The trappings of a violent 2023 general elections in Nigeria are already becoming manifest. About a year and a few months to the elections, violence and acts of arson are already permeating the entire political space.
The political circumspection of each and every political aspirant is getting greased with a heavy dose of suspicion and greed. The propensity of a politically ambitious aspirant for 2023 elections to use the Machiavellian theory to actualise his dream is getting higher. Political alignments for this period might be unprecedented. The bipolar scenario playing out between the North and the South is a by-product of the political loss suffered by the PDP. Before APC’s ascension to power, the agitation by some disgruntled elements camouflaging as regional emancipationists was almost non-existent or perhaps they were on a sleeping pill not until Buhari came into power.
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For the politically discerning minds, all these agitations are not devoid of political maneouvrings for 2023. Don’t be amazed if APC loses power in 2023 and all these pseudo-activitists (cashtivists) go into deafening silence mode afterwards; yes it is very much a possibility. Simply put, they would have ‘cashed out’; this is what political activism in Nigeria has turned into.
Insecurity under Jonathan was terrible, this is from a realistic point of view if you care to show some level of impartiality. Abuja was almost overrun by terror bombings. Notably, the United Nations’ edifice was brazenly bombed in the heart of Africa’s most populous country; and an almost a daily occurrence of Boko Haram incursions into many local governments in Borno State and many more security infractions.
Surprisingly and unfortunately, this administration has not fared better in the area of security handling. But it would be uncharitable to attribute all the current failures to it. Inasmuch as I blame them for defeatist attitudes displayed by the security architects, I do believe that their best is yet to manifest.
The 2023 elections is a serious trap for the country’s survival, this is a blatant truth. The actors and players must thread carefully to avoid bleeding the country to death.
Yusuf Afunku writes via [email protected]
