By Kayode Ketefe
The die is cast, the battle line is drawn, and the
gauntlet is thrown! Within the next 48 hours, Nigerian electorate shall storm
the polling booths across the length and breadth of Nigeria, armed with their
Permanent Voter Cards, and with a mission to exercise their civic
responsibility of electing a “new” president. The judgment Day is here!
The peoples of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are
ready to invoke their prerogative as sovereign peoples and decide who to lead
them.
Who will wear the crown? Is it the incumbent
President Goodluck Jonathan or the retired Gen. Muhammdu Buhari? In this era,
“Change” and “Continuity” are the slogans of the day, they have become the
mantra which the two leading parties bandy about with passion. Ironically, both
the said leading parties want the two oxymoronic terms simultaneously. The All
Progressive Congress (APC) wants “Continuity” in Lagos State and “Change” at
the presidential level.
The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) wants “Change”
in Lagos State and “Continuity” of the presidency. Who said these are not
interesting times?
Both Jonathan and Buhari have their areas of strength which the nation can benefit from and of course, each has its own respective Achilles’ heel. One interesting thing is that neither of them is new to Nigerians, one has ruled us before and the other is still doing. This should, at least guide us in the quest to exercise our votes wisely.
The respective saleability of these candidates is
not however the primary concern of this piece, rather the intent here is to set
agenda, concerning what we expect from our newly-elected President. (Yes that
is the correct terminology, “newly elected” and not a “new” President.).
The first thing we will expect our next president
to address is the problem of terrorism and insecurity.
The challenges
we have traditionally braved on insecurity like armed robbery, ritual killing,
extra-judicial murder etc., paled considerably against virulent onslaught of
mass killings and bombing as bombs and IEDs keep exploding all over the
landscape.
Thank Goodness that signs are on the wall that the
problem is receding with the unprecedented onslaught against the hitherto
invincible Boko Haram insurgents.
But we want a permanent end to this
pernicious menace. We want a situation where terrorism will “NEVER AGAIN” be
our perennial headache. We believe the battle against terrorism can be won if
the right strategies and inflexible will are combined.
Next on the agenda is the imperative to implement
our socio-economic rights which the framers of our constitution had the good
fortune to insert in Chapter Two of that sacred document. Many Nigerians may be
surprised to know that we don’t have to add a single clause even one jot to the
constitution to realise the kind of fair, people-focused and just society we
crave for. All provisions needed to realise this is already provided for under
the heading tagged 'Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State
Policy' in the 1999 Constitution.
We will appeal to our next President to cast aside
the apathetic attitude often being displayed by our rulers towards the
provision of the said chapter. If the provisions are implemented to the letter
and spirit. Nigerians will have access to good and qualitative education,
adequate means of livelihood, infinite opportunities for suitable employment
and facilities for leisure.
Many nations have done this and Nigeria has the
means and resources and capacity to do same if the political willpower is
there. Granted such a developmental state will not happen overnight, but we can
be moving there gradually.
Thirdly, democracy is said to be the best form of
government, so, when this so-called superior political system is entrenched in
a socio-political clime, it is natural to expect realisations of some values
reflecting the essence of human deepest cravings. These, ideally, should
include civil freedoms and liberties, rule of law, social order and due
process. Accordingly, we want our incoming President to place great premium on
these time-honoured ideals.
Due process should be followed in all operations of
government. If rule of law is entrenched where there is no sacred cow, it will
be easy to fight corruption.
This brings us to the last point, the issue of corruption itself. Since the return of the nation to democracy in 1999, successive government have devised its own way to fight corruption, but the reports after of many credible and neutral international agencies have continued to show that corruption has not waned in the country.
Not that Nigerians living at home need any report
to know that corruption has become endemic, the realities we face daily are
enough evidence. But we want president that will emerge in this Saturday
presidential election to take up gauntlet against corruption in an unprecedented
ways because it is a battle that could be won.
But before all these, the elections themselves,
beginning from the presidential one this Saturday, must be free, fair credible
and above board. Professor Atahiru Jega and his cohorts must not fail to successfully
ensure that genuine representatives of the people are installed in offices.
Ketefe may be followed on twitter @Ketesco
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