There is no gainsaying the fact that PDP has led Nigeria over the years, spanning a period of 14 good and solid years, yet as at now the nation is more divided and still like a stagnant water with dissatisfaction from the citizens. Many seek the demise of the party because of the stagnancy in the polity or to put it better, forward retardation; because we are moving forward in years but going back in national aspirations, dreams and realities.
Well-meaning Nigerians are ready to support any opposition party that can oust the PDP on the proviso that it will forge the sense of oneness and positive advancement which is currently under disguised murdering mission. Despite the visibly naked quagmire, the opposition is somewhat or somehow trying to commit a faux pas in semblance with the moribund politics of the PDP.
The opposition has known today takes delight in condemning, castigating and insulting the snail-like President rather than cause national debates on our morass which had begun since 1960, roll out programmes and manifestoes for untoward discussion among the populace and start reaching out to disenchanted and disillusioned ones who are hell-bent on chaos and divisive missions.
Prominent figures of the opposition rather than stretch forth the hand of unity have assumed a notoriously precarious position, fanning the ember of tribalism and religious bigotry, almost at par with the regime that is becoming extremely directionless because of 2015. Muhammadu Buhari is almost a leading figure or maybe the most pronounced figure in the opposition with his 'untainted image' as his power base yet he remains the most nauseously controversial.
He is even not ready to learn that the nation is too divided and needs someone who can cause it to start thinking as one gradually than make it inebriated more on tribal-inclined speeches enclosed in religious dungeon. Muhammadu Buhari himself has also been associated with corrupt practices which are yet to be denied.
Whenever tweets are seen from El Rufai, they are mostly antagonising President Jonathan than discuss issues of national importance. One begins to wonder what Nigerians will be voting for in 2015? Antagonists of a personality? OR a political party who by now ought to have read the handwriting on the wall that we need radical discussions on unity. One expects them to start using the power of the media and social media positively to foster unity than sectionalism.
No matter how credible the candidate from APC is, it is most probable that Niger-Delta militants will not let it rest if he or she wins because of the ghost of Boko Haram. Nigeria needs those who will understand that the menace has gone beyond unemployment and breakdown of social facilities, the northern reactions to the Jonathan-led administration are creating a domino effect.
If anyone has been to the northern part, he or she would have known how powerful these speeches are to those who are ready to do the violence. The almajiris and host of others. They respect the views of the elders and clerics and take them as certificate to act. The south-south elders too are not exempted. The 'our son' syndrome has blindfolded them on reality.
They find it hard to condemn Jonathan, even when his actions are despicable. I stand to be corrected, during Obasanjo's era, the people from the south, mostly the south-westerners were foremost in criticising him. The renowned lawyers and human rights activists, Femi Falana (SAN) and Chief Gani Fawehinmi (SAM, SAN) were always at alert. Adams Oshiomole was not exempted. Olu Falae was there too.
How about Pastor Tunde Bakare? The fiery and fearless Man of God did wonderfully well. Tunde Bakare and his Save Nigeria Group were pertinently instrumental for the emergence of President Jonathan as President during the Yar'Adua debacle. Upon winning the election, the President suddenly forgot as a real ingrate would just the way he forgot Nigerians risked all to get him into office including the lives of corps members and gave subsidy removal as the new year's gift in 2012.
For a better Nigeria, the opposition will do well to start massive discussions on how to be a united entity first. We need to start seeing each other first as Nigerians. The youths are really disunited. They are the potential stakeholders who could make the cycle of sectional division continuous. Some Igbo youths stated that if Jonathan does not contest and get a second term in 2015, Nigeria is gone. This statement was the same as that of Dokubo.
The origin of this was the tripartite statements of Atiku Abubakar who said 'He who makes peaceful change impossible, makes violent change inevitable' all because of PDP zoning. Modu Sherrif also vowed that the regime of Jonathan will know no peace all because a northerner did not win. Buhari said 'If the election was not free and fair, monkeys and baboons will bath in blood'.
Though that of Buhari was and is understandable because you cannot continue to rig election and still stand to tell the people that you will rule for 50 years when it is glaring you are stealing their mandates, but the mere fact that he never accepted the election as free and fair spontaneously geared those who are always ready to do the violence to swiftly respond by displaying their cannibalistic acts.
Nigeria's problems are from 1960. Boko Haram is not an isolated event or occurrence; it had begun far back as the first crisis in 1956 which emanated after Enahoro and his colleagues sought independence and was opposed by Ahmadu Bello and his people. In other words, Boko Haram is the transfer of tribal and religious wars as always witnessed in Nigeria and which are always enshrouded in political agitations.
For as long as there are politicians who see their tribes as superiors and clerics who are always preaching hatred and are averse to peace, Boko Haram insurgency might not be decisively stamped out. Nigeria needs people who will bring the unity gradually not those who will advertise the already known downward spiral of the PDP and leave real, genuine and valid issues unattended to. No more beating around the bush.
Nigeria is a wonderful project worth salvaging. The break-up of Nigeria should not be anyone's interest. Nigeria is needed in Africa. It remains a veritable hope for the black race. 2015 is the year that could make or... Nigeria.
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