Fellow patriots,
Nigeria’s leadership
crisis is a frustrating detail. The country has seen unprecedented revenue in
recent years from the oil sector. The country has also become the largest
economy in Africa, with overnight billionaires everywhere. Yet, the ordinary
man or woman has waited in vain to feel the welcome breeze of the fortune.
Nigeria finds herself in this predicament mainly because many politicians are
allowed to loot public treasuries without qualms. They are also allowed to
freely collude with contractors to steal the billions allocated for basic
amenities and the general welfare of the masses. Given that there are no
serious consequences for bad behavior for our leaders, things are only getting
worse day-by-day.
The most vulnerable are
the masses who continue to wallow in abject poverty and despair. Very sadly,
there is a mass exodus of innocent youths and erudite professionals to both
richer and poorer countries. To capture a better picture of this irony, some of
these fleeing Nigerians seem to have no other choice than to embrace the harsh
conditions in immigration jails in the foreign lands as more hopeful than the
free life in our native land. A good number of others who do not have the means
of leaving the country have resorted to all sorts of crimes—from terrorism,
armed robbery, kidnapping, internet fraud, pick-pockets, motor-park touts, and what
have you.
Under normal
circumstances, people turn to their faith in times of crises but the Nigerian
situation is far from normal: The same corrupt politicians have unleashed the
sense of impunity into the religious community. They would pose as benign
philanthropists, donating huge sums of money or erecting mega churches and
mosques. In the process, they dictate the content, character, and manner of
many places of worship. Perhaps to continue to enumerate the Nigerian dilemma
here does nothing but further ridicule the notion of common sense. The point is
that there are crises in most places, just about everywhere—in the East, in the
North, West, and South.
Worst of all, the
elected officials no longer seem to care or worry.
But, biko,
frankly speaking, why should they care or worry? Why should our leaders worry
when most of them have huge bank accounts overseas, can engage in foreign
medical treatment, and place their children in the best schools around the
world? Please, how and why are they supposed to worry when they can acquire
bullet-proof cars, erect huge mansions, polish them with the posh generators,
and avoid bad highways by flying in helicopters and private jets? Think of it,
should they really worry when they can deploy the police and the army to guard
their families or fly them abroad in times of crises? Should these
leaders really worry when it never dawns on them that ‘what goes up must come
down’—that they or their loved ones can also be exposed to the same poor
amenities on the way to their safe heavens in the villages and while around
those villages? Why?
The answer to the above
questions is quite simple: Our leaders think the masses are fools. Even though
elections are supposed to serve as a day for reckoning for people in positions
of power, these leaders believe they can always manipulate the voters by
exploiting the miserable condition on the ground. They do so by parting a small
portion of the illegitimate wealth to buy their way back to power. They do so
by preying on the helpless, the elderly and the poor, who yawn for
token needs, such as rice and salt, etc—items that only last till the votes are
counted.
Yet, the most
disheartening is the case of the restless youths who are being enslaved and
brainwashed in the process. Not only do these politicians rent the youths as
crowds, body guards, thugs, and pimps; they energize the scheme by enticing
them with bogus promises and other exigent necessities that serve no purpose
than to place the poor boys and girls in perpetual bondage. Today, some of our
youths have only grown to emulate the bad behaviors of their corrupt masters
while others have become so afraid to express their opinions talkless of
criticizing at all. To rub salt in the wound, these political merchants go wholesale,
by paying off a clique of barefaced tribal and religious leaders, who claim to
represent the interest of all.
Here is a very good
witness: The President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency
Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. This new year, January 16th, to be exact,
the president was kind enough to admit in his own words that Nigerian leaders
from national independence till today, his humble self included, “have been buying and selling votes, and the country is
drifting backward.” True!
Also
true is that these politicians still think the 2015 elections will be like the
others in the past. In fact, the various candidates
running for office in the different parties—from the position of the president
down to the State House of Assembly—have already amassed tons of money to buy
over our votes so as to remain in power or gain power. For example, even though
the Electoral Act of 2010 pegs presidential campaign expenditure at no more
than N1 billion, the two major presidential candidates seem to be reading the
law upside down. At the time of this memo, President Jonathan has opened the
floor with over ₦21 billion, rained by
billionaires and his serving PDP governors, with many more queued up to get a
piece of the action. His closest challenger, Muhammadu Buhari of APC, is far
behind but not entirely left out. The APC candidate has counted over ₦118 million from small sprayers
but still hoping for additional N5 billion by selling 5 million yams donated by
farmers.
But we
have a very bad news for them—this time: Regardless of our differences in
tribe, religion or party affiliations; regardless of whatever they bring your
way, most of which is our common wealth anyway; this time must appeal to our
conscience. True democracy demands checks and balances, transparency, and
consequences for bad behavior. Accordingly, the Nigerian situation calls for
strong leaders who can provide security for our country and hold people
accountable for their actions. The Nigerian situation calls for leaders who
will not loot the funds meant for amenities and welfare of the masses. The
Nigerian voters are not fools. We need men and women who can lead by example
and are serious about curbing the endemic corruption and indiscipline in our
society. We need honest men and women who can provide permanent jobs for our
youths—not handouts. Now is that time for you to vote for principled leaders
who can keep promises. The vote is secret! Now is that time for you to vote
your conscience and defend democracy.
We can
start by sharing this message!
May God
Bless Nigeria!!
Dr. SKC
Ogbonnia
Executive
Director
Patriots
United for Transparency and Accountability in Nigeria (PUTAN)
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