By The Qoheleth
Many people still strongly believe that it will be very difficult, nearly impossible for any presidential candidate without a political structure to win a general election in Nigeria. What they mean by structure is the number of states controlled by the political party, the membership strength and the number of party members at the national and state assemblies. We need to ask ourselves what these structures have brought to us since 1999.
Are we talking about a political structure where party men share leadership positions and through it share our common wealth monthly at the Federal Executive Council which is not measured and its use were not accountable?
Are we talking about the damaged civil service structure which permanent structure and standard process was destroyed by politicians replacing it with 4- 8-year temporary tenure that gave way to massive looting within such tenure and achieving less. A structure that made the civil service to be politicized and civil servants openly stealing and engaging in corrupt practices like the transient politicians?
Are we talking about a structure where the military that was once feared and respected for checkmating the excesses of the corrupt politicians are now instruments of political oppression and insecurity? Despite the military sophistication, human resources and training, they can no longer contain the terrorist, bandits and kidnappers. We rather hear of stories of compromise with criminals and the politicization of their policies and processes.
Is it a structure of the current Nigeria police who have lost trust with the citizens because of constant corrupt practices, abuse of power and other forms of illegal practices? Many of them have become instruments of rigging elections, flagrant abuse of power by politicians and aiding all forms of criminality. While the federal police are now being controlled by the federal government, the state police are visibly controlled by the state governments.
Is it the structure where the federal government rules like a dictator, imposing their personal thoughts and whims on the people? Where the national assemblies have lost their power to check the excesses of the executive arm but rather collaborate with them especially in corrupt practices and selfish interests? Where the independent government agencies such as Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Independent Corrupt Practices Commission (ICPC), Department of State Services (DSS), etc. have become totally dependent and serve the interests of the ruling government? Other government subsidiaries have become avenues of compensating political party members after elections and avenues for siphoning national wealth by party loyalties?
A structure where the State government, as a 2nd tier of government has become Lords and are no longer accountable to anyone and answerable to no one. They run the state as an individual establishment and by fiat. They unilaterally choose and handpick their successors, as well as the candidates for the federal and state assemblies and ensure their victories. Once this is done, these people become their fags and are at their beck and call. Where governors brazenly finance political party campaigns with state money unchallenged. They impeach oppositions at will and control the state judiciary. A structure where the governors overpower the local government areas (the 3rd tier of government) and totally put them directly under their control by appointing their chairmen. This has totally incapacitated the 3rd tier of government at the grassroots level.
A structure where the press, the 4th realm of the estate has been converted to partisan political tools. Many of them are under government payrolls and therefore promote only their interests. The media has moved from objective agency with the aim of educating, informing and entertaining the people to a subjective agency with various selfish interests. A structure where the trade unions, pressure groups and NGOs are more interested in their selfish interests and not that of the national interests.
Are we talking about a structure where nothing is properly regulated in the country? Where the market is filled with fake and substandard products that are openly sold to the public without monitoring and prosecution of the producers and traders. Where there is arbitrary increase in price of products, goods and services without checks.
A structure of a lawless society where people flagrantly disobey the law because they are in positions of authority or have people who are in positions of authority. A structure where people’s rights and freedom are abused at will. Where the military, police, government leaders, religious leaders and others are above the law. Where it is the common man and the poor who obey the law.
We have a structure where leaders create laws to protect themselves from the arm of the law. They use such laws to shield themselves from prosecution from criminal activities and wanton corruption. Through such structure, they become immune to prosecution and openly spend public money on their political parties and other personal use unchallenged as if it is their personally earned money. Where they place themselves on pension as they desire and jump from one political office to the other at will. Where they work less and place themselves and their surrogates on huge salaries and pension. Where they inherit public houses built for various public officers’ use after leaving office.
Are we talking about a structure where a few people decide who to lead at any level and who succeed them instead of allowing people to make their choice. Where political leadership belongs to the rich who use such ill-gotten wealth to terrorize and intimidate the poor subjecting them to fear and uncertainty.
A structure where the people are terrorized everyday by government agencies forcing them to live in fear and intimidation. Instead of government agencies to serve and protect the people, they intimidate them every day and harass them on the roads and every section of the society. A structure of anything goes.
A structure where tribe and religions are used to divide the people and cause confusion and disunity. Where cultures and tradition which should be shared become instruments of dichotomy, hatred and disunity. Where the place you worship, live and was born determines the way you live in the country.
A structure where natural resources are abandoned and resources accrued from oil are shared to individual political leaders at all levels instead of investing such for production and development. Where creativity, entrepreneurship and productivity are relegated to the background while laziness and idleness are promoted every day. Where intelligence, knowledge, wisdom, discovery, creativity and technology are not promoted among the youths. Where idleness, money rituals, gangsterism, banditry, terrorism and treated with levity making them attractive to Nigerian youths. Where lawless lifestyle, indiscipline and immorality are promoted.
For Nigeria to move ahead, these structures must be totally destroyed and a new one installed to give power to creativity, enterprise, patriotism, love and development. The new structure must build a new Nigeria, give power and hope to the people, grant them freedom and rights.
All political parties with these structures must be destroyed and replaced with a party with new structures, strategies and plans. The people must join hands in building a new structure that will give hope to the common man.
