Nigerian politicians always have different antics of dragging the President on issues which not necessarily concerns him but simply rushed to him, distracting him.
In recent years, Aso Rock has been turned into a place where State governors and heavyweight politicians pay unscheduled visits just want to be seen relevant and rush there to show their faces, and flaunt their closeness with the President and pose for photo , and rush back to their states. To tell the supporters they are in good book of Mr.President.
Since 2020, there has been an increase in the number of visits to the President by politicians planning to dump their former parties for the APC or those who had already decamped and wanted to publicly announced it.
As the country matches toward 2023 elections in 510 days i.e 17th months some presidential aspirants have abused sensibilities of electorates by relegate them to less important stakeholders in the forthcoming elections as the they know weakest point of electorates will go for aspirants with enough money.
Why such visitation to the President despite the fact that in his interview with NTA & CHANNEL televisions stations, he categorically said ” he had no favourite candidate and isn’t concerned about who emerges his successor at the polls and I am not interested in who becomes the presidential candidate of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) as I am open to the emergence of anyone. Let him come, whoever it is.
In spite the country’s constitution given rights and privileges to every citizen to aspire any office in the country without informing the president, the same constitution guarantees citizens to participate in the political process and have freedom of choice.. Even though some aspirants have informed President Buhari about their 2023 ambition, the most credible option for them that politics is about persuasion, not seeking shortcuts to power.
They expect visitation to Aso Rock will gain momentum as 2023 draws nearer but forgetting that forthcoming elections will be different, having the backing or informing of president will not help any aspirants as the times passed when using his name will made his millions supporters to rally behind any politicians identifying himself with PMB’s name or attaching his picture to win election in the Northern Nigeria.
2023 elections is going to be the toughest elections to 2015 and 2019 elections because the numerous challenges confronting the country electorate will consider an aspirants that prepared for the challenges confronting the country.
Unlike previous elections which the electorate easily fell traps with sweet mouthing campaign promises putting citizens to more uncertainties
Between Informing President to informing electorates which is appropriate, It’s sad that these politicians do not realise that the electorate are wise enough and bear enough of degradation of not much respects. despite the hardship and poverty voters know what to do as they have the power as citizens and voters to elect best candidate in respect of ethnicity and religious beliefs. Let both youths and the old push and act collectively in determining the country’s direction. Nigeria needs electorates to be strong enough to give the country resourceful leader.. For the avoidance of same, the mistakes the electorates will consider aspirants that will rescue the country from more drifts an aspirants that will lay the foundation for proper unity of the nation to create a level-playing ground for economic development, more infrastructural development and security improvement in every part of the country.
Nigerians need a person of competence and compassion, someone who is very selfless and a nationalist with a track record of life service not somebody who spends his life thinking about himself. To be honest, we were in a deep hole, as the people and the country are in much deeper hole than in 2015, with current reality in the country.
Those struggling to be President, must understand that the problems they are going to face are multiples of the problems that are facing now.
Everyone in the country has a role to play in doing the right thing in thinking the Nigeria first because the country and the citizens need a person, who is interested in collegial leadership with knowledgeable in economic rather than ethnicity or religious sentiment.
The presidential aspirants should be a true Nigerian accepted in all parts of the country, exposed to all parts of the country in the reality of his life not in talks. Between informed President to informing electorates which is appropriate
Abba Dukawa writes in from Kano and can be reached at [email protected]