The quest by the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, to return to power especially at the centre should be critically scrutinised given the abysmal performance of their 16 years misrule which is seen by most pundits as the dark days of Nigerian economy.
Perhaps the 2023 presidential election may have been seen to be a four race contest between four candidates running on the platforms of four political parties, the All Progressives Congress, APC, having Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as its candidate, Labour Party , LP, whose adherents are termed Obidients with its candidate Mr. Peter Obi and the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, having Senator Musa Kwankwaso as its candidate as well as the PDP with Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as its candidate.
With barely 150 days to the 2023 general elections, the pivotal questions people of unperforated conscience should ask the PDP and its presidential candidate is their pattern of handling of the nation’s economy when they held sway for 16 years despite the humongous oil sales in dollars.
All luminous indices for economic prosperity in the land were available during the 16 years reign of PDP but rather than investing the turnover gained from the oil boom, the money was frittered away by people in power or individuals with proximity to the corridors of powers right from the local government level to the center, fattening and feeding stomach of a few persons thereby leading the nation on the path to economic doom.
The 16 years of PDP reign dug an in-depth graveyard for the nation’s governance system wherein those that still believe in the PDP should ordinarily bury their heads in shame instead of asking the good people of Nigeria to vote for them in 2023. Perhaps their focal intention for coming in 2023 is to bury the little life left in our economic system.
There is simply no wisdom in putting a kleptomaniac manager in charge of the affairs of one’s sacred resource. The probable outcome is wastage, depletion and possible extinction of the resource. PDP is synonymous to waste and depletion of our economic prosperity. However, Nigeria is too sacred with a high level of inviolability to allow it being wasted under the watch of kleptomaniac managers such as we had for 16 years under the PDP. Allowing the PDP to return to power is exposing our beloved Nigeria to be deprived of economic nourishment.
One singular ripple effect of COVID-19 pandemic on global economic system is economic depression and recession. There are many countries that have not recovered from this malaise. This effect is trans-boundary. Not even some countries with striving economies escaped it. The world at large is still feeling the impact even as most nations including Nigeria are putting up measures to ameliorate its effect and possibly overcome it. There is therefore a clarion call with ultimate need for people of good conscience such as Ahmed Bola Tinubu with sound economic management prowess to man and manage the affairs of our economy come 2023 rather than allowing scandalous scavengers to destroy it.
The truth remains that, those who failed to prepare for the rainy days even when they had all it takes to do so may not be able to subdue the impact of the rain when they are finally drenched. The PDP has a porous umbrella. Its umbrella provides both discomfort and economic heat rashes. It has Holo of poverty and in it is a hole of corruption. Its umbrella is a hindrance to economic photosynthesis as it serves as a debacle to the sun rays of economic wisdom. In that umbrella is a sickle that has milked off the sweet honey of our national economy and democratic values. Such an umbrella should be folded and never allowed to be seen again in our space.
It is simple knowledge that until there is remodeling of a failed theory, attempting it may amount to gross fiasco. The PDP has failed Nigeria using empty and failed theoretically endemic concept of governance. High profile scholars such as Emir Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prof Charles Soludo and many others kept sounding warning on the dangers ahead as money was being withdrawn from the Central Banks of Nigeria just like POS centres on our street.
There were enough resources from the salesof our oil, yet our economy was lean. The profits were not felt on the economy. It was to them, a soft national cake which a few people with the knife of power had access to. The National cake was cut until there was nothing left for the bakers (Nigerian people). The same people shouldn’t be allowed access to our national bakery anymore.
As the 2023 presidential election looms large, Nigerians should be more circumspect with concerns about the management of our national economy and never again allow those who brought our national economy to the Red Sea of backwardness to now promise us a Canaan land. The same man who headed the economic team that brought us to our knees shouldn’t be rewarded with our votes.
Ohikere writes from Abuja
