Anxiety towards the announcement of a new president for the nation is tickling as collation comes to an end any moment from now.
This is because of conclusion of yesterday’s election across the states of the nation. The electoral process which started about a year ago is thus coming to an end.
Key political parties that participated in the polls include the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, the ruling All Progressives Congress, Apc, the Labour Party, LP, the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP and many other smaller political platforms.
Debates, campaigns and discussions leading to the polls were quite historic and strategic. Each Party and their candidates sought to make good use of every moment to maximise political gains. The processes were generally peaceful in many places and the the use of the Bimordal Verification Identification System, BVAS aided the process by reducing the incidence manipulation.
Even though results have not been announced, but its clear which direction the tide is going. The nature of the elections were unprecedented because many did not vote according to party but the candidates.
But it will not be wrong to predict victory for the PDP Presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar following his level of massive acceptance throughout the campaigns and his team’ superb outing.
As this sets to happen, history will be repeating itself with the opposition candidate taking over power from the ruling party, except that this time around the incumbent is not contesting.
Many thanks to president Muhamadu Buhari who has shown strong desire and determination to leave a sound legacy of a sound electoral foundatipn needed for good and viable governance. Against all odds, the president has vowed to do what was done under former president Goodluck Jonathan by creating and allowing a level playing field.
With the elections coming to an end, signals are favouring the former VEePee.
Apart from the entire north mobilising support for him, most members of the ruling Apc also worked for him in many states of the federation.
This is not surprising going by the style of politics of the Wazirin Adamawa who relates and respects everyone on the basis of fairness and equity.
Strategic and key political players are not prepared to take chance anymore over the leadership deficiency bedeviling the country which has created so many problems and crisis, giving birth to escalating security, socio-economic and other concerns for the nation. Issues that are expected to be resolved through the instrumentality of democracy itself have gone out of control with elected political leaders behaving abnormal, and showing no signs of capacity and willingness to addressing them.
The national mood and psyche has been that of isolation, exclusivity, frustration ,depression and starring hopelessness, while those at the helm of affairs watches helplessly. Its very obvious that the situation has overwhelmed the leadership of the country led by president Muhamadu Buhari under the watchful eye of the ruling APC. It is no longer news that things are not well with Nigeria, neither is it well with its people and systems. The increasing level of fear, poverty, division, backwardness, insecurity, lack, pain, anguish, hypertension and even death is unimaginable, yet the nation’s leadership has not shown any expected or commensurate concern nor pay commensurate attention to solving them.The truth is that governance has been reduced to its lowest ebb. Having lost power in 2015 and 2019 to the APC, the ruling power has not done anything close to what was achieved by the PDP between 1999 and 2015, hence the fervent desire to reinvent previous successes and prosperity for Nigeria.
Once the polls are over and a winner has emerged, it behoves on the new president to hut the ground running with sound policies of restoration, rehabilitation, reconstruction and rebirth.
This is to save the country from imminent collapse. If for close to the end of an eight year tenure and nothing new has been put on ground by the APC, and the good legacies of the past are being depleted , then it is a serious matter of worry to any politician who feels the pulse of the nation.
As a former Vice President of the country, if by God’s grace Atiku is declared the winner , he quite has a lot to offer to the nation from his wealth of experience. Together with his boss, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, a lot was achieved between 1999 and 2007 and continued under the late Musa Ya’Adua of blessed memory and Goodluck Jonathan. Their legacies are still very much the pride of the nation which he is expected to built on. Even those from the ruling party have testified to this.
As we wait for this historic moment to show forth, it is my fervent hope that the new administration will usher in peace and security, unity and prosperity for the well being of the people and the nation.