Nigeria’s Economy May Be In For The Worse If Politicians Refuse To Change -By Isaac Asabor

If there is any proverb that aptly explains what Nigerian politicians are known for, it is the one that says “Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results”.

Without any iota of exaggeration, it suffices to buttress the proverb on the strength of the fact that Nigerian politicians have from one political dispensation to the other been preaching what they are not practicing, and that that has been at the core of the frustration and anger of many Nigerians.

For instance, political greed has been embodied in the body politics of the country. It is what has benefitted politicians in their persuasion of the electorates through money and primordial sentiments in order to secure their confidence and support in elections. It is also the push factor which leads some politicians to mislead the electorates in matters concerning failed promises in agreements, shortfalls in governance, the state of the economy, general accountability in state functions, and in some cases, misrepresentation of facts in the furtherance of political ambitions. This is why, regardless of unfulfilled promises by their party and party leaders, the majority of unenlightened people still follow such deceitful parties and leaders without holding them accountable.

In the pursuit of power, politicians know no bounds to the politics of deception. We have heard politicians doing things that suggest that in politics, one can say or do anything, and get away with it without made to face the consequences of his or her action. We have seen leaders saying and doing things that are unarguably undemocratic from one political dispensation to the other, yet they keep on parading themselves as democrats. We have heard leaders claimed that if provided with the opportunity, in no distant time, they will make the greatest impact of developing the country into a modern nation. Without denying the fact, it is little wonder that Nigerians have arguably been trapped by the chains of political greed. We wonder about the direction in which politics is moving in the country. The truth is that, in the opinion of this writer, that things may not get better as the leaders continue doing the same thing while in office. One of the most damaging things they have been doing while in position of power is unarguably being corrupt while in office.

Against the foregoing backdrop, it is germane to say that there are about eighteen registered political parties that would participate in the presidential election that is scheduled to be conducted in 2023. Expectedly, there will be lots of promises to canvass for votes and alliances. As usual, a majority of these promises will remain unfulfilled in the end and the people will find out that they have been deceived through political rhetoric after they would have already fallen in the chains of political greed. Therefore, voting for the wrong leaders and parties could cost us dearly.

At this juncture, it is expedient to urge the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take into account the level of ignorance of the electorates on matters that pertains to the upcoming election, and in that light embark on conducting civic education for the people to be encouraged and sensitized so that the people can understand their rights and the dynamics of politics. This is because there are so many parties that would be reaching out to them, and in the same vein be partnering with groups that cut across market women, road transport workers, civil servants among other groups that are somewhat easy to fool on who to or who not to vote for. It seems the big parties, that is the All Progressives Alliance (APC) and the People Democratic Party (PDP) are already gearing up ahead of the election.

It has been observed that the former President, Goodluck Jonathan is under the radar of both political parties, even as the recent defection of Ebonyi State governor, Dave Umahi has further rippled the somewhat political waters of Nigerian politics as not few permutations pointed to the fact that he is aspiring to become the presidential candidate of the APC by virtue of being from the South East ahead of the 2023 presidential election.

The foregoing view is further strengthened as rumor has it that the APC, PDP, and probably other parties are independently attempting to source the next presidential candidate from the South East. If this is reflective of reality, then the people should be highly enlightened to vote for the candidate that would be perceived to be more competent to deliver the country from economic quagmire rather than voting on the basis of primordial sentiment.

Strategically speaking, I believe the parties, individually with a formidable candidate, should individually fight their battles in a more democratic manner in the upcoming 2023 election, and not resorting to doing the same thing at each political dispensation. My deepest concern about Nigerian politics is the existing inclination towards tribal and regional politics. However, with strong articulation and forward-looking strategies, a party can bank on the dreams of the people to win elections.

To my view, a credible candidate that has an enviable leadership record in development to back him to electoral success should not bother about the religion, ethnic group and the party he is affiliated to. This is because Nigerians may in 2023 not be daft and ignorant any longer to be voting for the wrong candidate as they were wont to since the nation embraced democratic governance in 1999.

Given the predilection to voting the wrong president to power from 1999 to date, it would be, in my opinion, a grave political miscalculation for political parties eyeing a candidate based on his religious or tribal background to perish that thought as Nigerians can no longer continue to do same things that have been producing same retrogressive result.
At this juncture, it is expedient to opine that to move Nigeria forward into the next phase of governance, we must seek for men and women of capacity, integrity, vision and in that light exhibit sincerity in the choice of our presidential candidates rather than capitalizing on primordial sentiments.

Nigerians want to see a team in office that will deliver the utmost in service, development, and good governance.

Without any scintilla of hyperbole, Nigeria in 2023 will need a competent president; One who would be willing to listen, willing to lead, take responsibility, have a plan and do his job without always being paranoid in blaming the opposition for everything he couldn’t achieve as a president. Nigerians, in 2023, will not condone any president that would always fail at the most basic and important job expected of him as the Number one citizen of the nation. The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as Nigeria’s economy may be in for the worse if the next president remains “same of the same”. Apology to Jimi Agbaje!