Well its ten days to the February 14 general elections in
Nigeria and a part of me cannot wait to find out how things are going to work
out. A lot of people are apprehensive about what is going to happen during and
after the elections, which is why everyone is busy moving families from north
to south and vice versa, with the rich ones moving their families abroad all together.
While all these are going on, the politicians on the other
hand are busy moving round the country soliciting for support from voters in
what promises to be a keenly contested presidential election. You may want to
ask why the 2015 presidential election is generating so much heat given the
fact that we have the same candidates from the 2011 elections who are familiar
with each other. The answer might not be farfetched because even though the
candidates are still the same, the realities of four years ago and now have
changed significantly to the extent that even the geographic space that Nigeria
occupied has been reduced in size.
Considering the amount of bashing
the average Nigerian citizen has received over the years in terms of bad governance,
and the incredibly resilient manner the people have taken this bashing without asking questions and
demanding for what is right, a part of me cannot wait to find out how majority
of Nigerians intend to vote in ten days time. Some might argue that the people
of Nigeria have not yet had it full, and so have not reached their breaking
point. I myself asked the same question in an article I wrote in 2012 titled “What can pierce this thick skin?”. I am still curious to find out if the people
of Nigeria have finally had it full, given the fact that there is no barrier of
‘low’ that the present government has
not broken both in terms of security and the monumental corruption ever
witnessed.
Ten days from now, I cannot wait to find out if Nigerians
have realized that the power to choose who governs them resides with them and
no one else. I cannot wait to find out if as a people we will be objective
enough to vote based on performance and not based on religious and ethnic
sentiments. In ten days time I cannot wait to find out if Nigerians have easily
forgotten all the previous unfulfilled promises, and are ready to give this
government a second chance despite that. I cannot wait to find out if the
Nigerian youths have forgiven this government for the Immigration employment
scam which resulted in the deaths of people and for which no one was punished.
In ten days time, I am so curious to find out if the people
of Borno state- who are believed to have a large heart will be magnanimous
enough to give this government at least the 25% of votes it requires. I cannot wait to find out if the Chibok
parents will give this government another chance with the hope that they might
find their daughters. I cannot wait to find out if Nigerians are okay with all
the huge sums of money that are missing under this government and are ready to
give them another chance to continue.
Finally I cannot wait to find out whether the people of
Nigeria can finally muster the courage to stop non performance in its tracks,
to evaluate the whole situation and say NO to the status quo and embrace change.
Or will they be scared of change and utter statements like ‘the devil you know
is better than the angel you don’t know?’ Time will tell – and guess what, that
time is just ten days away.
No comments:
Post a Comment