OPINION: Conspiracy of the political class

“ Some things must be said, and there are times when silence become an accomplice to injustice “
Ayaan Hirsi Ali

What is ridiculous that has not happened in Nigeria does not exist. Nigeria’s political experiment hits its lowest of the low, when recently becoming unbecoming, an incumbent CBN governor- Godwin Emefele, who’s now a politician, in an absolute disregard to legality and morality right or otherwise,
audaciously joined the bandwagon of partisan politics to the extent of obtaining a presidential nomination and expression of interest form of the ruling party- APC even though, through proxies. In a desperate move never witnessed in the annals of Nigeria’s nascent democratic experience, he went as far as going to the court to seek for a restraining order against INEC and AGF to allow him eat his cake and have it, against the backdrop of his banking prowess of anything can be bought and sold. No wonder the CBN governor in collaboration with his political associates politicized the agricultural and other Federal Government interventions, whereas, the Bank of Agriculture and Development Bank become spectators. Politics is synonymous with “ mad money” today in Nigeria evidenced by the visible, questionable and stupendous wealth amassed by our current crop of politicians, engrossed with perpetuating themselves into power, therefore, making access to political office as the most lucrative business venture more so, veritable means of financial freedom in the country, unlike in the 60s during the time of our very distinguished in governance founding fathers when it used to be a matter of labor, honor and genuine service to the people and country.

However, the most hilarious part of the conspiracy of the political class is the rumored defection of former president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan from PDP to the ruling APC and subsequent purchase of 2023 presidential nomination and expression of interest form, by a northern group identified as Miyetti Allah. While we await an official denial of this interesting political episode,right was ….. when he asserted that never believe any political news until it’s officially denied, likened to the rumored Meffy 2023 being the political campaign slogan of the CBN governor before it, which’s now history. Without prejudice or begrudging anyone’s character, the all-out fierce declaration of interest charade by both performing and non-performing politicians of the two major political parties in the country, the APC and the PDP, which to any discerning observer are both sides of a coin, head or tail they win In their unending battle to capture and control the public treasury for self-aggrandizement.

There’s no gain saying the obvious, otherwise, with the overwhelming problems of insecurity, power, worsening economy that’s impressive on the papers of our political class, but ruinous in reality that has almost defied practical solutions by successive governments, the monetization of partisan politics especially by the ruling APC which has outrageously raised its presidential nomination and expression of interest form from N27m in 2015 when the “Maigaskiya” form was purchased, to a whooping N100m for 2023, as a means of separating the “ men “ from the “boys”, has succeeded in prioritizing money in our political space while vital virtues like competence, capability and track record have been relegated to the background. Pertaining to the rationale behind the mass purchase of the APC presidential nomination form, now, tell me another easy and legal way to FUND the party within the limits of the electoral act. The big question now is, which party belongs to the poor Nigerians- Talakawa. Has the preoccupation of the poor in the electioneering process being reduced to only voting and not being voted for?

That’s the travesty and irony of our current political realities, and we blindly say that we are not blind. As the manipulation proceeds with the pilot of the process- the political class who favor the selective winners. They manage to give the illusion that they are in government for the people only in the theoretical sense of the definition of Democracy, while being far away from the poor people in practice. Power that’s transient in nature must reside permanently with them. Equating the two terms 8years constitutional limits to eternity.

The most ironic part of the conspiracy of the political class is that they are united in their permanent interest- holding onto our collective heritage and public treasury, as they look after and protect themselves, as exemplified by the mysterious and well orchestrated reported defection of GEJ to the ruling APC while the ordinary-suffering-voters continue to insult and fight each other over same politicians. The shenanigans of the political class has shown that they are only interested in power, the allure it brings, and the attendant ultimate financial benefit and not serving the people who elected their “ majesties”. Which story would the bring back Jonathan patriots tell Nigerians? Reminiscent of a former superintendent who looked the other way while some opportunistic political thieves stole Nigeria’s resources dry and squandered our opportunities, to the extent that whatever could go wrong went wrong during that era. Nevertheless, are Nigerian’s out of Egypt?

It beats one’s imagination that while the expectation was the ruling APC party that promised us “ Change “ which afterwards morphed into “ Next Level “ was sanity in genuine democratic leadership, disciplined party politics especially by denouncing and moderating the heavy focus being placed on money politics, which has a corresponding correlation with the general electioneering process and practice, has resorted to a N100m rat race competition and scramble for the party ‘s presidential ticket to the coveted “ Villa “ by its big members, either as a status symbol or indirectly donating money to the party, this expression doesn’t give one any impression that things have changed, except for the worst. In a society where the political class continuously recycle poverty for the majority poor, where the N30K minimum wage is yet to be implemented by some state governors in the midst of plenty financial resources conspicuously distributed among themselves with impunity.

Despite the abject poverty and insecurity that has bedeviled the north, the northern political elite dancing in unison with some gullible poor, are at the forefront of most of the politicking and political intrigues in the country, truth is the northern political capital is a force to be reckoned with, as the young and the elderly are neck deep into partisan politics as self acclaimed custodian. The most surprising part is that one would think their unflinching involvement must have translated into an overall economic growth and development of the region, albeit, it has become a fertile ground where all sorts of vices have been planted and harvested such as drug abuse, kidnapping for ransom, banditry and the roaming large reservoir of Almajiris as easy recruits, enmeshed in its own internal contradictions, self denial and irretrievably dependent upon power and politics, while other regions like the south west has transformed into an economic power zone. Same northern political elite class could not save Bank of the North, that’s a collective northern heritage, financial power house and pride during Soludo’s banking consolidation.

They claim to have the answers to Nigeria’s problems, for example, we are still experiencing same epileptic and interrupted electricity supply to households since 1999, after billions of US Dollars not even Naira have been spent on power projects, which made PMB to asked “ where’s the power? “ . Electricity still remains a luxury to poor Nigerians , quality education has also become the exclusive preserve of the children of the political class to say the least. Whenever our political class tells you that they are running to provide social amenities and economic prosperity for all, it’s NOT true. The good news is, 2023 general election is just around the corner, my clarion call is for patriotic Nigerians to choose wisely for Nigeria’s betterment. Most of all, those that fail to learn from the conspiracy of the political class and continue to fall for their empty promises, could go on wishing for THE COCONUT TO FALL.

AUTHOR: Ibrahim Bala

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Articles published in our Graffiti section are strictly the opinion of the writers and do not represent the views of Ripples Nigeria or its editorial stand.

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