Assistant Politics Editor, DANIEL KANU, writes on some of the random thoughts of political scientist and activist, Patrick Nwabunnia, concerning the 2015 general elections, but more importantly the factors that worked against the (PDP) which the APC should avoid.
Although this year’s general election is over, with all its perceived fears and hype, a lot of issues arising from its outcome have continued to raise dust.
It was sweet victory for the major opposition political party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) holding power at the centre, as it not only clinched the presidency but also took over 22 states, including Abuja.
So, after all the heat and political under-pinning spawned during the exercise, former head of state, General Mohammadu Buhari, emerged the president-elect, beating the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan who conceded defeat without a fight.
Since after the election, political analysts have been divided on the matters arising from the election: why Buhari won, why Jonathan lost, the place of Ndigbo in the present political configuration, given that those from the zone is voted for Jonathan in their numbers.
Dissecting some of the critical issues raised by the exercise as well as its lessons, public affairs commentator, Patrick Nwabunnia, said a lot of lessons would be learnt from the election, particularly an opposition party’s turning of the table against the ruling party.
He said Jonathan lost because Nigerians have lost confidence in his leadership, while Buhari was victorious for the simple reason that he was seen as the face of change for Nigerians.
For him, Jonathan squandered the opportunity given to him, as he proved overtime that he was incapable of fixing Nigeria.
“Some people have argued that President Goodluck Jonathan was able to fix a lot of infrastructure, but you needed to be alive to enjoy it. If a government is incapable of guaranteeing the welfare and security of its people, that government is a failure. How can we explain fuel importation in the country with our type of resources?” he argued.
He told TheNiche that the present political development is good for the development of democracy in the country. For him, despite the malpractices during the poll, the imperfection will get better over time.
Although he expressed worry that majority of politicians were in politics for self-enrichment rather than service, with no philosophy or political ideology, he said with the improvement of election conduct where the ballot would count, those that failed voters’ expectation stand being voted out at the expiration of their first tenure.
Said Nwabunnia: “The 2015 election has come and gone, with a lot of enduring lessons. It is sad that election generally in Nigeria has remained a do-or-die affair basically because Nigeria’s politics is seen as a business venture.
“Majority of the people go into politics essentially for what they will make out of it, rather than to serve in the common interest. Present-day politicians are no longer there for service; the reason I describe most of them as ‘political merchants’.
“What we witnessed during the election, especially the defeat of the ruling party, is a welcome development. It is a credit to democracy because it will help our democracy to grow.”
Nwabunnia, who studied Political Science at the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN), was positive that Buhari will bring the desired change, considering his antecedents. According to him, Buhari has shown over the years that he is a man with integrity that Nigerians can trust.
His words: “From my years in the university, I have followed Buhari. Some Nigerians were saying that Buhari was hard, but Nigeria of today needs a leader with a lion heart. We need a leader that is firm; one that is very decisive, not one that his subordinates will be pushing around.
“The essence of governance is decision-making. Take your stand on an issue and be firm on it; you might be wrong or right, but take the decision first. It is one thing we are going to experience with Buhari. A man’s name speaks for him and you know that the mere mention of Buhari will make Nigeria’s public servants sit up and do the right thing.
“They know that this is a man that will not condone corruption or lousiness. I have not heard any Nigerian that says Buhari stole one naira from the treasury, despite all the juicy positions that he occupied. And he had every opportunity to do so, but he left office with his integrity intact. Today, the man still lives like the ordinary Nigerian, living within his income.”
The political analyst, who also is a Customs-licensed agent, said the Igbo would not miss much in the present political arrangement, although now in opposition, just as he argued that the group gained nothing special for supporting the PDP all these 16 years.
He told TheNiche: “As far as I am concerned, the Igbo have nothing to lose because there is a saying that he that is down needs fear no fall. Even under the PDP in the last four years of Jonathan, we cannot say we had any position. You need positions that are protected in the constitution. Those that were ministers, what did they achieve for Ndigbo?
“APC, being smart, knows that there are people they must reach out to in the South East. Of course, before you know that in another four years, another election will come and they will need the votes of the people again for another mandate.
“I am sure that whatever that is due to us, we will get it. With people like Ogbonnaya Onu, Chris Ngige, Rochas Okorocha etc., we will not be sidelined. Although we will not expect much, we will get what is due to us.”
Nwabunnia believes that the PDP has, since inception in 1998, shortchanged the Igbo, cautioning APC to be magnanimous in victory, rather than allowing it to breed arrogance in them.
“APC should know that if they fail Nigerians, it will be a matter of four years and Nigerians will throw them out. APC should avoid the banana peel of arrogance, impunity and corruption that destroyed the PDP,” he advised.
