By Isaac ASABOR
Politics in a country like Nigeria can have some very deleterious consequences on both politicians and their political supporters alike, not to mention how it affects the rest of the populace. Fundamentally, the roots of this phenomenon are anchored in the winner-takes-all system that has been handed down to us from our fathers and politicians that held sway in past political dispensations. The political behaviour, which no doubt seems to have virtually been imbibed by our contemporary politicians tends to breed an “If you are not with us, you’re against us” attitude in which we wish the worse for political opponents to the extent that they are regarded as enemies.
To aptly clarify the foregoing view, and see it from the context of the ongoing electioneering in Nigeria ahead of the 2023 presidential election that is scheduled to hold on February 25, it is apt to do that by literarily drinking from the fountain of wisdom that is inherent in the words of Franklin D. Roosevelt that advisedly says, “There should be no bitterness or hate where the sole thought is the welfare of the United States of America. No man can occupy the office of President without realizing that he is President of all the people.”
Thus, as we are about to enter 2023, let’s eschew the politics of the campaign of calumny. The reason for the foregoing advice cannot be farfetched as it is very obvious that the flames of enmity that are traditionally been fanned from diverse political platforms are ominous. For instance, no patriotic Nigerian can deny the fact that the mass meetings being held across the country since INEC blew the whistle for electioneering, and the conspiratorial mode of meeting by the G5 governors who resort to holding meetings in the UK seemingly at the expense of the public funds entrusted to them by virtues of their respective gubernatorial positions are not worrisome enough.
Against the foregoing backdrop, it is disappointing to say that those of us who have been thinking that our politicians might have learned lessons from the prevailing misgovernance being orchestrated by the leadership of the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) across all tiers of government, and that such an atmosphere of politics of hatred and bitterness would no more occur as we look forward to a better Nigeria are not seeing our politicians collectively exuding the spirits of altruism and patriotism. Even at that, when one goes to the media to hear positive news with each passing day, one’s disappointment usually appears to be deepened as not a few Netizens on social media platforms hail these conspiratorial politicians, and eulogize them with ego-boosting compliments.
Across all political arenas, and to a large extent on social media platforms, all the hate, bile, and venom against political opponents are vented. It is as though we wish them, all the worst, not just in political fortunes, but on a very personal level, a level which extends even to their families. What is the purpose of all this? What good is been aimed for the benefit of Nigeria as a country? And, in the process, are they not being consumed by their own viciousness toward their opponents?
At this juncture, it is not ill-conceived to say that Mr. Peter Obi, the presidential aspirant of the Labour Party is at the apex of the ongoing electioneering and himself the prime target of the campaign of calumny, despite the record of his long and distinguished political career, where he has stayed away from controversy, and being an excellent leader in his days as the governor of Anambra State. Without any scintilla of hyperbole, he tends to wittingly or unwittingly evoke the picture of the president Nigeria needs to rescue her from the quagmire which clueless political leaders have thrown her into. From a political perspective, while one can understand why some of the elites among his “Umunne and Umunna” are mischievously opposed to his presidential aspiration, it is unarguable that his candidacy is been seen, and taken to a personal level, that is another matter.
Looking at the issue of politics of hatred and bitterness through the eyes of the presidential candidacy of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu whose alleged illness has been subsumed at the heart of a campaign of calumny, that mockery is very difficult for any contestant to have to face; worse, much worse, when one is expected by his political supporters to bear the burdens of an entire nation. So how does such a political aspirant feel with not just unjustified skepticism, for political reasons, but public expressions seeming to wish the worst for him and his affected family? Can we not disagree politically, oppose each and other’s political ideas and practices, without descending to such levels? Where is our humanity?
As we go into 2023 later today, by the grace of God, we should unreservedly and unapologetically resolute not to degenerate in our politics to the extent where we even seem to rejoice in the personal misfortunes of our political opponents. This does neither our politics, our country nor ourselves any good. It is a road leading to damnation and contradicts all that we profess to be as “goodly Christians”, a road that we should avoid at all costs.
