Let us not pretend about it, Nigeria’s politics is not driven by ideology or any high minded thinking. As most of us would admit, it is fuelled largely by ethnic, religious and regional sentiments, in that order. But it is now becoming increasingly direct integrity attack and religious, especially at the national level and with particular reference to the presidential election.
The use of vulgar language and fists to settle political differences by politicians at all levels of government in Nigeria does not only warn of serious repercussions on the already fragile peace in the country, but it also erodes the already minute public respect the politicians enjoy. Whenever you insult those that defect from your party by calling them political prostitutes,how then would you brand those that defect fromthe other political parties to yours?This seems to play out like a royal rumble.
However, it is particularly becoming phenomenal in Nigeria, where no meeting, conference or gathering no matter who are in attendance, is considered too important to be turned into a wrestling arena where the wrestlers are as luck would have it “honourable” law-makers and “distinguished” legislators, former president to serving president.
Contrast Malam Aminu Kano with Alhaji Waziri Ibrahim (remember politics without bitterness?).
Ibrahim was every bit a principled man, and wealthy; but Aminu Kano was by far a better politician. That, at least, was partly why in 1979, Waziri Ibrahim, in spite of siring the NPP and GNPP shrunk to only Gongola and Borno States, while Malam, with his meager resources won in Kano and Kaduna. It didn’t matter to Malam what political philosophy one held dear, he won the hearts of moderates, independents and conservatives. While Malam’s disciples are all over the place, there is not a single soul in Nigeria today playing politics without bitterness.
Is national dialogue not better than all the strife currently defacing our landscape? Remember, a series of conferences preceded our independence; crucial issues affecting each section of the country were ironed out and compromises reached. Now some people see the call for a conference as a secessionist ploy.
Conference or no conference, what Nigeria requires in 2015 and beyond is a doer, a pan-Nigerian national leader with proven integrity. We have had more than our fair share of hypocrites, kleptomaniacs and tribal demagogues. In less than two years we shall call on the real Nigerian president to stand up and be counted.
What I observe now is that what Nigerians in all parts of the country desire is a truly Nigerian president, not one beholden to a section thereof. Majority of our people cannot be bothered by the ethnic origin of their president as long as he is adjudged to be doing a good job. Yes, they will support a president of northern extraction or Ijaw tribe, or Ibibio – but he has to demonstrably be a competent Nigerian president, not an ethnic champion. Our people are tired of rotational incompetence!
On the other side of the noise is the group which wants power to return to the ‘North’. This group itself cannot boast of harbouring visionary ideals; neither has it enunciated a pan-Nigerian development agenda. All it wants is power with a northerner at the helm.
But experience has shown us that the fact that a Nigerian of northern extraction is president and commander-in-chief will not translate to life more abundant for the people of the geographical North. All the textile industries in the North which employed hundreds of thousands of people died under the watch of northern heads of state. The poor people of the North became poorer under governments led by their ‘brothers’.
One would have thought that the real issue is leadership. Is President Goodluck Jonathan giving Nigeria the kind of leadership the nation deserves? Is he a competent president? Can he take Nigeria out of the depths of pandemic corruption? Is he the right man for these times? Would an additional four years of Jonathan presidency benefit Nigeria?
If the honest answer to these questions is in the affirmative, then let Jonathan carry on. If the constitution does not bar Jonathan from contesting the 2015 elections, no one should waste time dissuading him from running again.
We should also be tolerant of a Muslim-Muslim or Christian-Christian ticket because no common Christian or Muslim in this country today that is not suffering. We will never forgive whoever uses religion to kill Nigerians in the name of politics. We have never seen where our politicians fight over loots and spoils of office.