Before politics became a mega money lottery in Nigeria, few antics were permitted and even spared attention. The political space in the first and second Republics enjoyed considerable integrity, decorum and predictability. Though both were short-lived, there was a conscious effort to match political gymnastics with the felt needs of the people.
In the second Republic, Awo’s UPN offered free education as one of its four cardinal programmes while Shagari’s NPN served the public with affordable housing estates! Between 1979 and 1983, there were visible achievements in these areas in states that were controlled by UPN and NPN. It was an era when politics was a treasured service delivery vehicle driven by intentional politicians.
There was little or no room for avoidable theatrics and excuses. Every politician had a track record to showcase and canvass for votes. In the then Cross River state, Dr Clement Isong midwifed more than ten functional industries within four years with lean monthly Federal allocations and internally generated revenue!
Lateef Jakande addressed educational and housing infrastructure in Lagos with appreciable strides. These were vision-driven leaders who were not given to perfunctory and performative pyrotechnics! They desired leadership. Presented themselves with measured humility and the people accepted them through the ballot box.
But with the monetised politics that came a year before the birth of this millennium, Nigeria and Nigerians have been subjected to a breathtaking roller coaster jamboree! All political Parties are the same in character but only answer with different names. Godfatherism is a common denominator and mantra. Elections now are mere quadrennial constitutional hollow rituals.
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Electorates are restricted to the choices of godfathers! Everything is programmed to achieve predetermined selfish partisan goals as defined by the consensus of godfathers.
More annoying in all these is when a man like Goodluck Jonathan yields to the shenanigans of professional con artists and rabble rousers in the polity! If there’s one Nigerian that providence has blessed more than it could ever be imagined in one life time is ex-President Jonathan. The Presidential job came to him unsolicited both as a Vice President and later as a substantive President.
In 2015, when he tried to push his luck further for the job, he lost to the Nigerian system. And he holds the record of being the first serving defeated President to concede defeat and congratulate his opponent before the formal announcement of the result by the election umpire! His relevance and respect at home and abroad today are largely predicated on this unprecedented act of statemanship. It was therefore heartrending to see a motley rented crowd of jobbers last week in Abuja “pleading with him” to run again for the presidency in 2027!
Only non-initiates in Nigerian politicians would not know that this is kite flying by Jonathan’s spin doctors! That has been his style since 2019. But the lure of office should not rob him of the inestimable honour that Nigerians and the international community have bestowed on him. It’s time to see himself as a global citizen and one of the few credible voices of democracy.
He finished his service in Aso Rock on a high note and any attempt for a return ticket will visit him with disgrace and despair! Even if he forgot a pair of his favourite gold-rimmed eyeglasses, he should not dream of a democratic return to Aso Rock except on a routine visit.
