GOVERNANCE AT THE EXPENSE OF NIGERIANS

Governance was brought to a still from last year till now by the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC). The tussle for party leadership took center stage while Nigerians were left in their misery of poverty, terrorism, hunger, worsening electricity crisis, and other horrible living conditions.

Nigerians have been relegated to the back as party issues and the 2023 elections are most important to the government and the ruling All Progressive party. Despite being an oil-producing nation, fuel scarcity has persisted in some parts of the country which has lingered for over a month. Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) has insisted their demands must be met before they return to the classroom leaving undergraduates to wander aimlessly.

The future of Nigeria and Nigerians under this current dispensation has been a hopeless one, acquiring a quality education is good as daydreaming. The education sector is one of the most underfunded in the country’s budget.  Instead of the Buhari-led government channeling its last days in office to better the lives of Nigerians in all aspects, they have been carried away by who will be Chairman and who will not be.   

Bandits are having a filled time in Kaduna and other places, scores have been sent to their untimely graves, properties worth billions destroyed yet, the government is busy planning for 2023 which brings me to ask, can the dead vote? With the way bandits are operating without any hindrance from the military or action from the government, the country might be wiped out before the 2023 general elections.

At the peak of the fuel scarcity, ASSU strike, rising inflation, and other troubling issues in the country, again, President Buhari who also doubles as Minister for Petroleum jetted out to London on medical vacation. Nigerians were yet again left to deal with the discomfort the scarcity had caused.  

Food is gradually becoming a luxury in many Nigerian homes; the rising cost of food items has further increased the suffering of an average Nigerian. According to a report by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation, about 19.4 million people will face food scarcity across Nigeria between June and August. The report also added that the food crisis will affect 21 states including the FCT; it also added that about 14.4 million people and 385,000 IDPs in the 21states are already experiencing the food crisis.  

In like spirit, state governors are not left out in the diversion of governance to party politics. While bandits rain heavily in states, killing and destroying food and properties; the custodians of the state are either in Abuja or London having meetings about their party and preparations for the 2023 general elections.

Our government is not ready to make anything work, we are left to rescue ourselves from the sinking ship. Of recent, Tony Elumelu charged Nigerians to be vocal in demanding leaders that will deliver come 2023, “evil prevails when good people are silent; we need to be vocal about 2023. Let’s focus on Nigeria, demand, and advocate for leaders that will deliver.” He wrote in a tweet.

Elumelu said he listened to his colleagues lament the “very pressing issues that they face every day in this country and how things have been getting worse and worse.” If Nigerians are to rewrite the book of lamentations in the bible with what they are going through, even the bible will not contain the lamentations they have. Elumelu also questions why most Nigerian live in poverty despite its rich resources. 

“How can a country so rich in natural resources have 90% of its citizens living in hardship and poverty? I have often said that access to electricity is critical for our development, alleviation of poverty and hardship. And speaking of security, our people are afraid. Businesses are suffering, how can we be losing over 95% of oil production to thieves? Why are we paying taxes if our security agencies can’t stop this?

“It is clear that the reason Nigeria is unable to meet its OPEC production quota is not because of low investment but because of theft, pure and simple. Meanwhile, oil-producing countries are smiling as their foreign reserve is rising. What is Nigeria’s problem? We need to hold our leaders more accountable… in 2023; Nigeria must be on a strong trajectory for progress and development” he concluded his lamentation.

Imagine over 200 million people having different lamentations; certainly, even the bible will be overwhelmed by its new content. 

Finally, the reason for which governance was laid to rest has come and gone, the party has had its “extraordinary” convention and election, and a chairman and other officials have emerged. Former Governor, Nasarawa State Abdullahi Adamu, Buhari’s anointed on Saturday emerged as the new National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC). He was confirmed as the ruling party’s chairman after a voice vote by the delegates. Let’s hope that the government will have the sense to return and focus on Nigerians with diligence.