By Chukwudi Nweje, Lagos
Lagos Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate for Governor Chief Kunle Uthman has said that the Presidential Candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Asiwaju Bola Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar respectively deserve to be arrested and prosecuted over the corruption allegations against them.
In a statement issued in Lagos Sunday, Uthman noted that the brickbat thrown by the APC and PDP Presidential Campaign spokesmen at each other is a clear testimony of the depth that Nigeria has been sunk by a “political class that has failed” but still desire to perpetuate itself in power.
He said, “In other climes, advanced and civilised countries, this will lead to immediate arrest, trial and incarceration of these candidates. How did we arrive at this state of anomie and political brigandage?
“These two Presidential Candidates have been lavishly classified as frontrunners by the media, assumedly due to their ‘big and deep pockets’, coveted State resources, pilfered at one time or the other when they were in power at the State and Federal governments. What are the sources of the stupendous these “moneybags?”
He noted that the fact that both Tinubu and Atiku are still walking free raises questions on whether former Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron was not correct when he made his classification on corruption in Nigeria.
He further said: “The cacophony of noise, abuse, malignment, castigation, exposure of corruption, manipulation, brick batting emanating from the spokesmen of the PDP and APC is sickening, sad, abominable, repulsive and makes one to wonder if the former Prime Minister of Britain, David Cameron was not correct when he made his classification.”
He also said that the corruption accusations traded by APC and the PDP at a time serious-minded political parties are discussing issues of how to salvage the ship of the country from sinking is an indication that neither is interested in the future of the country.
He added, “A few days to the Presidential Elections in Nigeria, the APC and the PDP are not discussing party manifestos and promises to rescue our people from deep poverty, lack of infrastructural facilities, health-care, education, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), general welfare, recalibration of the Naira viz-a-viz other international currencies, forex, restoration of dignity to the human persons, galloping and spiral inflation, security of lives and properties, kidnappings and other ills bedevilling our society-at-large and their blueprint for a rescue mission, if possible, by their presidential and their political parties.
“Regrettably, these two political parties are showcasing and dramatising, through loquacious, noisy spokesmen mudslinging and abusive words and publications on the depth of pilferage, theft, abominable corruption and verifiable damning allegations of their principals and presidential candidates, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar.
“The above referenced video, widely circulated most especially in the social and electronic media is a clear and glaring testimony of the depth that we have sunk as a Nation State – abysmal degradation as a people, by a political class that has failed us and still desire continuity to further impoverish our lives and reduce us to sub humans.
“As it were, our streets (everywhere) are being decorated with posters and billboards, assaulting our sights and senses of vision, as if we, the electorate have no choice but to re-vote them in power. This smack of desperation to hold on to power irrespective of the wishes of the people.”
Uthman urged Nigerians to reject the sense of entitlement and turn-by-turn peddled by the APC and PDP and rather vote for a young candidate.
The statement read in part, “Effective and efficient modern democratic government cannot be likened to the outdated feudal system, but a conscious choice by registered voters of leaders within a determined period of time, whose verifiable performances and records at National and State levels will determine whether or not they should be re-elected. What is their scorecard of performance?
“At Town Hall meetings, debates, publications, conduct at meetings, attitudes, Chatham House, NBA Conference, LCCI meetings, Peace Accord ceremony and others, we have had the privilege to periscope the Presidential Candidates of many of the political parties seeking our votes at the National and States elections. We can now assess their state of health, ability to answer pertinent questions, civility one to the other, knowledge of macroeconomics, international relations and articulation and understanding of their own Party Manifestos.
“We have seen in some of these candidates like Prince Adewole Adebayo, Comrade Sowore, Kachikwu, Peter Obi and others the advantage of age, capacity, and ability to reason fast and respond to difficult questions and campaigns, without maligning other candidates, but treating one another with decorum, gentility and respect.
“The choice of the next President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria is in the franchise system, the electorate, umpire, and courage to choose a cerebral, agile, healthy, focused, incorruptible leader, who has a decipherable history, verifiable past and a track record of capacity to effectively midwife good governance…
“Our destiny and the future of this country is in our own hands, necessarily, now more than ever before in the history of our Nation, we must endeavour to vote right and pray for divine intervention, that Almighty God will navigate our Nation State from imminent catastrophe, danger of collapse…”