A breakup that could rebuild Nigeria

The current political developments have once again stressed the urgent need for all Nigerians to line up behind a leader or group who would and is willing to fight the corruption scourge, eradicate or reduce poverty, combat insecurity; a leader who would stem the fast-growing unemployment, salvage the near comatose education sector, revive the health […]

The current political developments have once again stressed the urgent need for all Nigerians to line up behind a leader or group who would and is willing to fight the corruption scourge, eradicate or reduce poverty, combat insecurity; a leader who would stem the fast-growing unemployment, salvage the near comatose education sector, revive the health sector, and tackle many other quality-of-life issues, before these problems wrestle us to the land of no return.
There is then, light at the end of the tunnel after all.
Judging from what transpired at the recent PDP Special Convention, it was reassuring when some delegate broke off to form a faction called the “New PDP” and subsequently challenged the ‘old PDP’ for legitimacy. This move, considered by many as a master stroke has fostered an uneasy calm, has engulfed President Jonathan’s political camp.
  The zeal and passion that has become the hallmark of the president’s response to this is absent in the performance of the duties Nigerians elected him for. Nigerians demand the same kind of dedication to resolve the ongoing labour–related issues crippling our country. For how long will our universities remain closed due to strike actions by the lecturers?   
The irony is that last week, the Federal Executive Council was patting itself on the back for passing a National Health care “waste management” policy.  I dey laugh because here we are worrying about health care ‘waste’, when we have no health care to speak of; and especially when the health sector has just called off their ‘warning’ strike. They are determined to resume if their demands are not met.   
There is no logic for those who assume we will accept the motivations of this government as to the argument of “honest”; especially since it is the innocent electorate that continue to pay the price of a government that has failed to come to terms with its constitutional role.
On the part of citizens, we must not ignore the inherent duty to participate in the process since we all agree that it is imperative to elect leaders that have demonstrated the passion, the vision, the courage and the readiness to govern fairly and comparatively, irrespective of ethnic or religious proclivities. The citizens must be blamed if they elect individuals that are weak and incompetent to address their challenges, or individuals that are guided by sentiments like religion and tribalism.
There is no gainsaying that such is the dilemma we are confronted with now. We have been caged by a few who appoint and impose leaders that are only there for the interest of the very same few. What happens to the larger population? Despair and lamentation!
 Nigerians have had enough excuses from this President on his inability to fulfil simple promises that will better the lives of the majority.
Lami Ladan, 3rd Avenue, Gwarinpa Estate, Abuja.