By Isaac ASABOR
Amid criticisms of a deepening trust deficit between the government and the people, there is no denying the fact that as the electioneering ahead of the 2023 elections scheduled to hold in February 2023 is ongoing that the electorates and key political supporters of various candidates and political parties should play down on the popularity and street credibility of leaders for the greater good of the country.
In fact, in order to ensure that good governance is attained at the level of all tiers of government in the oncoming political dispensation, there is an urgent need for everyone; irrespective of political, ethnic, and religious affiliations to focus on encouraging trustworthy and competent electoral candidates. It should be at the back of everyone’s mind that the fact that an aspirant is very popular and stupendously rich does not make such an aspirant to be a promising leader when voted for in the much-expected election, come 2023.
The reason for the foregoing view cannot be farfetched as Nigerians had at different political dispensations in the past voted for somewhat streetwise and popular politicians; thinking that they would be people-oriented and remember them in their collective plights while in leadership positions, only to be given the power and paradoxically be seen to become enemies of the people that empowered them. Some are wont to make Abuja or state capitals across the country their permanent abodes. The foregoing exhibitions of ingratitude which not a few politicians are known for are not in any way surprising to most people as Abraham Lincoln quotably said, “Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power.”
Against the foregoing anti-people leadership behavior been demonstrated by not a few politicians from one political dispensation to another, there is an urgent need for the electorate to decide not to vote for bad leaders into power in February 2023, particularly as there is an unprecedented disenchantment with the political system, especially among the rapidly growing youth population, thus making the challenge increasingly urgent.
There is no denying the fact the prevailing human cost of bad, governance is worrisome. For instance, Nigeria’s poor socio-economic performance, human rights abuses, widespread poverty, insecurity, corruption, and lack of trust in the political system have led to disenchantment amongst the electorate, especially the youth who make up more than 50% of the population of registered voters. This situation in a fast-growing population of over 200 million, with more than 60% of people under 25 is unarguably devastatingly retrogressive.
In fact, there can be two possible effects of disenchantment on expected voter turn-out in the 2023 elections; it can motivate high turn-out in which people demand better governance or lead to apathy and low turn-out. It is expected that the high stakes at play will mobilize the former. There is a need for people to participate in choosing political leaders who will serve the public’s interest and promote good governance.
In a similar vein, the human cost of bad governance is obvious enough in the low level of basic infrastructure, weak healthcare and educational system, high unemployment, and the number of out-of-school children, amongst others. Across the socio-economic class divide, there is a feeling that the effects of bad governance will affect everyone someday. The protests by young Nigerians against police brutality; the EndSARS protests served as an example of the consequences of bad governance, and equally exposed the gross human rights abuses suffered by many Nigerians at the hands of the institution created to protect them.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is expedient to urge political supporters, particularly media spokesmen of political aspirants that they should eschew telling lies to the electorates as they always defend their principals; even where the allegations or controversies are clearly backed with facts. To my view, there is nothing wrong with a spokesman of an aspirant resigning from his yeoman job when the ‘garbage’ that is literarily been dragged by his principal appears to be embarrassingly weighty. The reason for sounding this way in this context is that not a few Nigerians are rooting for good governance in the next political dispensation as they demand that the expected president come 2023 must have the integrity expected of a country’s president, and the capacity to tackle the root causes of poverty, insecurity, human rights abuses, and socio-economic instability, through the levers of good governance. Thus, as electioneering is ongoing ahead of the 2023 elections, it is expedient for everyone to be focused on a political leader that visibly has the moral cleanliness, untainted past, and capacity to achieve these goals.
