Column: Nigerian Politics Hope and Despair

Nigerian Politics, Hope and Despair 

It's no more eccentric looking at the stake in which the country is derailing in all sectors ranging from insecurity, politics, economy, and national interest; and the retrogression that the  country is recording, day after day, yet, those running its affairs are concerned with what they zip off in the long run unpatriotically.

There is no need for further elaboration when we say the mother-Nigerian citizens who love her by mere words of mouth supersede the diehard patriotic citizens which stenches and plunges the country to what it's today, this goes with Yoruba adage that says, a house that still breathes in tranquility definitely, its bastard has not grown up.

With the scarcity of who to vote and who will wipe the tears of Nigerian that are facing the hardship at the bottom line, the political parties are now safe havens for any politician who projects the losing ahead, or is being chased by EFCC, a testimony from the former APC national chairman Adams Oshiomhole that says "once you join APC all your sins are forgiven" was not a fantasy. 

With this spread-promise on a mat, of course any individual who is running for his life with loads of charges and allegations will find a space on that mat to stick on. The names of beneficiaries of this corruption amnesty are countless and of course Femi Fani Kayode is the latest in the folk. One with God is majority they say, now one with the ruling party is majority as well. One begins to ask, what is his relevance in the party looking at his capacity ? Why then did he go straight to the national body to defect whereas becoming a party member starts from the grassroot ?   

The incumbent Zamfara state governor, who was lucky enough to attain the seat in the favour of judgement passed on the opposition party, managed to scale through when all the seats in the state were dissolved, now in a second term bid, he swept upfront, defected to the ruling party for a smooth ride to 2023.

When APC was formed in 2013, it put forth its three main agendas: To Revive the Economy, War against Corruption and Insecurity. Today, it worth slumping when addressing the audience to hear that the man who is in court facing charges and allegations on misappropriation of money worth billions of Naira has joined the ruling party which forgives all the sins committed no matter their magnitude.

The politics of ideology like that of Awolowo and Aminu Kano is not in existence today. With the current defection of politician like a flying eagle from one political party to the other, there should be a limit to which people can defect to bridge the trust deficit, granting the INEC power to oversee the defection opportunities and shortening the number of political parties to barely minimum; and having a law to state that a new member in the party is not allowed to contest until he stays in the party for at least 5 years or less. An individual should have only two opportunities to defect a party in his lifetime, making it three parties, by and large, the spirit of politics of ideology would be instill or at least will close the vicious door for the crooks to be manipulating the populace, the interest of thousand of people supersedes the individual interest and the right of association should be revised, particularly, political associations.     

All in a bid to the 2023 general election this came to being. With the lucrativity in the politics as industry and the flamboyant lifestyle adopted, no Nigerian politician would afford staying behind the door for a couple of years out of the centre table, else will turn to a hungery hyner. However, to remove the capillary of huge shares attached to the political offices may be difficult but is no doubt a way forward to the promise land as quoted by all politician when campaigning.

The trust which the people have for the party in the last 6 years has crippled, with the surge in the insecurity, inflation and hikes, and corruption charges even on the people in government. In spite of this, the few remaining supporters of the APC who termed themselves as "Buharists" virtually support him blindly, and now here is a man who abused, spitted venom and called him all sort of names against his person, vowing not to join the same train with him, has defected and was accepted with open palms, this dented the image of the party and evicts the iota of hope from the heart of remaining followers. We are going to a general election with a mono-electoral-race.

What then is the hope for a country that is going to an election with the 75% politicians involved assembling themselves in one party ? The ball is now at the electorates' coat to decide who is who among the politicians, who is resolute to stand selfless and courageous carrying Nigerians along to a higher height. For, brazenly, incessant defection is devoid of any sincerity and national interest, the politics of ideology is what should be rooted in the heart of any citizen perhaps the hope will reignite again.

Ahmad Murtala

Writes From Gombe State, the heart of North East.

Ahmadmurtala43@gmail.com

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