In politics, slogans matter

Fast-forward to today; or at least to 1999. Why, you may ask, did the founders of the PDP select “POWER” as the party’s slogan? Unless we understand this, we cannot fully grasp why the PDP and those benefitting from its sway in power (and even those who really only THINK they are benefitting) are mortally […]

Fast-forward to today; or at least to 1999. Why, you may ask, did the founders of the PDP select “POWER” as the party’s slogan? Unless we understand this, we cannot fully grasp why the PDP and those benefitting from its sway in power (and even those who really only THINK they are benefitting) are mortally scared about the prospects of the APC coming to power and its promise of “CHANGE”. These slogans are important, and an appreciation of their significance would help to explain the drama currently unfolding.
PDP was, and still is, about power; political power, not electricity or brute force. Someone once said “Seek ye first political power, and everything else would be added unto it,” or something along that line. Many thought it was about seizing power from the military. Some of us even hoped, rather naively as it turned out, that they would use political power to bring about social and economic transformations for the greater good. It soon became clear however that it was all about seeking ways to be “elected” or selected to “represent” your people and quickly line your pockets. It was never about service to the nation but about “self-service”. In this, they did very well for themselves.
To be fair, ours are not an exception to the rule; self-serving politicians come are everywhere. The difference is that most of the others have understood that as with all living organisms a socio-political system must be capable of reproducing itself. While corruption (or mere stealing, as our “Oga-at-the-Top” would say) can co-exist with some credible leadership, it must be limited and, from time to time, punished even if to keep greed in check. Where corruption is on an industrial scale, as is the case with Nigeria, it limits the ability of the government to provide even a modicum of social service or essential infrastructure. Where it has eaten so deeply into the system that even basic security is absent, the legitimacy of the whole system is brought into question. One can try and use some of the stolen or ill-gotten wealth to bribe some of the people, or use some “divide and rule” tactics along religious or ethnic lines, it is not possible to bribe all the people, or continue to deceive them, all the time. This is where Jonathan and the PDP have found themselves presently.
A large part of the blame could be put squarely on the PDP leaders from the North and their boys in business and the bureaucracy, who made so much money for themselves yet could not build the industrial, agricultural and other enterprises needed to absorb their teeming population. They were using thugs and hangers-on to hold on to power. The result is now obvious (remember Modu Sheriff’s ECOMOG, now part of Boko Haram?), and none of them can now even dare advise their drivers or house helps who to vote for. Everyone is now shouting “Sai Buhari” even though the chap has no money to hand out. The main reason however is that, as a ruling group the PDP has no succession plan but simply push their children, petty-thugs and noise-makers up the ladder. How else can one explain those now trying to sell the party while constantly abusing and maligning even potential supporters and sympathisers?
The best example of somebody pushed well above his capabilities is surely President Jonathan. He is not a bad man, as they keep telling us but can he lead? Can we trust him for another four years? He blames his advisers (whom he himself selected) but could he really have benefitted from any good advice? Here is a President who sat unperturbed for years while over 15,000 Nigerians were killed, some two million displaced and millions more traumatised without bothering to even visit and commiserate with them but now, because he wants votes, is finding time to go around places he never gave a hoot about. It is not just the Chibok girls. Take the case of Jordan, and what the King is doing to ISIS for its killing of a Jordanian pilot. What did Jonathan do when Boko Haram butchered our own fighter pilot (a Wing Commander Hedima) that it captured? They simply denied the story. So where is our pilot? They spread “glad tidings” of freeing our girls, cease-fire talks and killing Shekau, and yet say absolutely nothing when these lies are exposed. They disputed the sad news, and went about politics as usual. Governor Kashim Shettima said it appeared our soldiers were out gunned by Boko Hara, and they called him names. Now they say our soldiers have new and better weapons and are succeeding in fighting the insurgency.
We complained about the corruption all around him and he never gave a damn. No, NNPC does not owe the Federation Account. Diezani, Oduah and the others have done nothing wrong. Nothing is amiss and all we need to do is to allow them to continue with their “transformation agenda” and all will be well, except of course for some people who we must reject because they are, says the PDP, either too old, too sick or out to “Islamise” the whole country. Blah, blah, blah.
Yes, sometimes lies are told in the service of power but they only work when the system is seen to be working and those telling the lies are believable. When a contraption is in a mess, when it is not working, when people are fed up with it then it lacks legitimacy. And this house could collapse. We have the duty to preserve ourselves by making sure it does not collapse on our head. Removing Jega, messing up the elections or even arranging for some interim government is not the answer. Play by the rules of the game and allow peaceful change. Shouting “Power” would not restore it when they have played out their hand. Or have they.
More to the point; is APC ready for this CHANGE they are promising? Is it simply to change power from one ruling elite to another? Or is its’ own the power to change for the better? My take on this is that General Buhari and his running mate are way ahead of several in the party hierarchy in their grasp of what is at stake. They plan to end corruption and open up the possibilities for Nigerians to take on the task of creating a nation befitting them. We should engage them more, and tell them what we want. We all must take the lead in shaping our own future. But all I hear is the sound of silence. Real change only comes to those who prepare for it, otherwise we end of with another power shift. Slogans must be given concrete meanings. Would all those seeking change please speak out and help shape the agenda?