By Sule Oyofo, editor-in-chief
The next few months will tell what 2023 will look like. For now, without being pessimistic, the prospects aren’t bright—gloomy sort of–although not entirely hopeless. Accounts from the various political camps and the social media reports seems to point to a dreary if not a repeat of the tragic past—unless something drastic happens. Nigerians yearn for genuine change, one that would usher in a reign of peace and progress! But that issue seems to be at the back burners judging from the trend of the campaigners. Instead of providing concrete economic solutions to the nations catalogue of woes, they are busy digging deep and engaging in blackmail—which has all but dented the image of the nation and dried up the treasury.
The peace accord signed recently has not made any impact. To them, it is just a passing phase. The belief out there is that 2023 will be the same old story as everybody involved are already calculating how much will line their pockets—not what to do for the nation. What do you expect? There are no good roads, no water supply, no regular power supply, dearth of infrastructure, yet, this does not seem to assuage political followers. It is the same old players on the scene! But this time, disappointment awaits anyone ready to thread the old path. It is easy to project as of the moment that the PDP is already doomed; intra-party crisis has eaten so deep and created an unnecessary gulf between the key players; the self-styled party chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, refusing to step aside is the bone in the PDP neck; No amount of persuasion to do so has made him budge, but the Wike camp is unrelenting.
It is significant to mention that Ayu’s behavior is not unexpected as he has been a recurrent fixture since 1999. His disposition to pecuniary interest is no secret and rather alarming regardless of whose ox is gored. Now, the furor generated has sliced a good chunk of the South from the main campaign party. It is ironic that some insiders in the PDP hierarchy still believe that the project is on course. “There is no magic here”, said Alhaji Isa Muhammed, an Abuja based party faithful. “Wike has been a pillar to our party and now to be shabbily treated is unacceptable”, he told our reporters. Alhaji Isa Muhammed summarized the whole saga as nothing but defending selfish interest. He dared Ayu to step down if indeed he is patriotic enough.
Now the crisis has degenerated into boiling point with the PDP on a shaky note. “You can see the damage old politicians are causing Nigerians”, rapped Engr. Chris Umole, also an Abuja based technocrat. “They care for nothing other than their pockets.’, he said regretfully. For the APC, the story is not different. Instead of talk of salvaging the nation, the scramble for political positions and the health status of the “king maker” turned “king” has been the subject much less the Muslim Muslim ticket. “How they hope to proceed with that remains to be seen”, disclosed Mr. Benjamin Olisa. “We have not heard of talk of salvaging the economy; it is all about personality”, he said further.
Olisa would have wanted a more comprehensive package from the APC to assure Nigerians that something fresh will be on the table come 2023. “We need to know what they have in the bag—not this circle of violence, blame game, rabble rousing”, declared Benjamin. The APC is stoutly built around Tinubu who has been overwhelmingly rejected by Nigerian youths who make up 65% of the population. Yet, the man is not relenting, hoping to force himself on the populace. “It is a shame that some of us have learnt nothing” said Olisa. “We hear without him the party will collapse. No one is telling us how to curb insecurity, terrorism, kidnapping, and all that nonsense this same APC government foist on us”, said a weary artisan who sells souvenirs on the streets in Abuja.
Now with morale low, and confidence sagging, the reality on ground is how to disengage from the old politicians like Bukola Saraki, Dino Meleye, Iyorchia Ayu, Senator Abdullahi Adamu, Adams Oshiomole, Godwin Obaseki, Senators Alimikhena and Ali Ndume who apparently are capitalizing on the weakness of the system to recycle themselves. Bukola Saraki on his own has been a recurrent fixture in Nigeria politics. His once powerful father, senator Olusola Saraki had set him up at quite an early age and since then has not looked back. Experience has exposed him no more as a serial opportunist out to serve his interest. As a former senate president, it is emphatic he has nothing new to offer—or give Nigerians. This is the same view held of other die hard renegades in the PDP and APC for their refusal to give space to new entrants—the reason why discipline has crashed and the interest to vote near zero.
The demands of the country require a patriotic, visionary who will look beyond ethnic politics and religious sentiments—something the two leading parties lack. “There must be a clear shift 2023 and beyond; that family affair era is gone and so are the rubbish tales often told by these spent products”, declared Chief Samson Ordia another strong party stalwart. To him, needless for Nigeria to go into any election because the posturing of the old brigades shows no remorse. “Look at the crisis rocking the parties; power tussle here and there; are they deceiving us?” a visibly angry Ordia queried. He went on to call out more powerful stakeholders not only to reverse the trend but flush out the pretenders. “2023 is a golden opportunity for us to get it right, we must not miss it”, he announced.
Among the changes he expects, is a government formed without the likes of Bukola Saraki, Adams Oshiomole, Atiku Abubakar, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, senator Ahmed Lawan, Ndume Ali, Adamu Abdullahi, and all those who jointly conspire to recycle themselves forcibly on the nation. “It is not right for them to show up again, they have to give way, if truly we need redemption”, he stated. For now, weary Nigerians are geared up praying seriously for a way out.
