Governance post -2023 presents a complex scenario of tension versus liberty, freedom versus unfreedom, true pursuit of the aspiration of the people versus business as usual, past versus future.
By Dakuku Peterside
1. Chairman and Protocol.
2. Thank you keynote speaker for doing justice to the topic. I did not expect anything less from a former star footballer and a lawyer of stature that was invited by politicians to lead at a time what was mostly needed to change society was the power of ideas.
3. My intervention will be made on the backbone of three assumptions that are not mutually exclusive.
3(1): the first is that based on what I am made to believe is the innovation and preparation by INEC, the 2023 elections will be transparent, and credible. Thanks to the government of the day that provided the enabling environment and the resilience of Nigerian people.
3(2): flowing from one above, the outcome of 2023 elections will be a reflection of the will of Nigerian people. In other clime this can be taken for granted but not in Nigeria.
3(3): our political actors will allow 5% patriotic spirit in them dictate their post elections actions. This is not too much to expect from those who aspire to lead the rest of us.
4. This naturally takes me to my intervention which will be taken outside the narrow confines of politics and election as key pillars of democracy. Our people are resolutely focused on getting our country back on the path of safety and growth; that is when they are not consumed by the demands of daily living. They are optimistic that the 2023 elections will help take off some of the economic and social burden they are going through. The burden of governance, after the elections, will be the most challenging since independence.
4(1): there is mass exodus of youths and talents who are ordinarily expected to build the country. It is vision, skill, youthful energy and leadership that builds any country. The mass exodus of youths is made more burdensome by long ASUU strike meaning we are not even replacing the ones being taken away.
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4(2): revenue is dwindling incredibly putting the economy in shambles. Our debt-to-revenue ratio is 120%, unemployment is put at 33.3%, 90m live below poverty line and hunger is being weaponized. I am sure you know these indicators are a manifestation of wrong choices made over a long period.
4(3): the challenge of insecurity is real and cannot be wished away overnight. Widespread insecurity means labour and internal mobility is restricted.
4(4): widening ethnic and religious fault lines which is threatening trust and cooperation, key ingredients of national development.
These challenges constitute both a challenge and a launchpad for bold, innovative and courageous leadership.
5. The challenge has to do with expectation of the people, with a new, popular government. The government will have to deal with expectation management. The opportunity for the incoming government is that they have the right environment to reset Nigeria.
6. How the new government manages the burden of governance will determine whether Nigerians will continue to have or lose faith in democracy. It will also substantially determine their faith in the corporate existence of the country.
The message is that governance post -2023 presents a complex scenario of tension versus liberty, freedom versus unfreedom, true pursuit of the aspiration of the people versus business as usual, past versus future. I am confident of the wisdom and resilience of Nigerian people. I have no doubt that the period of experiment is over for us as a people. This is the time to make hard choices about democracy and the future of our country. We want our country back please.
- Dr. Dakuku Peterside, former member of the House of Representatives, former DG NIMASA, 2015 governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Rivers State, made this presentation at the 2022 TheNiche Lecture which was delivered by Mr. Babatunde Raji Fashola, Minister of Works and Housing, at the Agip Recital Hall, MUSON Centre, Onikan, on Thursday, September 8, 2022. Dakuku was one of the five distinguished eggheads who discussed the lecture themed, “2023 elections and the future of Nigeria’s democracy.”