Former Edo State Governor Lucky Igbenedion nicknamed himself “talk na do”. His failure was that he engaged in too much talking and too little doing! He found it difficult to recall many of the things he said and lent credence to the allegation by former Biafran Leader Emeka Ojukwu that Nigerian leaders suffer from “selective amnesia”. Ojukwu meant that our leaders decide what to remember and what to forget!
Thankfully in the 21st Century electronic communication and recoding gadgets have made it easy to recall what people said, and this has exposed many Nigerian politicians as hypocrites. With the 2019 elections approaching the shifting alliances and different tunes being sung makes it difficult to decide what to believe. By most assessments former President Olusegun Obasanjo (OBJ) failed woefully as President. Despite this, ever since leaving office he has constituted himself in to a thorn in the flesh of every succeeding President. As is his habit he is now vehemently opposing and derogating the sitting President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) of the all Progressives Congress (APC) who is seeking re-election, and supporting the main opposition candidate Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP). OBJ says “Nigeria deserves more than Buhari can offer”.
Apparently it doesn’t matter to him that he had originally said “God will never forgive me if I support Atiku for President”. OBJ has now changed tune and made a 360-degree turnaround to say that “Atiku has the requisite experience and maturity to become President”. Unfortunately, his inconsistent rantings have been given weight by PMB himself who is on record as saying “Former President Obasanjo is a courageous patriot and statesman who tells the truth to power when he is convinced leaders are going wrong!” PMB probably wished he could change that tune now! In the APC election campaigns the attempts to rubbish the character of the Atiku Abubakar are a completely different tune from what they said about him before.
For example, APC National Leader Bola Tinubu once said of him “your steadfastness in walking the democratic path sets you apart as a leader with substance. Your passion for education has seen you invest your time and resources in education knowing that when you educate an individual you educate a nation. Do not relent because Nigeria needs you and people like you to continue to make life more meaningful”. Even PMB once said of him “over the years I have admired your courage and doggedness in defending your interests and your generosity in promoting education.” Now that Atiku is interested in the Presidency it remains speculation as to whether or not PMB still admires the Waziri Adamawa’s doggedness in defending his interests!
There are many Nigerian leaders who would deny their previous statements if they were not recorded by the press. Senator Dino Melaye who acted out a drama during his recent arrest should not have expected sympathy from Nigerians for the travails he suffered at the hands of the security agents who detained him. He was previously on record as saying “You speak the truth you die you lie you die. I Senator Dino Melaye have chosen to speak the truth and die!”. Words may be cheap but what makes a good leader is matching words with deeds. The distinguished Senator should be reminded that promises make no sense unless they are fulfilled. The PDP have accused the APC of planning to rig the upcoming election, claiming that elections under their supervision were “free and fair”. This is a completely different tune from the one sung by PDP leader in Anambra Chris Uba who once said “We the PDP did not win this election. I have gone to Church to confess. I gave them money and they called the result!”
Furthermore, OBJ himself said in the past that no election in Nigeria will ever be perfect because “With all due respect if Jesus Christ could come to the world and be the Chairman of INEC, any election he would conduct would be disputed!”. This assertion was backed up by Jonah Jang one-time Chairman of the Nigeria Governor’s forum who said “God is a democrat and does not support rigging, but if you rig and succeed that means God approves it!”. Nigerians are suppressing their anger at the prevailing hunger, hardship and frustration. These are the consequences of a lack of principles and penchant for hypocrisy of political leaders. There is no need continuously asking Nigerians to pray. Prayers don’t build good infrastructure, they don’t develop countries, they don’t improve a poor health system or a poor education system. That is the work of man not of God. Nigerians must vote for men who live by what they say, say good things and do them. Until this happens peace, security and progress will continue to remain elusive.
