If The President Were To Win……

Since my last blog on the politics of Nigeria, I have had to shift sides severally. The attempt to align with the most progressive choice, the most probable to transform Nigeria in the next 4 years has been an herculean task. The recent debates have help a lot, they also haven’t helped a lot. One position remains the same though, my views on the candidacy and suitability of the incumbent President.

I have given the man the benefit of the doubt (yes it is in my right to do so, if he will lead me I have to have faith in him). I have done this by analyzing key aspects of our nationhood, our society, that a Presidency led by him will affect. I have used these metrics as a yardstick for my conclusions on his unsuitability. These are my personal opinions. Read along and see if you agree with my sentiments.

• The Economy

In all honesty, I see a worsening economic situation in Nigeria if the current President continues after May 29th. His stance on corruption is a worrying one. What with his and his party’s open embrace of a man convicted of corruption. Looking back at the Nigeria at 50 celebrations, the 10 billion naira he signed and authorized to be spent on that event is yet to be accounted for. All we have all over Abuja and the rest of the country are rogue millionaires who benefited from the largesse.  Within a few months of becoming substantive President, his government has depleted the foreign reserves, and have reversed the gains of the OBJ government in the aspect of foreign debts. Some of the borrowings have been viewed by many as a way to finance his cash-inducement driven Presidential campaign. Considering all of the horse trading and compromises he has had to make so far, there will be many people to be “settled”.  Looking at his fiscal discipline, Nigeria is in for a rough ride and a lot of things have to give. An example is my next point.

• The Energy Sector

I forsee unnecessary increases in the cost of buying petroleum products all in the name of regulating the downstream sector. Only a naive person will still believe all of that isnt done to continue to enrich the guys in government and their goons. The refineries will continue not to work, they will never work for as long as these people remain in government. Considering the fact that they and their hanger-ons have refineries in other countries or have huge interests in the shameful importation of finished petroleum products, the energy sector will remain comatose. We are in for it.

• The Electricity Issue

Nothing has changed so far, constant, or even manageable supply of electricity is still as bad as when OBJ declared a state of emergency in the sector. It will not change in a Presidency run by the incumbent. I was filled with so much hope that when he assumed power he would ride on the massive goodwill he had from Nigerians to begin to make a palpable impact in that all important sector, that he will channel his energy into it in an attempt to leave his name in gold in Nigerian folklore. He quickly joined the army of “for-mouth-only” lost the plot and swung into running for the Presidency with all his might and Nigeria’s commonwealth. Another opportunity lost.

• The Niger Delta Issue

The President is from that region of the country, and one of my reasons for remaining his supporter for as long as I did was the firm belief I had that the Niger Delta should be given a chance to produce a President with a mandate. With that there will be a real attempt to assuage the anger of that region, there will be a honest and determined move to correct the injustice done to the people and begin to make them reap the dividends of being the chickens that lay the golden eggs.

But since he assumed the position of substantive President, nothing has changed. Not even a single celebrated move to show that he is affecting the lives of his kinsmen in that region. What can he and his cronies point to that they have done for the Niger Delta?  If he hasn’t used the short time he has had as President to do something (knowing he isnt sure of coming back)….then he isnt the messiah the people have been waiting for. It will only get worse in the creeks.

• Education

State funded University education requires our prayers if this government is returned to power. The sector has progressively gone bad. Lecturers continue to go on strike for better funding, better infrastructure and teaching tools, better pay. They only get promises and it is business as usual – the churning out of un-baked graduates, and I can tell you employers are no more confident in recruiting graduates from non-private (usually expensive and out of the reach of the common man) universities. It has gone that bad. So if his “threat” to establish a Federal University in every state is actualized I guess that will be it for that sector! Lack of wisdom and a lack of advisers who can breach that wisdom gap is inherent here. You have not funded the existing one as you should, you are creating more. What kind of wisdom is that? The President has surrounded himself with journeymen and mercenaries.

• Women Empowerment

This is the only bright spot I expect if this government is returned to power. It has shown that it is willing to give women a more participatory role in government. With the promise of giving women 35% of the cabinet, and with a proof of that capability already, women can expect to be more involved in the running of the nation. But can they in anyway force change in governance? or they will quickly fall in step just the way the likes of Josephine Aneni have done? That remains to be seen.

The elections will hold on the 9th of April, and posterity will judge us if we are right or wrong about the current Presidency. If after 4 years he proves me and others wrong, I will be the first to ask him to run again, if not we shall all suffer the consequences and hopefully be wiser and more united in our resolve and priorities as a people.

Cast your vote wisely and with your conscience.

God bless Nigeria.

March 27, 2011 | Categories: Politics | 8 Comments