Yes, the campaigns for the 2023 general election have started. Few days ago, I happened to be on the road as late as 10.00 pm. At a location I saw a convey of clean vehicles navigating their way through a highly deplorable road into an undeveloped local community. I just chuckled and said to those who were with me that politicians will find their way into every ghetto if the issue is vote fetching but once they get what they want they loathe going that direction until another campaign circle.
This cycle of deceit and abandonment of core responsibilities of good governance has continued to be because campaigns are usually bereft of substance. All that office seekers do is to stage a carnival, where they appear as artistes of various types, sing and dance and off they go. We don’t put them on the crucible as is done elsewhere and drill them thoroughly on what they intend to do when they get into office. That is the essence of ensuring that candidates provide a manifesto, which documents what they plan to do. People fight for it. Groups lead the people to demand for action plans from political players and to ensure they get it. Some the groups who should stand as vanguards for the people to push the right buttons so as to get required results include the Media and then all organized groups like professional bodies and faith-based organizations. We have seen some level of action along this path but a lot still requires to be done, especially now the campaigns have started.
Few weeks ago, the lawyers started with their annual national conference, which was held in Lagos. A very interesting aspect of the outing was the invitation extended to all presidential candidates to expouse on their plans for the country in the event any of them got elected into power. The beauty of what they tried to do was excellent in two key areas. First was the thought to bring the presidential candidates to say something great. Second was the decision to invite all parties irrespective of their perceived electoral strength. In this particular aspect they set a record.
The Media and many organizations don’t think in this direction, we impugn on the electoral credibility by grading of candidates and the parties, forgetting that in every electoral contest all contestants have equal opportunity to emerge tops. The small parties may look weak but events can alter established permutations. It happened in Imo State in 2007, where Ikedi Ohakim left a ranking party to one formed barely six months to the election, got the governorship ticket and won.
He got through because the incumbent governor was short changed by unhealthy political interfaces that still characterize politics in our clime. The Nigerian Bar Association outing good as it was, the candidates hadn’t enough time. The lesson it threw up is that those who intend to organize such events henceforth should set a day devoted to solely hearing from candidates. Candidates should be encouraged to take notes because some aspirants who may not eventually win, may have very good programmes that can be harnessed by a very serious, very perceptive leader. Groups should take a go at these candidates immediately.
The media, essentially the electronic platforms, have done very well so far. More could be done with regards to getting the candidates to talk. It is surprising that the mainstream newspapers do not have something akin to «Interview of the Week» currently running in any of them. Such interview should feature well researched questions as well as follow up. The insistence by media practitioners that candidates dwell more on the process of achieving their plans is key. They must map out the areas as comprehensively as possible and demand very specific answers.
The era of «10 Points Agenda» should be done away with; the counsel by Napoleon Hills will serve us some useful lesson here. Hills said, the vast majority of us agree that “no one gets to where he or she desires that is great on dead hopes and hopeful wishes.” Great enterprise is a function of massive energy expended, walking the talk. Action begins by insistence on availability of workable plans.
The issues hindering development of our space are clear to all by now. We have no other country. This position may appear harsh to those who the current chaos benefits but it is the truth. Deborah, a supposed citizen of Nigeria was lynched by supposed fellow country in her country, not in Chad or Burkina Faso. Nobody, not even the state or federal government spoke for her and as you are reading this, not one person has been arrested for lynching and subsequently setting her on fire. She was killed for blasphemy. People who subscribe to one country bound in freedom won›t act this way against a fellow citizen.
We must ask questions on national conference, we must get views on restructuring and we must not be deceived to pass devolution of job assignments for restructuring; they are not the same. On national unity we should hear specific things the candidates intend to do. Same for insecurity, crude oil, increase in pump prices, subsidy, food security, the agriculture value chain, productive economy and public enterprise. Do they intend to sell the public enterprises or make them efficient? Taxation, housing, healthcare, aviation and prospects of having a national carrier, maritime development, electricity supply and rail development, etc.
We are waiting to see real and indepth interfaces with anyone that is running for office. A friend said the media should be partners with the political class when things are going well but when it is terrible like we have now, the media should switch back to their role as watchdogs and demand accountability. I fully agree.