By Alaba Yusuf
“A man’s cumulative attitude, sustained over time, will extract him from the multitude and place him on an enviable altitude.” – Anonymous
A new vista of opportunity opens once again this Saturday, February 25, for the electorate in Africa’s largest democracy to rejig their political architecture, which for eight years has been cliff-hanging under the ruling All Progressives Congress, a party led by President Muhammadu Buhari. It has been a near decade of decay. One lacking in unity, equity, security, restructuring, socio-economic development and national prosperity. Hence, the 2023 Presidential Poll in Nigeria this week presents the ultimate game-changing moment for over 200 million citizens to redefine and reshape their collective destiny.
This election, therefore, symbolically and practically heralds a new era of socio-political and ethno-religious activities and affinities in the country. What an auspicious occasion for the demonstration of authentic people’s power through the enforcement of universal adult suffrage. The thermometer of politicking in the country has risen double digits, especially with the novel introduction of BVAS machines and hectic attempt to stamp out vote buying during election period.
This Saturday, 18 political parties shall be gazing at the crystal ball for victory to lead Nigeria. But this beleaguered nation, filled with multifarious challenges ranging from cash-crunch, hunger, hyperinflation, gross unemployment, abject poverty and squalor, socio-economic and ethno-religious conflicts or outright breakdown of law and order, is verily available for a wholesome administrative reset and political skillset. Not a task for a neophyte leader. Rather, to reverse things from the precipice, Nigerians need a true leader with high quantum of national governance experience, mental stability, physical ability, gender and youth inclusivity, administrative sagacity, honest character certification and pragmatic human relations capacity.
Across the country, turfs are already being prepared for would-be voters to cast their ballots at the presidential election in four days and some hours. Another classical scenario that would pitch rookies against old war horses; novices versus masters of the game. In fact, it is so obvious that there are only a few serious contenders to Number One throne. Meanwhile, a crowd of political clowns cladded in flowing gowns are running downtown, aping campaigns for votes. But people’s true destiny is really not a joking matter.
Thus the jeweled-crown at Aso Villa isn’t meant for the lily livered political rookie or an ill-prepared pretender.
So, unequivocally speaking, only the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) can boast of the massive muscle and mileage across the nation capable of putting a President in Aso Villa via electoral process this weekend. The reason is not far-fetched.
The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) is currently enmeshed in implosion of a gargantuan proportion. In fact, this self-immolation of the APC, barely days to a vital national election, is nothing less than pushing the proverbial self-destruction buttons. The open feud between President Buhari’s team and those of his disloyal party men, governors inclusive, over monetary policy by Mr. President aimed at stemming the tide of vote-buying, has made a real mockery of this party of strange bed fellows. APC may not be able to get enough firefighters to put off the conflagration consuming it now.
So sad, for a party that promised rose gardens to Nigerians on all facets of life: security, economy, anti-corruption. Analysts have agreed that the party who pledged change in 2015 has succeeded in worsening the state they met the country. Today, Nigerians in their millions are poorer, disillusioned and forlorn than ever before. No party can bet on votes from a population grinded by inflation, comatose education, abandoned public health promotion, utter starvation and currency degradation.
As for the rest 16 fledging parties, they are yet to develop the wings to fly in the inclement Nigerian political windstorm. A country, currently bedeviled by socio-economic and political malaise, may not be ready for awaiting-result politicians! Succinctly put, the battle for Aso Rock this Saturday is one between two political titans in the country – APC versus PDP. But it’s seems the end of the road for the former, who bungled an ample opportunity with their 8 years of misrule; an era tarred by mistrust and disunity, administrative ineptitude, general insecurity, lackluster approach to anticorruption fight, failing economy and crashed currency, mass unemployment and weak national prosperity. These may spell a goodbye to the incumbent party at national level.
“There’s no point reinforcing or re-investing in failure”, former President Olusegun Obasanjo once counselled Nigerians. The APC, lacking in cohesion and team spirit, has almost lost the confidence reposed in it by majority of the populace. Thus it has been scored below par in most of its rosy pledges as chronicled in their own advertised manifesto.
At this juncture, it is expedient to say that the PDP, an active volcano gone dormant for nearly a decade of being out of power, is sitting pretty on the saddle of takeover eruption that would end APC’s maladministration.
With the country tilting towards the fault-lines of insecurity, disunity, disillusionment and hopelessness; many are vociferously searching for a leadership bailout. Will it be the controversial Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the APC Presidential flagbearer or the humbler, meticulous and highly experienced former Vice President, the articulate Alhaji Atiku Abubakar?
The PDP as an alter ego to the APC is now taking the bull by the horns, pedaling hard to change its poor past at the 2019 polls; by converting adversity to prosperity, hostility to friendliness, apathy to sympathy and failure to success. How? By thinking out of the proverbial box in re-presenting Atiku as presidential candidate; a knowledgeable, understanding and brave Pan Nigerian political bridge builder, whose problem-solving leadership attributes and immense mentoring skill have formed for him multiple human tentacles that cut across the spectrum of society, to make the Wazirin Adamawa a household name and a great political spectacle in Nigeria.
Atiku is a leader imbued with statesmanship, patriotism and compassion. He’s politically savvy and experienced both in public and private service; innovation and technology compliant, people-centered and development oriented, education investor, job creator and wealth generator, detribalized and respecter of Nigerian secularism. He is also locally focused and globally connected and accepted within the comity of nations. This Saturday, Nigerian voters should vote out hunger, anger, currency crunch, unemployment, insecurity, sinking economy and prolonged poverty – as demonstrated by Buhari’s APC.
Finally, voters should screen the characters they are empowering with their mandate and entrusting their destinies into their hands for the next four years. A little litmus test may help. The candidates’ traceable origin and history, past antecedents and record of public behavior, lifestyle, mental stability and physical ability, devotion to democracy and constitutionalism, experience in national governance, gender inclusivity, religious tolerance and sensitivity, leadership competence, capacity and sagacity, national spread and believability plus unquestionable acceptance to the international community.
Taken wholesomely, orange for orange, Atiku of PDP is head and shoulder above Tinubu of APC. Let those with ears hear and with eyes see. Where the word best comes, good and better become misnomer. Nigeria of today, no doubt, needs a unifier, private sector compliant and globally accepted leader. And that man is Atiku of PDP. He’s surely the best among the rest. Best wishes to my fellow compatriots. Say no to violence, vote in peace countrymen and women.
Yusuf, a strategic public commentator, wrote from London.
