Where Is The Opposition That Would Change Nigeria? They say opportunity comes, but once; if this, is true, then that once has come for the opposition parties in Nigeria. One can confidently say that there is no better time for an opposition party to thrive than now. There is no better time to champion for change, galvanise popular support and change the political equation of Nigeria than now. For the past 16 years of democracy, this is arguably the best opportunity presented to opposition parties to take over the reins of power, but this is if and only if they would cash in on the opportunity presented by the ineptitude and inadequacies of the present government of Nigeria. The question remains, “Where is the opposition?” It is just about four months to election and yet, the opposition parties have not yet catalogued the various failed promises of the present government and interpreted them to the Nigerian people. It is four months to election and yet the opposition has not begun to give the sitting government a run for its money. By now, it is expected that the opposition would have begun a sustained process of selling themselves to the people of Nigeria by selling to Nigerians the failures of the present government. In the time that President Umaru Yar’Adua was elected in 2007, Nigerians voted for the ruling party mainly because it was the equitable thing to do (as power was supposed to move to the North) and again, due to the modest achievements of President Olusegun Obasanjo. The government at that time succeeded to maintain relative peace in the country. The government had got the Paris Club and other international creditors to write off most of the huge debt profile of Nigeria and revolutionised the communications sector. Obasanjo also showed some commitment to the fight against corruption as we saw cases of corrupt officials even top officials of the ruling party sent to jail for corruption. Therefore, it was easy for President Obasanjo to sell Yar’Adua to Nigerians. In spite of the flawed electoral process that brought in Yar’Adua, we saw a President with the heart and mind to advance the course of development in Nigeria. Yar’Adua hit the ground running. Again, in spite of his frail health, he offered effective leadership to Nigeria and Nigerians. Even without any external assistance, Yar’Adua ended the criminality and insurgency in the Niger Delta region. He exhibited great honesty in handling the crisis that most of the militants trusted him and laid down their arms. The President inaugurated an amnesty programme that began the process of rehabilitating the militants, an agency which unfortunately the government of today has turned into one of the most corrupt sectors of government. It is also on record that Yar’Adua started the most comprehensive electoral reforms in Nigeria, appointing men and women of integrity to man the process. The honesty of the President and his belief in a new Nigeria were contagious that most of those who were reluctant to join his administration were convinced beyond doubt that he was ready to move Nigeria forward even if he had to move alone. Therefore, it was expected that at the death of Yar’Adua in 2010, the new President would immediately continue in that stead. Many Nigerians especially those who battled the so-called cabal expected President Jonathan to continue and improve in the light of his deceased boss. This expectation informed the huge support extended to Jonathan at the beginning of his administration. Nigerians trusted him as many felt that he was the Joshua who would take us to the Promised Land. But alas! This huge support was thrown to the dogs and truncated by a government that began a deliberate process of reversing the successes of the previous administration. First, we were alarmed to see a government that offered a presidential pardon to men convicted of corruption in Nigeria. These are men who dare not travel to certain parts of the world because they are wanted for corruption. We have also seen a government which without any thoughtfulness increased the pump price of petrol at a festive period when people were not prepared for such an act. Many Nigerians were stranded in their country homes as many could not afford to fuel their vehicles and return to their base. As mentioned earlier, the Niger Delta amnesty scheme has become a cash-cow where billions of petro-dollars are milked from the government without any account rendered to anyone. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission has become a parastatal of government, ever ready to dust up petitions once the person falls out of favour with the government. It took massive national uproar for the President to relieve a former aviation minister of her office even when there were mounting and incontrovertible evidence of massive corruption in her office. Yet, such national uproar has not moved the President to at least investigate the minister of petroleum resources whom many believe enjoys maximum protection from him. Nigerians have seen cases where the petroleum resources minister has consistently defied summons from the National Assembly and has used presidential and judicial covers to advance the heist going on in both the Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation and in the petroleum ministry. It is in this same administration that the pesident ensured the continued suspension of a former President of the Court of Appeal even when the National Judicial Council called for his reinstatement until he retired from service. In this government, Nigerians have seen that it was possible for the governor of the Central Bank (an autonomous institution) to be removed by the President without any input from the National Assembly. Nigerians have been treated to a theatre of the absurd in the course of this administration. We have seen certain businessmen pointed as offering bribes to politicians flying on the same jet with top officials of government and attending luncheons organised by the government. Morality and decency have been thrown to the dogs in the present day Nigeria as impunity has become one of the directive principles of State policy. ( Obinna Edeh )
Posted on: Wed, 05 Nov 2014 11:08:46 +0000
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