Connect with us

Democracy & Governance

2019 Presidency: The Fight Between the Young and Old Generation Politicians -By Muhammad Yahaya Abubakar

Published

on

shugaba e1537592074477

It was just a few days ahead of the country’s general election when Nigerians will be electing its 6th president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the second republic. But the question here is that, who are you voting for? Why are you voting for him? You will also need to ask yourself why is it not the other candidates.

There is no denying that as it stands today, Nigeria’s democracy is at stake because the generation of politicians Nigeria was reaping today was no where close to being satisfactory especially the pretty old politicians of today’s era, by pretty old I mean the incumbent president and the candidate of the major opposition party.

If we look closely to assess Muhammadu Buhari and Atiku Abubakar, you will get to know that;
Buhari have been in the Nigerian Presidential race for good three times during which he switches from one party to another Viz APP, ANPP, CPC and the APC in search of a platform to realize his ambition of becoming the president since 2003 until 2015 when he narrowly get to win over the then president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan through the forces of merger of CPC, ACN, ANPP and some faction of APGA that gave birth to the almighty APC of today.

Advertisement

Yahaya Muhammad Abubakar

Before 2015 Buhari have ruled over Nigeria as a military head of state that served alongside his then deputy Idiagbon. As many believes Buhari to be incorruptible and a man truth who have recorded a lot of success during his regime for fighting corruption through his “war against indiscipline”. But his success in the administration and other remarkable achievements recorded many believes it to be the work of his second in command that is Idiagbon. Some said Idiagbon and Buhari sometimes spend days without a friendly talk between them simply because of disagreement they had on an issue which on the long run Buhari usually concede to Idiagbon that he was right and his ideas was the best way of tackling the issue. This is how their administration last but being that Buhari was the number one in command so most of the success of the administration was recorded to him instead of Idiagbon which was believed to be the brain behind the success.

If we also look at the 2015 Buhari’s administration, a lot of people were on the belief that without the brain of Professor Osinbajo in the administration a lot will have never being achieve. So basically Buhari was believed to be hiding behind the masks of his second in both administrations although, he was incorruptible with clean track record.

Advertisement

If we look at Atiku Abubakar on the other side, he have also like Buhari being in the Nigeria’s Presidential race for four times since 1993 during which he have also switches from one political party to another in search of a platform to realize his ambition as well. He have been in SDP, PDP, ACN, APC and now back to PDP.

Until 1999 when he was elected as the governor of the then Gongola state before rising to the position of Vice president alongside his boss Chief Olusegun Obasanjo. They have recorded a lot of success in their own way during their time as well, but many believes Atiku was the brain behind some of the achievements. Some says he have even outshines his boss and that was what makes the two had though time getting along towards the end of their administration. It was also believe that Atiku was behind the counter plan that stopped the grave plans of Obasanjo’s third term ambition. However Atiku have been the subject of alleged corruption cases by his his master, Obasanjo and the USA as prescribed in “KEEPING FOREIGN CORRUPTION OUT OF THE UNITED STATES: FOUR CASE HISTORIES, MAJORITY AND MINORITY STAFF REPORT, PERMANENT SUBCOMMITTEE ON INVESTIGATIONS; February, 2010” although until date he have not been prove guilty of the said offences before any court of law. But this however left a tragic black paint that masked his political career in the eyes of many Nigerians as a corrupt.

So if you look at those scenarios both Atiku and Buhari have recorded some success in their own way but have their pretty bad ups and downs. It also crosses my mind that during the good old days of 60s, 70s and 80s are those two there as the leaders? Have the leaders of those days live to date? Will Buhari and Atiku live on forever? Will there not be Nigeria and Nigerians when Atiku and Buhari are gone?

Advertisement

Nigeria will of course live even after Atiku and Buhari, we need to embrace that fact. Just as when Atiku and Buhari hold their first position of authority in their younger age while the pretty old of those days were still there then but decided to take a break and leave the court for the young, we had those younger generation of politicians today who are hot blooded and were ready to take the challenge. As it stands Buhari and Atiku ought to have been couching some new Awolowo, Sardauna, T/Balewa, Aminu Kano and some Azikwe not to be battling them.

We had young educated, agile and patriotic Nigerians with good and clean track record in their respective professions that have stand out among the odd to bid for the Presidency. Those people need to be adore and backed as well, if not by all but by the fellow young demographic. People like Fela, Kingsley Mongulu of YPP, Sowore, Ahmed Buhari, and the likes of Tope Fasua of ANRP who was a renowned financial expert with vast knowledge that will take Nigeria to a much greater height.

Buhari and Atiku might be two different entities but have something in common and that’s both are too ambiguous and if those two are the only option Nigeria have in the 2019 election then Nigeria is in great trouble.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Continue Reading
Advertisement
Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Facebook

Trending Articles