By Jide Ajani
33 days! That is what stands between Nigerians and the choice they would need to make.
The choice is about choosing between Godluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
But making a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea is nothing short of an attempt at suicide,
Yet, Nigerians must choose the leader they want – for good or for ill.
A leader: That is what Nigerians would have to choose on February 14.
The world acknowledges that democracy is good for a people.
But are Nigerians good for democracy? Think about that for a while!
The presidential election of that day is not just one like other presidential elections.
This is because both political parties in this race, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are primed and poised to claim victory.
And that is where the choice to make becomes so fraught with danger.
Whatever result is declared after the election that day, Nigerians would scratch their heads.
Whereas the PDP remains the biggest political party in Africa, the ascendancy of the APC has gratuitously positioned the latter as a formidable force.
In fact, it has become so formidable that, for the first time in a very long while, the pundits cannot see clearly because events are in a state of flux.
So, how did matters get to this interesting head?
Well, Nigeria needed a strong, very strong opposition – if only that would send the right signal to the behemoth PDP.
In the instance of Jonathan’s rule, the electorate is expected to move on and re-elect him in the hope that things would be better; or, in the alternative, ignore all the seeming fundamentalist postulations of Buhari when making a choice?
But we might be moving on as a nation in the wrong direction.
Shall we begin to dwell on what happened in the past?
It might be helpful but not too important.
So, on the past we must dwell in some ways if only it would create an inner awareness to learn useful lessons.
Therefore, what is the past? What constitutes the past? Is the past just the mere sum total of all that happened yesterday or in yester-years, or decades? Of course yes!
Mind you, the past could also be any semblance of yesterday’s failings or successes.
If we agree on that, then the past is already here with us.
The past pokes fun at us, reminding us of how we think we can escape it.
The past makes a mockery of Nigerians especially its leaders; and the electorate whose collective amnesia does no good when deciding on who to elect.
So, we ask: Why would a people feel comfortable in the very cold embrace of folly?
Why would a people accept a destiny, one concocted and that is at best unproductive and at worst short, poor, brutish, nasty and mean?
Why would a people cringe in utter helplessness in the face of deliberate injustice?
It is because we are Nigerians, a resilient people and our leaders take advantage of that.
That is why, close to 300days now after the abduction of Chibok girls, we are moving on.
Or, now over 30 years after Buhari as a military coupist made a law after an offence had been committed and went ahead to kill Batholomew Owoh and Bernard Ojuolape.
We must move on as if nothing had happened and we must vote for either Jonathan or Buhari.
While the PDP wants Nigerians not to think of some of the pains they are going through now, the APC is attempting to pull wool with its swatch of propaganda on the utopian nation it plans to deliver – if the bleeding of Lagos State by some politicians is anything to go by.
But we must move on.
The truth is that Jonathan and Buhari present to Nigeria very dangerous options.
If either of the candidates is declared the winner of the election today, all hell may break loose.
The reason is that both men have primed their supporters for victory.
Even the admonition by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi and the American ambassador that both men should not only commit one another to peaceful conduct but also commit their supporters to same have not toned down the rhetoric of violence.
Therefore, Nigerians must brace themselves for whatever would be the outcome.
The only solution is for both men to tone down and relate more to the issues than personal attacks.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/2015-presidency-the-dangerous-choice-to-make/#sthash.uYjNOviO.dpuf
33 days! That is what stands between Nigerians and the choice they would need to make.
The choice is about choosing between Godluck Ebele Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari.
But making a choice between the devil and the deep blue sea is nothing short of an attempt at suicide,
Yet, Nigerians must choose the leader they want – for good or for ill.
A leader: That is what Nigerians would have to choose on February 14.
The world acknowledges that democracy is good for a people.
But are Nigerians good for democracy? Think about that for a while!
The presidential election of that day is not just one like other presidential elections.
This is because both political parties in this race, the All Progressive Congress, APC, and the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, are primed and poised to claim victory.
And that is where the choice to make becomes so fraught with danger.
Whatever result is declared after the election that day, Nigerians would scratch their heads.
Whereas the PDP remains the biggest political party in Africa, the ascendancy of the APC has gratuitously positioned the latter as a formidable force.
In fact, it has become so formidable that, for the first time in a very long while, the pundits cannot see clearly because events are in a state of flux.
So, how did matters get to this interesting head?
Well, Nigeria needed a strong, very strong opposition – if only that would send the right signal to the behemoth PDP.
In the instance of Jonathan’s rule, the electorate is expected to move on and re-elect him in the hope that things would be better; or, in the alternative, ignore all the seeming fundamentalist postulations of Buhari when making a choice?
But we might be moving on as a nation in the wrong direction.
Shall we begin to dwell on what happened in the past?
It might be helpful but not too important.
So, on the past we must dwell in some ways if only it would create an inner awareness to learn useful lessons.
Therefore, what is the past? What constitutes the past? Is the past just the mere sum total of all that happened yesterday or in yester-years, or decades? Of course yes!
Mind you, the past could also be any semblance of yesterday’s failings or successes.
If we agree on that, then the past is already here with us.
The past pokes fun at us, reminding us of how we think we can escape it.
The past makes a mockery of Nigerians especially its leaders; and the electorate whose collective amnesia does no good when deciding on who to elect.
So, we ask: Why would a people feel comfortable in the very cold embrace of folly?
Why would a people accept a destiny, one concocted and that is at best unproductive and at worst short, poor, brutish, nasty and mean?
Why would a people cringe in utter helplessness in the face of deliberate injustice?
It is because we are Nigerians, a resilient people and our leaders take advantage of that.
That is why, close to 300days now after the abduction of Chibok girls, we are moving on.
Or, now over 30 years after Buhari as a military coupist made a law after an offence had been committed and went ahead to kill Batholomew Owoh and Bernard Ojuolape.
We must move on as if nothing had happened and we must vote for either Jonathan or Buhari.
While the PDP wants Nigerians not to think of some of the pains they are going through now, the APC is attempting to pull wool with its swatch of propaganda on the utopian nation it plans to deliver – if the bleeding of Lagos State by some politicians is anything to go by.
But we must move on.
The truth is that Jonathan and Buhari present to Nigeria very dangerous options.
If either of the candidates is declared the winner of the election today, all hell may break loose.
The reason is that both men have primed their supporters for victory.
Even the admonition by Professor Bolaji Akinyemi and the American ambassador that both men should not only commit one another to peaceful conduct but also commit their supporters to same have not toned down the rhetoric of violence.
Therefore, Nigerians must brace themselves for whatever would be the outcome.
The only solution is for both men to tone down and relate more to the issues than personal attacks.
- See more at: http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/2015-presidency-the-dangerous-choice-to-make/#sthash.uYjNOviO.dpuf
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