By Aminu Mohammed
The APC promised Nigerians milk and honey in exchange for our votes but what we have today is blood and human carcasses everywhere. Where did we go wrong?
May 29, 2021 made it exactly 21 years from 1999 when Nigerians had another feel of fresh air after 16 years of military rule from 1983 to 1999.
Again, Nigeria is now 61 years as a free nation from British bondage. Sixty-one years after independence, the simple question on the lips of every citizen is, are we there yet?
In summation, Nigeria is still grappling with numerous problems ranging from education, health, economy and the most worrisome of recent, insecurity. Looking critically at how events have been unfolding, we are yet to be a nation.
Nigeria’s problems are problems caused by greed from both the past military and political leaders as well as the followers. At 61, we are still battling to conquer ethnicity, religious jingoism and these two monsters have given birth to greed for power shift economic enslavement and a political environment without ideology.
Between 1999 and May 2015, the so-called largest party in Africa, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), had the mandate to fix Nigeria but mismanaged and squandered the national treasury by milking every revenue avenue dry. Within those 16 years the PDP which actually had the semblance of a national party had leaders from both north and south but all the three leaders with the exception of late Umar Musa Yar’adua failed to raise the living standard of the average Nigerian.
Yar’adua who appeared to be the only principled politician had to battle with his health and midway into his tenure, he died in office and that was the end of his 7-Point Agenda.
Jonathan, who providence “aided and abetted” did not know what to do with power and ended up emptying the country’s foreign reserve. In all, the damage incurred on this nation by the PDP is bigger than can be imagined.
In 2015, former head of state, Major General Muhammadu Buhari finally had his prayers answered after making three previous attempts. His election in 2015 was seen as good riddance to the woeful days of PDP, not only for Nigeria but the whole of Africa. However, six years after, he has proved to be just like others or worse; a disaster.
The six years of president Buhari’s rule have brought more pains to the average Nigerian when compared to the 16 years of PDP misrule. Before in 2015, the average Nigerian, particularly northerners, believed Buhari was God-sent. That Buhari was a Saint and the country’s Messiah, but in all political history never has a leader so loved, embraced and nearly worshipped turned out to be despised like Buhari.
Under Buhari, the average Nigerian has no food. Under Buhari, the security situation has tripled, compared to the Jonathan era, and under Buhari no Nigerian irrespective of status, religion and ethnic affiliation is safe.
This is the product of the APC which before 2015 painted a gloomy picture of PDP before Nigerians and claimed to be the only party that could rescue Nigeria. Today has Nigeria been rescued or further plunged into darkness?
The APC promised Nigerians milk and honey in exchange for our votes but what we have today is blood and human carcasses everywhere. Where did we go wrong?
As we gradually move towards another general election era, can we still vote for the PDP or the APC? If not, what next?
Nigeria, since independence has been labelled as leader and giant of Africa but can we, with all sincerity, still say it is the Giant of Africa?
We need to fix Nigeria for the future generation of Nigerians to say for their tomorrow, we gave our today. At least that was what Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida said when he was the military president of Nigeria. It is time to make greater sacrifices in order to get it right.
The APC wrestled power from the PDP within the shortest time possible and it can still be done to unseat the APC which has brought more harm to this country than good.
It is either we shine our eyes and take the bull by its horn to sack the APC and also deny the PDP from coming back or we continue to witness more bloodshed everywhere on daily basis. The choice is ours.
What then is the ALTERNATIVE?
The Alternative to PDP Misrule and APC’s Bloodshed is to usher in a new platform because Nigeria cannot continue like this.
The formation of the APC was as a result of amalgamation of different political associations which fused into one and with one and a half years still left before the 2023 elections, serious minded groups can still merge and RESCUE Nigeria from blood suckers and “fantastically corrupt” elements.
What happened to the political association floated by the Dangiwas Ghali Na’Abbas, Pat Utomis, Ezekweseles and other New Generation progressives? They should of necessity find the chemistry to fuse with other platforms like NCC-LIT which has similarly strong ideological force and commitment to liberate and rescue Nigeria. This is the time for new associations, groups and platforms to spring up and Fix Nigeria. There is still time for it to be done.
It is very unfortunate that both the PDP and APC have proved disastrous. Nigeria and Nigerians need a new platform that can guarantee new fresh air.
We want a New Nigeria where her citizens would truly think and act collectively as one people living in one nation where peace and justice would be guaranteed for all and forever.
According to late Bob Marley, “Until the philosophy that holds one race superior and another inferior is permanently eliminated; until there are no longer first-class or second-class citizens of any nation; and until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regards to race… there would be no peace!” The product of such scenario is war, and Nigeria is indeed at war with itself as a result of inequality in the distribution of national and local resources.
There is need for a New Nigeria where equality would be a right and not a privilege.
Aminu Mohammed wrote from Sokoto, and is the National Publicity Secretary of NIGERIA CANNOT CONTINUE LIKE THIS (NCC-LIT, pronounced NCC-LIGHT).
