Long wait for the People’s President

By Alfred Paul

I, like many other Nigerians have been pondering on the quality of the candidacy of the two frontliners at the March 28th 2015 Presidential Elections – Muhammadu Buhari and Dr Goodluck Jonathan. Pondering if they represent the quintessential leader as described by the average Nigerian citizen or they are the sheer choice of our political elites as inspired by personal interest, avarice, nepotism and a whole bunch of interests (that all precedes that of their people) too numerous to mention.

We ponder if over 170 million people are subject to the whims and caprices of our largely perfidious political elites on matters as crucial as the leadership of our great nation; we wonder why we wait for once every 4 years only to be served with a choice between moi moi and pottage beans and left without an extra option (except of course-voter apathy). 

Most Nigerians have now through no fault of theirs perfected the art of compromising their stance and modifying their ideologies to conform to either the candidate provided by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) or as in the case of this year’s election- the All Progressive Congress (APC).

Why can’t we have candidates chosen at the party-level with the consent of the people whom those who choose represent? And why can’t their choices truly reflect the ideologies of the parties they represent as enshrined in the party’s constitution and as contained in their policy documents? Why can’t we have the People’s President?

Democracy as declared by Abraham Lincoln (not the travesty we practice in this part of the world) is a political system absolutely people-driven (rephrased). Why we wait for political parties (who do not echo our sentiments) to present candidates; subtly coercing us to make a choice between two Political elite groups still baffles me. How we think that we can morph one of these parties to represent the genuine change we seek repels me even more. It is true that the onus falls on delegates to decide who is the party’s flag bearer, it is also true that delegates’ choice should be a direct reflection of the choice of their people but as recent events suggest – their choices are wholly influenced by their state Governors, most of whom are driven by the sole aim of being continually politically relevant in the next dispensation and sometimes in utter contrast to the yearnings of the people they govern.

If the views of the people must prevail within the party ranks in future elections then more “ordinary people” and those who hitherto have occupied “safety seats” as umpires (social critics) given more to political/social commentary must learn to get involved in the process or support kindred spirits who are willing to permeate and infiltrate the grassroots political ranks as councilors, Local Government Chairmen, State Legislators and pioneer the envisaged change from the very depth of Nigeria’s political strata. 

One challenge these change agents may face while attempting to pervade the system is that the average Nigerian politician views the grassroots as their preserves and would do anything with their superior financial might to maintain that status quo. However I reckon that people at the grassroots will easily jettison branded bags of rice to embrace motorable roads, customized gallons of oil for constant electricity supply and packaged fufu flour for security of their lives and property. They are equally wary of what our government (at all levels) has become.

Nigerians have become increasing desperate for change, this explains why Muhammadu Buhari who had unsuccessful runs at the Presidency in 2003,2007, and 2011 has become the cynosure of some sort as the 2015 elections approaches fever pitch. The reason is not farfetched. Dr.  Goodluck Jonathan has given people a plethora of reasons to embrace a Buhari candidacy and has made certain ill-decisions that have underscored the need for an “ABJ” as they put it (Any-body [-thing] But Jonathan).  The Swagger with which the Buhari-led All Progressive Congress (APC) campaign parades across various cities in the country and the warm reception that greets them is a telltale that unlike previous elections Buhari contested in, he stands a better chance this time around. The excitement of Buhari’s “4th coming” is palpable on social media too with people churning out memes like “Febuhari 14” and “March4Buhari” all to bolster the acceptance of the retired Major General’s ticket. All these frenzy does still fails to erode a legitimate question, which is – Can Buhari be that change? My answer is No, he may prove to be a better leader than the incumbent but not the change Nigerians clamour for.  I will tell you why.

One of the pillars Buhari’s candidacy has been built on is his Anti-Corruption antecedence, the Buhari/Idiagbon partnership between 1984-1985 underscores the potency of his Anti-corruption campaign, however if Buhari eventually wins at the 2015 polls his fight against corruption will be largely hypocritical, and not the “I don’t care whose Ox is gored approach” many are envisaging. The reason being- You cannot genuinely fight corruption when your cronies are neck deep in it. 

Key APC “chieftains” (Bola Tinubu, Chibuike Amaechi, and Bukola Saraki) on whose shoulders Buhari stands have all been mentioned by the EFCC for corrupt practices. Is it the same corruption a Buhari-led government intends getting rid of? Or will he also separate stealing from corruption? 

Another reservation I share about a Buhari candidacy being the change we seek is – He will most likely spend his first term scarifying competent hands for associates of his cronies that got him into office while making appointment into key areas of his government, for an economy that is on a rapid slide that is the last thing we will be needing. For Buhari’s government, nepotism will be inevitable, let’s learn from History.

If Buhari emerges victorious at the 2015 polls and President Jonathan does not get rid of Boko Haram prior to May 29th, I think Boko Haram will be sympathetic towards Buhari, the same man they once suggested should mediate between themselves and the Federal Government and will most likely retreat without much resistance, but that will not stem insurrection either! There is no guarantee that violent groups feeling hard done-by would not regroup or erupt as it were, heralding another round of insurgency (in form of ferocious attacks on Government property), combat attacks , reprisal attacks and its attendant crisis. 

The aforementioned scenario by all means will put a Buhari-led government into a lurch like is the case of the present administration. Show me a citizen that will allay these fears expressed with the wave of the hand and I will show a citizen caught up in the hysterics of the times failing to identify the facts and sieve them from the fiction.

We were even more caught up in a similar frenzy in 2011 when President Goodluck Jonathan stood for election, it was a “breath of fresh air”- most of us including myself failed to identify if he processed the requisite qualities to lead a nation as diverse as Nigeria, 4years down we admit our collective failure.

I have always struggled with the way Mr President responds to grave issues, his responses are weak, anything but inspiring, poorly thought-through and do not represent the resolve to protect the Nigerian people. A sizeable number of Nigerians will not relish another 4years under a Jonathan-led administration for reasons that span from Insecurity to Inefficient Anti-Graft Commissions.

A striking reason for the apathy towards the 2015 Presidential elections in some quarters is the sheer belief that none of both candidates represents a quarter of the qualities the quintessential Nigerian leader should possess, and so attempting to “transform” a candidate to represent Change is not just self-deceit but a ploy to sway radicals into embracing the facade.

That change will keep being elusive as long as our political parties are laden with less people-centric leaders, one of our collective failures as a nation is our inability to recognize that a barrage of corrupt party leaders cannot and will not produce a Presidential Candidate in the best interest of the People.

The People’s President can only emerge when the people directly determine who leads them, we can start laying formidable local structures that will prevail in 2019, one of which is participating in the 2015 electoral process.

- Follow this writer on Twitter: @paulalfred