PMB
PMB'S DECLARATION AND IT'S IMPLICATION/S FOR NIGERIA
Since PMB announced his intention to seek re-election, I have pondered over the implication/s of this decision and what it portends for the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria. From both sides of the divide are very many voices. Some expressing delight and joy that finally PMB has hearkened to the voice of reason by acquiescing to the clarion call to run again. Ganduje, the Governor of Kano was quoted as saying he will sue PMB if he fails to present himself for re-election. Very many interest groups had before now 'urged' Mr President to declare his intention by throwing his hat in the ring. Consultations were made and ultimately, at the APC NEC meeting in Abuja yesterday, finally, PMB let out the long awaited news. For very many a people, it was to be expected and the element of surprise was absent. For the other group, this announcement left a sour taste in their mouths. This singular announcement has formed talking points across the main stream media as well as social media.
Now, it is clear that PMB is the candidate to beat in the coming election. This is not to preclude the rights of many other candidates from the APC who would want to take a shot at the primaries. It's democratic and constitutionally their rights to vie also. But we all know the power of incumbency in Nigerian politics and most certainly, the odds are against any candidate/s who would attempt to slug it out with a sitting president.
Clearly now, the body language of APC leaves no one in doubt as regards the direction of the ruling party. There is a school of thought that is of the opinion that this is just a smokescreen as PMB clearly understands that he no longer has the capacity to govern but will be preparing someone to take over from him and during the primaries, the annointed one will clinch the ticket and PMB will concede defeat and this singular gesture will turn him into a 'hero' overnight. Is this possible given the antecedents of the person in question? Only time will tell.
The permutations are certainly pointing to the direction of Mr President. Not minding the seeming hardship the country has been plunged into for the last three years plus. As soon as PMB declared yesterday, the stock market crashed to an all time low loosing a whopping 150 billion Naira. What does this say to the average Nigerian? I leave that for you to decipher.
Still talking about the power of incumbency, one may argue, but in this same country, we watched a sitting president loose to an opposition so can that not be replicated? This is where my scepticism stems from. The disposition of the one that lost and conceded earlier is most certainly at variance with the disposition of the one currently in power. I hope my gut feeling proves me wrong that in the event of a defeat, PMB will allow reason to prevail and in turn also be magnanimous in defeat.
It is my considered opinion too, that before making up his mind to run again, PMB and the ruling party must have perfected their strategy and have come to the conclusion that winning the election is a walk over. I am worried about the credibility of the process and whether very many Nigerians may not be disenfranchised at the polls. Already, there are widespread complaints about the voter registration exercise and how it is poorly handled in the opposition strongholds. While this exercise goes on seamlessly in other parts of the country that are dominated by the ruling party, very many sad tales are told of the exercise in the areas described as 'opposition zones'. One is left with just one thought: it is carefully designed and orchestrated to eat into the figures of those who are known to vote the other way. On the election day, I pray we will not be left to reel in pains arising from inability to cast ballots by a good number of Nigerians on flimsy excuses such as the 'biometric machine has crashed or the malfunctioning of card readers'. For now, I will hold tenaciously to PMB's promise of improving on the quality of elections by adhering strictly to the rules of the game.
One other factor that we must never gloat over is insecurity. Boko Haram is still very portent and lethal. Armed Fulani Terrorists are still on the prowl. To what extent can we say that the country will be sufficiently secured before the elections to warrant an exercise that will be adjudged peaceful, free and fair? The Newspapers today are predicting that the Fulani/Herdsmen crisis will worsen in 2019 and that government is already forewarning us. We hope that government will be 'on top of the situation' and will equally have the political will to halt the crisis.
*Fr. Williams Abba writes from Kafanchan*
Since PMB announced his intention to seek re-election, I have pondered over the implication/s of this decision and what it portends for the entrenchment of democracy in Nigeria. From both sides of the divide are very many voices. Some expressing delight and joy that finally PMB has hearkened to the voice of reason by acquiescing to the clarion call to run again. Ganduje, the Governor of Kano was quoted as saying he will sue PMB if he fails to present himself for re-election. Very many interest groups had before now 'urged' Mr President to declare his intention by throwing his hat in the ring. Consultations were made and ultimately, at the APC NEC meeting in Abuja yesterday, finally, PMB let out the long awaited news. For very many a people, it was to be expected and the element of surprise was absent. For the other group, this announcement left a sour taste in their mouths. This singular announcement has formed talking points across the main stream media as well as social media.
Now, it is clear that PMB is the candidate to beat in the coming election. This is not to preclude the rights of many other candidates from the APC who would want to take a shot at the primaries. It's democratic and constitutionally their rights to vie also. But we all know the power of incumbency in Nigerian politics and most certainly, the odds are against any candidate/s who would attempt to slug it out with a sitting president.
Clearly now, the body language of APC leaves no one in doubt as regards the direction of the ruling party. There is a school of thought that is of the opinion that this is just a smokescreen as PMB clearly understands that he no longer has the capacity to govern but will be preparing someone to take over from him and during the primaries, the annointed one will clinch the ticket and PMB will concede defeat and this singular gesture will turn him into a 'hero' overnight. Is this possible given the antecedents of the person in question? Only time will tell.
The permutations are certainly pointing to the direction of Mr President. Not minding the seeming hardship the country has been plunged into for the last three years plus. As soon as PMB declared yesterday, the stock market crashed to an all time low loosing a whopping 150 billion Naira. What does this say to the average Nigerian? I leave that for you to decipher.
Still talking about the power of incumbency, one may argue, but in this same country, we watched a sitting president loose to an opposition so can that not be replicated? This is where my scepticism stems from. The disposition of the one that lost and conceded earlier is most certainly at variance with the disposition of the one currently in power. I hope my gut feeling proves me wrong that in the event of a defeat, PMB will allow reason to prevail and in turn also be magnanimous in defeat.
It is my considered opinion too, that before making up his mind to run again, PMB and the ruling party must have perfected their strategy and have come to the conclusion that winning the election is a walk over. I am worried about the credibility of the process and whether very many Nigerians may not be disenfranchised at the polls. Already, there are widespread complaints about the voter registration exercise and how it is poorly handled in the opposition strongholds. While this exercise goes on seamlessly in other parts of the country that are dominated by the ruling party, very many sad tales are told of the exercise in the areas described as 'opposition zones'. One is left with just one thought: it is carefully designed and orchestrated to eat into the figures of those who are known to vote the other way. On the election day, I pray we will not be left to reel in pains arising from inability to cast ballots by a good number of Nigerians on flimsy excuses such as the 'biometric machine has crashed or the malfunctioning of card readers'. For now, I will hold tenaciously to PMB's promise of improving on the quality of elections by adhering strictly to the rules of the game.
One other factor that we must never gloat over is insecurity. Boko Haram is still very portent and lethal. Armed Fulani Terrorists are still on the prowl. To what extent can we say that the country will be sufficiently secured before the elections to warrant an exercise that will be adjudged peaceful, free and fair? The Newspapers today are predicting that the Fulani/Herdsmen crisis will worsen in 2019 and that government is already forewarning us. We hope that government will be 'on top of the situation' and will equally have the political will to halt the crisis.
*Fr. Williams Abba writes from Kafanchan*
PMB
Reviewed by SAMSONGALAXY.com
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6:41 PM
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Reviewed by SAMSONGALAXY.com
on
6:41 PM
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