Next is the Vice President. The man we all respect despite being the leader that shared trade money for artisans before his re-election and in an era where the CBN is clamouring for financial inclusion and the banking of the underbanked. Nelson Mandela did not contest for a second term in office for a reason.
He wanted to rest and preserve his legacy, thereby allowing another leader to lead. Osinbajo has reached a peak where his image and influence could be deployed to change things that limited his achievements as the vice-president of Nigeria for eight years.
I would have preferred an Osinbajo that can use his integrity (not performance integrity) as an ex-VP to influence the demolition of the conspiracies and lack of institutions in Nigeria, advance democratic values rather than joining the race none of them can win.
The only leader that can win in Nigeria emerges after the cabals are no longer potent to dictate for us. Even if Osinbajo is elected, he cannot perform to meet the expectations of our people. The cabal that worked against him as the acting president will forever hold him to ransom if he ever emerged as the president. Osinbajo’s declaration to run and continue the legacy of Buhari had seriously undermined the desires of Nigerians.
No reasonable Nigerian wants to continue the legacy of failed promises, insecurity and all the change that were never delivered in eight years. On that note, Pastor VP, we would have preferred you to serve in another capacity. You cannot change what you haven’t changed in eight years in the corridor of power as the VP, even with hundred years of opportunity.
Osinbajo is not the beautiful one that is not yet born. Osinbajo’s declaration is a personal suicide declaration against a legacy he could have protected and used positively for Nigeria.
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Our public institutions are not strong enough to support the best of intentions. We, therefore, need a leader who is part of them and not part of them in his resolution to make a sacrifice and cause a change in the political order. We need a leader who sees beyond what divides us.
We need a true Nigerian who can demolish principalities and implement policies to uplift Nigerians. If Buhari is crawling to fight corruption and insurgency, what chances do Osinbajo have? No chance except to continue in the legacy of Buhari.
Next is Mr. ex-president Jonathan who once took a humble path, averted criticism and investigations. He is now the messiah for some people and thanks to the situation at hand. In the land of the blind, a man with an eye is the king. The return of Jonathan will be good for a jocular reason.
We will have the fun and laughs of having aunty Patience in the office again. We have missed her comedy skill like ‘na only you waka come’, among others. However, emirs and people clamouring for Jonathan’s return are not friends of Nigeria. They want a clueless leader and the opportunity to be prosperous again.
The complexities of current Nigeria’s problems are beyond Jonathan’s known and unknown capacity and the summation of his past advisers’ mental capabilities. Abeg, leave oga Goodluck to enjoy his luck but not with the wahala of the presidency.
Nigeria is fast becoming a nation of comedy with its electioneering process. We will soon be seeing politicians eating corn and plantain on the streets. We will be seeing politicians visiting orphanages, carrying babies and dancing to appease the electorates.
We will witness a change mantra that goes not more beyond the jingles. Above all, we won’t be surprised with the entrance of Joshua Dariye and Jolly Nyame into the political races, either as senators or even for the presidency.
After all, they have been pardoned to reduce the prison space for people who have no influence and who are not worthy of pardon because they were not politicians.
Nigeria will survive all these suicidal declarations one day, amen.
