In the aftermath of the 2015 general election, it was
expected that the victorious All Progressive Congress (APC) will use its supposed magic wand to build castles in the air for Nigerians overnight
but this was not to be as the APC Change mantra was one of deception and
deceit.
As the February 2019 General Election draws closer, one can
only reflect on the historical events that characterized the election of 2015;
the intrigues, highlights, tears, joy… It should be noted that the 2015 general
election ended with laudable encomium from Nigerians and the international
community as one of the most keenly contested election in the history of Nigeria
with the opposition All Progressive Congress Candidate winning by slim margin.
It was termed free and fair in some quarters while in other quarters, it was
termed rigged and a gang up against the sitting president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan.
In the end, everyone welcomed the outcome of the 2015
general election as for the first time in the history of the country; a sitting
president conceded defeat and congratulated the opposition party’s candidate.
This was the highlight of the 2015 general election as it has never happened
that a sitting president would lose an election and even went ahead to
congratulate the opposition candidate.
One must not forget that the opposition political party; the
All Progressive Congress (APC) came on board via a mantra known as ‘’Change’’. Their success at the 2015 polls can be attributed
to the great coalition of some major and minor political parties such as All
Nigerian Peoples Party (ANPP), Congress for Progressive Change (CPC), Action
Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a breakaway faction of the then ruling party the
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) et al.
The politics of the 2015 general election which saw the
opposition political party the All Progressive Congress (APC) victorious can be
termed as the politics of CHANGE ably influenced by big deflection and cross
carpeting from the ruling PDP to the APC of some political big wigs such as
Atiku Abubakar, Bukola Saraki, Musa Kwankwaso, Dino Melaye, Aminu Tambuwal,
Samuel Ortom, et al. This big deflection tilted the balance of power principle
in favour of the All Progressive Congress (APC) which ultimately culminated in the
2015 general election victory for the APC.
Also of importance is the Olusegun Obasanjo factor which
worked in favour of the All Progressive Congress after he endorsed Gen. Muhammadu
Buhari who was the then flag bearer for the opposition political party the APC
for the 2015 general election.
The influence of the breakaway faction of the Peoples
Democratic Party which also comprises Atiku cannot be overemphasized in that
this breakaway and ultimate deflection to the APC in 2014 tilted the political
balance of power in favour of the APC and which in the end played a pivotal
role in ensuring victory for Buhari and the All Progressive Congress.
In the aftermath of the 2015 general election, it was
expected that the victorious All Progressive Congress (APC) will take over
power and use its magic wand to build castles in the air for Nigerians overnight
but this was not to be as the APC Change mantra was one of deception and
deceit. It will be recalled that one of the promises in the manifesto of the
All Progressive Congress (APC) to the youths and unemployed in the country was
the payment of Five Thousand Naira to all but this was not to be as
the minister of information Lai Mohammed openly denied such promise by saying
that ’’
The president did not promise such and that Nigerians should be aware that such
promise was made by the party and not the president- therefore, the party’s
manifesto is different from that of the president’’. Well, to the best of my knowledge, a party's manifesto is same as that of its candidate. It follows therefore that the All Progressive Congress had a deceptive manifesto right from the beginning.
One of the mistakes Nigerians made in the run up to the 2015
election was not asking properly what kind of CHANGE the All Progressive Congress (APC) was bringing to the
table.
In 2015, I guess so many people in the country craved for a positive change and
not negative but few years on, it is crystal clear that the APC mantra of Change
is one of deception and deceit. For example, between 2015 till date, it is more difficult for a common man to have a single meal a day not to talk of having two square meals daily.
The office of the First Lady which was in quote ‘’scrapped’’
was in the real sense of it not scrapped as the first lady still enjoys the
luxury enjoyed by all other past first lady.
Nigeria and Nigerians are poorer than they were in 2015.
The exchange rate of Naira to the Dollar has gone up tremendously
from 197 naira in 2015 to 360 naira in 2018.
The price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) rose to 145 naira
per liter from 87 naira
in 2015.
Nigerians are more divided along ethnic and religious lines
compared to 2015 as a result of Buhari’s one sided political appointments into
executive and ministerial offices.
Insecurity has taken a total different dimension as innocent
Nigerians are slaughtered on a daily basis by Boko haram and a new breed of
terrorist known as Herdsmen and which Buhari himself has refused to declare them
as terrorist.
Farmers and Herders clash is a daily occurrence as this has
taken a toll on the safety of farmers and herders alike in the country.
Hijack of the executive by some cabals; it will be recalled
that on the order to suspend Buhari’s Secretary to the government of the
Federation ‘’ Babachir Lawal’’ from his position and having been accosted
by various journalist to hear his take on his suspension he asked ‘’Who
is the Presidency’’? This is an affirmation of such hijack. It will
also be recalled that the wife of the president has openly attested to this
fact holding that his husband is no longer ruling the country and that it has
been hijacked.
The fight against corruption has suddenly become a tool for
witch hunt of all opposition parties’ members as members of his party enjoys
immunity from investigation and prosecution. In the words of a political
analyst, ‘’ How can someone say he is fighting corruption when he came to power
on the back of corruption. He said he had no money to contest yet his sponsors
where all well-known corrupt individuals…This is laughable though’’.
The failure of the All Progressive Congress (APC) to deliver
on their manifesto since 2015 will ultimately lead to their downfall in the
2019 general election with so many Nigerians dissatisfied with their failed system
of governance in providing basic amenities for the masses, lack of a focus in
governance, disregard for the rule of law, poverty and hunger in the country.
As God will have it, a rejuvenated, more focused and united
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has succeeded in having one of the best, free,
fair, credible and transparent political party’s primaries as a preparation to
take over power in 2019. The party’s primary for the presidential ticket was
keenly contested by different political heavy weights such as; Atiku Abubakar,
Bukola Saraki, Datti Baba Ahmed, Sule Lamido, Ibrahim Dakwanbo, Aminu Tambuwal,
Ahmed Makarfi, David Mark, Jonah Jang, Tanimu Turaki, Rabiu Kwankwaso, Attahiru
Bafarawa.
Many analyst had previously opined that for PDP to come out
victorious in the 2019 polls, it needs a candidate with vast knowledge of and
has a solution to the political, economic, socio cultural problems bedeviling
the country, one who is detribalized and has general acceptability across the
strata of the geo political zones of the country. Hence the party’s choice of Atiku Abubakar; popularly known as mr. jobs
and employment.
Since his victory in the party’s presidential primaries,
Atiku Abubakar has been endorsed by some high profile Nigerians including the
former president Olusegun Obasanjo.
The choice of Atiku Abubakar as the presidential candidate
of the Peoples Democratic Party came in handy as Nigerians clamour for a change
of the APC led federal government in the forthcoming 2019 general election. His
policy statement is simple and self-explanatory; he has created a 94-paged policy document to reposition
Nigeria and get the country working again. The opening paragraphs of the
document read as follows: ‘’ Whilst the
elites live pampered lives, the vast majority of the population is trapped in
poverty and underdevelopment. The middle class has crumbled under the weight of
a rent –seeking economic environment. Few can hope for a decent education;
there is not enough jobs; infrastructure and public services are inadequate
while basic social security has no real meaning. Too many Nigerians live in
fear of violent crimes, communal clashes and savage acts of terrorism. Most
feel betrayed by the very Institutions
that were set up to serve and protect them and by corrupt and self-serving
politicians.
Indifferent, ill equipped and often
brutal security forces and a weak legal and judicial system fuel public
distrust of the state and feed into the widely held belief that institutions
don’t matter. This must CHANGE!’’.
He went further
to indicate that ‘’ I believe that oil is not Nigeria’s biggest asset, Nigerians are’’.
Atiku’s policy
statements to get Nigeria working again has set the ball rolling for the provision
of basic amenities for the common man, Restructuring, Economic diversification,
Agriculture, Jobs Creation, Security, Education, Infrastructure, Power, works
and housing, Youth inclusiveness in governance etc.
All these
are not empty promises as he has been tasted and trusted. His running mate Peter
Obi is also a meticulous and astute personality who has shown diligence in
managing the affairs of Anambra state for eight years. His economic experience
will be needed to salvage the country from the current economic mess.
Without
doubt, Atiku Abubakar will be Nigeria’s president come February 2019. He can get Nigeria working again.
