In bad faith

Nowadays it’s politicians who watch while their supporters engage in violence and stir up hatred. The pelting of our president while campaigning must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Slander, libel and defamation seem to have become the norm in our electioneering but the progression to physical attacks is completely unacceptable. The electioneering mudslinging was […]

Nowadays it’s politicians who watch while their supporters engage in violence and stir up hatred. The pelting of our president while campaigning must be condemned in no uncertain terms. Slander, libel and defamation seem to have become the norm in our electioneering but the progression to physical attacks is completely unacceptable. The electioneering mudslinging was started by the erratic Director of Media and Publicity, PDP Presidential Campaign Femi Fani-Kayode with his official campaign based on arguments “against the man”, and arguments of “emotional appeal”. He has drawn support from commentators who quibble over semantics in the name of intellectualism. In their opinion PDP campaigning isn’t “hateful”, which is unacceptable; it’s merely “offensive” which is acceptable! Putting such drivel aside, those really heating up the polity are ex-militants and political “men of God”.
 The “ex”-militants openly threaten to declare war if Goodluck Jonathan doesn’t win no matter how free and fair the election is. Why they should wish another Odi tragedy upon their hapless peace loving people is unfathomable. The dismaying aspect is that they feel their “brother” must be re-elected irrespective of visionless and corrupt governance.  They feel his poor record isn’t enough reason for him to vacate the political space because after all no previous Nigerian President has been successful, yet they were all re-elected. To them Jonathan has as much right to be a cog in the wheel of progress as the next politician. Although this is true, what they fail to understand is that democracy isn’t about issuing threats if you don’t get what you want. It’s about agreeing to abide by the will of the majority. In all elections there are losers, and anyone who isn’t prepared to lose shouldn’t contest in the first place. Disappointingly the PDP National Publicity Secretary Olisa Metuh didn’t condemn these threats but only requested they desist only because “such remarks could be counter-productive and create disaffection for the party and its presidential candidate”.
The more forthright former Chairman of the Presidential Advisory Committee retired General Theophilus Danjuma demanded their arrest and prosecution for incitement to treason. It’s important to recall that the amnesty program gave Niger Delta militants freedom from criminal prosecution for offences as varied as wilful damage of government property; kidnapping; extortion; armed robbery; murder; and treason. Their readiness to throw the amnesty back in our faces should come as no surprise. None of them had any notable success in life until they ventured into militancy and armed conflict. Instead of bringing appreciable developments to the lives of their people, they selfishly became billionaires and equipped themselves beyond their wildest dreams. Instead of establishing a National Coastguard staffed with officers and men from different parts of the nation to patrol our shoreline, government allowed them to purchase warships. Rather than using the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to protect pipelines government awarded a contract to them. The end result of the amnesty programme is that billions have been spent in making militants better educated, more exposed, better organized, and better equipped to the extent that they now pose a clear and present danger which must be redressed.
 The tension caused by self-acclaimed “anointed men of God” declaring that candidates have been either endorsed or rejected by “God”, also requires condemnation. Religious leaders must concern themselves with spiritual wellbeing not politics. It’s a sign of our leaders’ failure that so much religious talk has filtered into the political sphere. When citizens find themselves in a hopeless situation with government unable to provide for their most basic needs, much less their hopes and aspirations, they turn in desperation to all sorts of radical preachers and spiritualists for hope and inspiration. Taking a cue from our president who doesn’t restrain himself from making political statements inside churches supporters of both sides are running their mouths freely. Rev Father Mbaka’s said “God” told him Jonathan should not contest. In response the Executive Secretary of the Catholic Caritas Foundation called for restraint by the clergy, and urged Catholics to desist from using inciting or abusive language on the social media. In the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) Pastor Bosun Emmanuel circulated a CD inciting Christians against Moslems. He asserted, foolishly, that Boko Haram is fighting the cause of Nigerian Moslems, even when most of their victims have been Moslems. The General Overseer of the Church Pastor Enoch Adeboye ordered a stop to distribution of the CD and disassociated himself and his church from the offensive materials. The 2015 election isn’t about Christian versus Moslem, neither is it about North versus South. It’s about giving Nigeria good governance. The millions intending to vote for Jonathan should do so because they believe he has performed well and “transformed” the nation, and not simply because he is a Christian, or because they are afraid of what ex-militants will do. The millions intending to vote for Buhari should do so because they feel disenchanted with the Jonathan administration and not simply because he is a Moslem and from the North. Campaigning on the basis of ethnicity and religion rather than competence is in bad faith. After all who asks for the tribe or religion of the pilot when they enter an aircraft?