Sadicom’s Blog

April 24th, 2002

Dear Sir,

Re: The Nigerian Politics beyond 2003

As we steadily move towards 2003, on the one hand, there is increasing anticipation, perhaps rightly justified and coupled with complicating emotions on the other.

Many observers are concerned as to whether the election would ever be free and fair.

I for one, share in the great dream of a better tomorrow, a country in which everyone is treated as equal by shared common of wishing to belong to – as guaranteed by the constitution.

The society we espouse is one in which there is opportunity for all and respect for our varied common values, cultures and heritages. All stakeholders are as important as each other.

Nigeria was once the bastion of tolerance, sense of unity, harmony and enterprise where people are judged not by their geographical area, but rather their contribution to society.

One level, everything is clear from Nigerian politics – government to deliver services; to raise living standards from conviction to be established. Sound leadership ought to change this anomaly!

Under the ruling PDP – the state’s capacity to deliver a fairer society and, crucially, is neglected by Zarce” whose consequences often end in utter disaster!

Flirting briefing with the notion of bigger government, they failed to work for the centre – right’s traditional quest for consensus-cum- smaller state thereby leading to uncontrollable expansion from the centre instead of devolving power at a local/state levels.

Our desire is to bring our country more akin to progressive nations of the 21st century under current political dispensation.

I yearn to see Nigeria that is at ease with it self and free from out side threat as well as an engine of economic activity in market economics with vehicle of a market society coupled with collective/individual responsibility -to build a caring society for the underprivileged, the weak and the downtrodden. Together, we can build a New country, New Nigeria!

I want to see a government that is closer to its people, so that they can have a state on the issues that affect them.

The risk of giving PDP a second term have been well rehearsed, not least by a number of distinctly nervous key officials, but also by recent alleged payment of large sums to lobby some sections of foreign press in the conduct/ reporting of the forthcoming elections.

The picture is very bleak in deed. It reveals a strain between the people and the government. This is bad for building durable democracy!

Education, health, jobs and security are not services reserved for the rich. Were people are concerned, this entails “welfare aspect” to lead a normal life, prerequisite of every citizen!

The case for spending more on schools, hospitals and roads is more compelling given years of neglect.

I strongly believe that to revive our public services, government needs to spend more in laying the foundation, but also inculcating the notion of “Maintenance Culture” in the hearts and minds of the people. There should be a wage bargain to employ the mass number of unemployed to revive our railways and farming sectors as the vehicle of our economic recovery.

The cost to all this is very insignificant. Countries such as China, India, Korea and Pakistan are more than willing to assist in this field. The benefits are two folds: immense cost saving and technology transfer.

Nigeria is blessed with both human and material recourses – devoid of effect from Mother Nature.

A sound leadership must be able to harness this cumulative gift to transform the nation into the 21st century, thereby facilitating to the re-birth of New Nigeria, sadly, our huge reservoir of trust that the current government desperately lacks!

A good leader should be able to change this during his/her first year in office.

Quite true, politics has never been free of vanities and rivalries.
But time has changed!

People ought to be judged on policies/programmes and delivery of set manifestos.

Remember their soaring rhetoric …”progress, transformation, justice etc…” – the multiple deceit to resuscitate our economy and living standards robbed it of a golden political asset – the good will, all the willingness of voters to give it the benefit of the doubt – all too soon forgotten!

I pray that things get better as speedily as possible even as we look forward to the 2003 elections.

Yours truly,

Abubakar Sadiq Ajiya MIFP, MBA, MIAB, FRSA
Secretary General
Bauchi State Union,
London, UK

Cc: Weekly Trust
Gamji.com

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