Only his most diehard supporters can conclude that President Buhari’s administration has been anything but a resounding failure. As such Nigerians eagerly look forward to a successor who may rekindle patriotism and lost hope. There are cynical suggestions that 2022 be cancelled altogether and all political leaders paid off. The nation can then bypass the increased suffering this administration intends to inflict upon Nigerians on the eve of their departure, suspend borrowing, and reduce the debt they will leave behind.
As President Buhari winds down his tenure and Nigerians prepare to elect new leadership two of his shortcomings need mentioning because they destroyed myths about the Nigerian presidency. Firstly, the myth that only a northern president can improve the economic and social fabric of the North. Nobody can say with a clear conscience that the North is better off being led by a northerner since 2015. Mass killings, poverty, deprivation, environmental degradation, unemployment and mass illiteracy remain the status quo of the region. Secondly, the myth that if a retired general is president the security situation will improve. A retired general has presided over indefensible burgeoning insecurity.
Bearing these in mind it’s imperative that in the hurry to elect the next president Nigerians take the advice of Octavius Ceasar and “make haste slowly” this time around. This means Nigerians must act with due diligence, focus and attention to detail in order to avoid the mistakes of the past. Under best global practices, the normal procedure for employing a person involves creating a job description outlining the powers and responsibilities attached to the job, then a personnel specification stating the qualifications an applicant needs to carry out the job properly. As far as the Nigerian President is concerned these are stated clearly (however incorrectly) in the Constitution. There also needs to be assessment of the personality traits the individual must have which aren’t constitutional matters.
The rush to take over from President Buhari is becoming a huge joke as aspirants are coming forward to apply for a job whose powers, responsibilities and personnel specifications are not clearly agreed upon, and personality traits yet agreed upon. Aged political actors appear dead set upon converting Aso Villa into a retirement home for the sick and elderly, whereas the nation needs a builder for the future not a relic of the past. Lamentably even the clueless and incompetents are queuing up to try their luck. What the nation urgently requires in 2023 is not a bulldozer who does as he pleases, but rather a team leader who is well read and has a history of respecting the constitution, rule of law and principles and practices of democracy.
In spite of social media comments about certain candidates, handsomeness and eloquence are not constitutional requirements to be president of Nigeria even though they are desirable personality traits. The time for political campaigns and deceiving the electorate is fast approaching and all aspirants will voice their concern over the welfare of the poor and downtrodden. Only if they win will they appear on TV to explain why they are entitled to live in luxury but have to increase the suffering of “common people” for the good of the nation!
In his book titled “Dancing on the Brink”, former US ambassador to Nigeria John Campbell wrote “Nigerians have mastered the art of dancing in the precipice without falling over!” Meaning in effect that despite the nation’s ever worsening social and economic situation we believe Nigeria is too “great” ( the giant of Africa) to fail. This may be fallacious. Nigerians know that political office holders advise them to return to the village and farm while reserving secured employment in viable corporations and lucrative MDA’s for their children, yet they seem to care less.
Even as elections approach and the nation is plagued by the obvious failure of leadership, in spite of all the vote-buying, rigging and under-aged voting only 29 million out of 84 million Permanent Voters Card (PVC) holders voted in 2019. It’s really no surprise that the majority of Nigerians qualified to vote didn’t bother, after all democracy has not impacted their lives positively. Be that as it may come 2023 Nigerians can no longer afford not to be interested or not participate in politics.
Politics isn’t only activism, it’s also awareness, keeping informed, caring for facts, and electing leadership. Politics governs every aspect of life and failure to participate in it means literally allowing other people to decide the most critical aspects of your life. Many Nigerians have long since given up on the nation and migrated to saner climes. Even from Diaspora having willfully given up their right to vote they castigate aspirants and deride Nigeria as if that serves any useful purpose.
Those who remain in Nigeria to vote and participate in our failing democracy have to sort through the maze of political parties and unqualified candidates. Aspirants should be forewarned that Nigerians don’t need assurances. A social media blog reveals how President Buhari repeatedly uses the words “I assure you” when addressing the nation. Tragically he is unable to ensure what he assures! The traits of good leaders are well documented and since 1999 only President Yar’Adua has met those criteria. The best advice in hurrying to choose our next president is to make haste slowly.
