The political responsibilities of dishing out dividends of the democracy is a constitutional duty of every Government in power without prejudice. The essence of ruling over the political, economic, social affairs of a given territory is for the provision of basic necessities meant to comely upgrade the lives of constituents.
The electorate is the deciding force of who climbs to the corridors, where the dexterity of political powers are exercised through proper value adding representations. It is expedient of everyone who communes with political offices to give back to the root from where he/she was pushed up.
The configuration of Nigerian political terrain compels of everyone with ambitions to first identify his or her ward with registration, also joining a political party with a card. It therefore means, you must be recognized from the root of Local politics within your environs before attempting to develop wings in the area.
Now, the central thesis of the ideology of being a member of a political party before attempting to vie for an office is a conventionally accepted modus operandi. Within our Dear country, the psychological status quo being carried about party politics is chronically wrong. The first political party formed in Nigeria was Nigerian National Democratic [Party (NNDP) in 1923 by Herbert Macaulay to take advantage of the new Clifford Constitution, which succeeded the 1914 Nigerian Council.
Changes continued with new ideologies to politics till 2011 when Nigeria had a tsunamic acceptability of new political party coined “Congress for Progressive Change” (CPC). The party was meant to pull out the then president, (Goodluck Jonathan) out of power with the excuses of prevalent corruption, nepotism, high-handedness and lopsided appointments.
PDP’s Jonathan won the election and continued with his administration till he lost the 2015 Presidential to the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the emergence of Gen. Muhammadu Buhari Rtrd. as President of Federal Republic of Nigeria. The change mantra was inbuilt into the party’s manifesto tagged, “Our Vision for a New Nigeria”.
In the current second tenure of President Muhammadu Buhari which is a year plus, elements of corruption which were accused of during the times of Goodluck Jonathan have been noticed as well. Sept 30th 2019, Sahara reporters published a news of Vice President Osinbajo’s involvement in a 90Billion Presidential election deal which later went into extinction, you can hardly tell if it’s truthful or not.
October 14th 2018, the incumbent Governor of Kano State was reported by Premium Times to have collected raps of dollars in a viral video. The video which was verified by Premium Times Graphics experts proved that the accused received over $230 000 as bribe for public contracts award. Let’s not forget, he’s a core ardent of the ruling party.
The last straw that broke the camel’s back was the arrest and detainment of an anti graft agency’s Boss, Magu of the EFCC. It was reported the Attorney General of the Federation laid some concrete charges against him, they include;
• Insubordination to the Office of the AGF• Alleged ‘relooting of recovered loots’ and Sale of seized assets to cronies, associates and friends
• Alleged favouritism towards selected EFCC investigators called
• Alleged discrepancies in the reconciliation records of the EFCC and the Federal Ministry of Finance on recovered funds
• Not respecting court order to unfreeze a N7b judgment in favour of a former executive director of a bank
The aforementioned charges against the former EFCC Boss is the first of its kind since the inception of President Buhari ‘s administration as there’s no record of any past overseer of the Anti-graft agency with such story.
Another shocking news was the revelation by the new EFCC Boss through the finding of a corruption file belonging to APC’s former Chairman, Adams Oshiomole found during a raid at Magu’s residential home. This is gives an eye opener to the porous and vulnerable nature of Nigeria’s financial coffers when juicy portfolios occupants in an administration turn kleptomaniacs.
On the 11th of July 2020 as reported by Premium Times, former acting managing director of the interim committee of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), Mrs. Joy Nunieh accused the Minister of Niger Delta of fraudulent activities in the commission. Well, if there be tangible proves of such allegations or not, a synopsis of believing the former Boss can be accurately put up. Don’t forget, Mr. Akpabio was a former PDP man who joined the APC.
What about Allision Madueke’s treachery of corrupt moves while in former President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration? Three Months back, an attempt towards extraditing her from Dominica Republic failed , her history of illegal Governmental transactions are enormous. June 27th 2019, the Minister for Information and Culture, Laid Muhammed was accused of 2.5Billion Digital Switch Over deal with the National Broadcasting Commission as unveiled by ICPC through Premium Times.
It’s pivotal to note that each of the corruption cases mentioned above aren’t attached to the institution of a political party, rather, it dwells more on individuals who vehemently avoid the right paths to thread. Malfeasance has its root in a psychological stature that deviates from the societally approved modus operandi of Governmental and due processes, this is because the desire to get rich quick is a major drive of every single Nigerian who gets opportune to climb up the pedestal of powers.
Party ideologies are far from the reasons for which financial crimes are committed by people on daily basis, they all upsurge from an unquenchable hunger for more money, fame, wealth and influence. Deciding to change figures on a payroll isn’t a crime that can be generalized by calling in other innocent people outside the place of action neither will siphoning public money from the treasury of our common patrimony for personal use be attached to a political party. It’s an Individually intended adventure.
For Nigeria to become better by taking up a new political leaf, there’s need for the rejigging and re-sensitization the entire teeming populace about the need for a change in the perception of what politics entails. A gaze at only what one can gain from Government is a foundational error towards emerging in outstanding balance of “Government of the people by the people and for the people“.
In times where corrupt officers are caught red handed with tangible proves of actions, the media should put more effort in making the people understand that a culprit stands alone, separate from the party he or she belongs. The need for re-engineering of our political perception of public office holders inventories is sacrosanct.
Also, the rewards in form remuneration for political office holders need to be reviewed for downward adjustments because no one wants to waste resources to get to positions without juicy and attractive incomes. Pocketing public funds in the name of being a politician creates a psychology of “when i get there, i will steal more” in the minds of constituents among whom are upcoming politics inclined fellows.
I call for the cancellation of all divisions that have secluded parts of the Nation from one another. Geo-political zones as recognized by the 1999 Constitution should be cancelled and campaign for a new single name called Nigeria should be embarked on. Let’s have a truthful, strong, prosperous and united “ONE NIGERIA”. Division causes strife, hatred and intolerance.
I propose a non party system of elections where the advent of contestants is premised on the absence of political parties, this demands the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to wipe out all political parties in an election with a review of the constitutional laws guiding it. There should be a public exposure of everyone in an election and credibility from their antecedents in previously held offices should be the bane upon which victories should be recorded. Party politics, defections, strong enclaves have failed us, lets take a new dimension to Nigeria’s political life by effecting the ideas of this article’s author.
God bless Nigeria!
– Chigboja Gideon writes from Kogi State.
