Politicians, beware of ides of March

From my assessment over time I regret to state that Nigerian politicians should be counted among the most incorrigible on the African Continent, after all they have learned nothing and forgotten nothing from the recent history of our nation. Their comportment and general mien smacked of insensitivity. This has obscured their sense of reasoning mak­ing them not to properly situate their actions in sync with the mood of the na­tion. Who does not know that the times in which we live are perilous and do not deserve to be aggravated? Yet the Nige­rian politicians carry on as if all is well.

Now see how our politicians have turned politics into a very dangerous en­terprise with each struggling to outdo the other in search of political power. When will our politicians learn to be tolerable of one another’s views without recourse to violence and unnecessary vitupera­tions? Brothers, sisters, fathers, mothers, friends and associates have become sworn enemies because of politics. Some politi­cians have betrayed trusted friends and as­sociates because of politics. Where will all these animosities take us to?

Instead of working to develop our na­tion and enhance the lives of our people we politicians have spent precious time and resources chasing shadow. We have little or no time for the masses that elected us. All we have time for is our idiosyncra­sies, which often bring us in collision with the law.

I have often wondered if an average Ni­gerian politician understands what it really means to be a politician in a complex na­tion as ours. As far as he is concerned what matters to him is self. He thinks less about the welfare of the majority that voted him into power to serve them. The word ‘ser­vice’ is alien to most Nigerian politicians – it means little to them.

Ask the Nigerian politician what his vi­sion is and you will be shocked at the an­swer you will receive. His vision is noth­ing other than to gain power and wield it to the detriment of his enemies and detrac­tors.

Has anybody pondered why the Nige­rian politician has achieved little with so much at his disposal? If truly they meant well for their people why then do we have many unfulfilled dreams and uncompleted projects dotting the political space?

If politicians had lived up to 40 per cent of their election promises probably our nation would have been better developed. Wherein then lays the pragmatism that comes with politics in every decent socie­ty? Do our politicians not know they must account for every of their actions, if not today, later? Or have they forgotten that no matter the power they wield today a day will come when they will suffer from their ineptitude and non-performance.

Over the years Nigeria has earned bil­lions of dollars from oil, which ordinarily should have translated into better life for the masses. But what have we got: poverty unlimited. Our people groan in pain and abandonment, while many of us revel in debauchery and ostentation.

There is too much wickedness in this land, caused by the insensitivity and ras­cality of the political class. When shall our nation and its people breathe a fresh air of relief? When will our people be liberated from the suffocating hunger and penury that have been their lot over the years?

Travel to some states of the federation and what you see will baffle you. Did poli­ticians not preside over the affairs of these domains yet they are still undeveloped or underdeveloped? We have practised civil democracy unstoppably for nearly 16 years now yet there is nothing tangible to show for it in some states. And nobody has called anybody to account for his steward­ship.

What would make a governor who has spent eight years in office not have a robust history to write about his tenure? What would make a governor whose state has earned nearly N1trillion in eight years not beat his chest and say, “Oh, my heart make merry for I am fulfilled having served my people dutifully and transparently?”

Some politicians, especially those with enormous political powers, behave the way they like and conduct themselves in a most undignified manner. And, sadly, no­body questions them.

Where else could politicians solicit power from the masses, get it and use it against the same masses, if not in Nigeria? Tell me where else could a nation make bil­lions of dollars from oil without investing it wisely in enduring and people-oriented projects, if not in Nigeria? Where else, tell me, could a politician duly elected by the people use his position to intimidate, har­ass and, even, maim the lowly and help­less, if not in Nigeria?

I cannot stop asking questions, because of the way things are going in Nigeria. We are less than one month to the gen­eral elections and see how charged the at­mosphere has become. Politicians in their usual manner are overheating the polity, making one accusation or another against one another.

Never in the history of this country have I witnessed the kind of polemics and diatribes spewing from politicians as we have it today. They mount the podia and all that comes out of their mouths are wicked and malicious utterances. They threaten fire and brimstone if their will is not done. Read the papers and watch the televisions and you understand what I mean.

Is it in our best interest for politicians to mount the podia and threaten to set the nation ablaze if the elections were com­promised? Why should politicians use bad language on one another when they should be telling the voters what they would do for them if voted into office? I find this kind of behaviour reprehensible, rascally, irresponsible and uncouth.

There is no place in a modern, civilized country that this kind of attitude would be tolerated. Exhibiting signs of violence – whether in a verbal or action form – is enough to earn such a politician disqualifi­cation. But in Nigeria, anything goes. Peo­ple say whatever they like and get away with it.

What is a politician in a civilized so­ciety seeking the mandate of the people supposed to do while addressing them? The answer is simple: he is expected to conduct himself honourably, engage them with candour, civility and honesty, and reel out his plans for them. But the scenar­io is different in Nigeria. The average Ni­gerian politician mounts the podium with arrogant swagger and buffoonery, spends the first thirty minutes dry-cleaning his adversaries and ends up saying nothing that has direct bearing on the welfare of his listeners.

The answer to this nonchalant and lackadaisical behaviour can be located in their psyches – their mentality. The Nige­rian politician feels he does not owe the electorate any obligation. His reasoning is simple: whether the electorate votes for him or not, he will still win. From where then comes his confidence? Where else, if not rigging?

Rigging has been entrenched in our electoral system such that some people may not be able to win elections unless they rig. It gives me hope each time Presi­dent Goodluck Jonathan promises to con­duct free, fair and credible elections. He has no choice. It is to the best interest of his person and government that elections are conducted in conformity with global best practices.

There is no doubt that some politicians may have perfected their acts on how to rig the forthcoming elections. But I wish to bring them bad news: it will be difficult, if not impossible, for anybody to rig the 2015 elections. Apart from the vigilance of the voters, INEC has designed some measures to make rigging an impossible task at the polls this year. Again, the mass­es of this country are tired of the antics of garrulous and devious politicians and have vowed to vote and defend their votes.

Nigerians want a crop of politicians that has respect for human life, law and consti­tutionality. They want leaders with vision, charisma and credibility that inspire hope. They want leaders that fear God, can ex­hibit courage when it matters most, frown at evil and defend the rights of the down­trodden. They want leaders that will be ready to die for Nigeria no matter the cir­cumstances in which they find themselves. They want leaders who are detribalized and can speak with one voice to move our nation forward.

Unfortunately, we cannot have this crop of caring and affectionate leaders so long our electoral system allows rigging and other forms of malpractices during elec­tions. Watch the conduct of any politician and it will easily speak volumes about his personality and character.

Elected leaders that followed due pro­cess to be elected will always conduct themselves with dignity and deference to the electorate. Also they do not talk any­how or constitute a nuisance to their so­ciety.

Those that wangled their way into pow­er are always brash, haughty, mean and clueless. To hide their deficiencies they resort to intimidation and harassment, and where inevitable they can also kill.

The desperation of politicians to win at all costs in the February election is palpable. They demonstrate it generously by their utterances and actions. The just-concluded primaries of the various politi­cal parties exposed the desperation of the Nigerian politicians.

Money and influence were thrown about with reckless abandon. It was a cash-and-carry affair. The man with the stuffiest chestnut won the day.

Where will all this take our nation? What some politicians are planning is for the doomsday prophesies about Nigeria to come to pass. But God will never allow them to have their way. We have already, through prayers, bound all the forces of darkness that are in league to destroy our great nation. They will never succeed. Those who wish Nigeria to disintegrate will have destruction at the sentinels of their doorsteps.

The Nigerian electorate has suffered untold hardship in the hands of uncon­scionable politicians who have looted our common patrimony. This is why they are all in unison not to allow any retrogressive forces to impede their will this time.

Let me, however, remind the political class that the fate of Nigeria rests square­ly on the way and manner they ply their trade. They should shun all forms of vio­lence and unruly behaviour in the forth­coming elections. They should also not forget that whatever they do, will deter­mine the future of this country and the sus­tainability of our democracy. They should not delude themselves that they could take flight in the event they throw the country into chaos. Nigeria has got to a level that people should be held accountable for their actions.

I advise the security agencies not to pander to the will of any individual or group but to discharge their duties with ut­most responsibility and dedication. They must not make themselves pawns in poli­ticians’ chessboards. The success of the elections or otherwise depend largely on them.

On the part of government it should not do anything to unduly influence INEC or the security agencies as such moves will be resisted by the people. The era of peo­ple doing whatever they liked and going scot-free is gone forever. The survival of Nigeria matters most to me and I will sac­rifice anything to ensure it is achieved.

It is painful that we have brought Ni­geria to the pitiable condition it has found itself through our collective negligence and exploitation. If God had not made Ni­geria strong and robust it would have bled to death after all the years of pillaging and milking. Think about the monumental cor­ruption, institutional dislocations, ethnic rivalries, internal insurrections, disem­bowelment of our unity, and other forms of abuse and you will agree that Nigeria was built with indestructible shock ab­sorbers.

What will then happen when we have succeeded in electing men and women of honour to run the affairs of Nigeria? Nige­ria will rebound, it will regain its lost glo­ry and blossom like a flower that sprouts in the morning and bursts into bloom in the afternoon.

We owe it as a duty individually and corporately to save Nigeria from disin­tegration and loss. We must be ready to make sacrifices so that the light our for­bears handed over to us is not quenched in our hands. It will be a tragedy of epic proportion should we, out of our greed and selfishness, allow evil to befall our belov­ed country.

The sordid lessons of the wars in Rwan­da and Somalia should serve as an opener to us not to do anything untoward, which is capable of endangering the unity of Ni­geria. The size of Nigeria, coupled with the heterogeneous nature of its peoples, makes it a very dangerous venture to try to plunge it into another civil war.

As President Jonathan has consistently said: elections are not worthy of the drop of blood of any Nigerian. Our dear politi­cians did you hear that?

We need peace, brotherly love, endur­ance, honesty, courage and fear of God to take Nigeria to the next level of develop­ment. Anything short of this is a direct in­vitation to anarchy.