As a country, Nigeria has experienced a consistent cycle of political office holders. Every four years, new leaders are elected to different political offices at various levels of government. It is also common knowledge that as soon as these office holders are inaugurated, they hit the ground running, and everyone expects them to deliver on their promises. Unfortunately, the story has not always been a positive one. In many instances, Nigerians have been let down by those they entrusted with their mandate.
The outgoing political officeholders have a significant role to play in the development of the country, and it is essential that their actions and inactions are scrutinized, and their performance evaluated. One way of achieving this is by conducting a thorough appraisal of their tenure in office, with a view to identifying areas of success and failure.
Nigeria has a history of political leaders who have embezzled public funds and left the country worse off than they met it.
In Nigeria, there have been several cases where outgoing political office holders were investigated after leaving office. There is a long list of former governors and some former cabinet members facing trial.
In the United States, former President Donald Trump is currently facing legal scrutiny after leaving office. He is being investigated by multiple prosecutors for alleged financial and election-related crimes. Some of the investigations focus on his businesses and his actions while in office, including the events leading up to the January 6th Capitol riots.
In South Africa, former President Jacob Zuma was investigated by the country’s anti-corruption watchdog after leaving office. The investigation focused on allegations of corruption during his time in office, particularly his links to the Gupta family. Zuma was eventually charged with corruption and money laundering in 2018, and his trial is ongoing.
These examples demonstrate that it is important to subject outgoing political office holders to scrutiny. If they are found to have engaged in any wrongdoing while in office, they must be held accountable for their actions. Doing so sends a strong message to current and future office holders that they will be held responsible for their actions, and that corruption and other forms of misconduct will not be tolerated.
It is, therefore, important that outgoing political officeholders are held accountable for their stewardship. If they have done well, it will provide a blueprint for others to follow, and if they have not performed well, it will serve as a deterrent to others.
The benefits of a thorough evaluation of outgoing political officeholders cannot be overemphasized. It will help to create a culture of accountability and transparency in the country.
When public officials know that they will be held accountable for their actions while in office, they are more likely to be responsible in the discharge of their duties. Accountability also helps to build public trust and confidence in government institutions.
Moreover, the appraisal of outgoing political officeholders will help to identify areas where there is a need for improvement. If the outgoing officials have performed well, their success stories can be replicated in other parts of the country.
On the other hand, if they have not done well, the areas of failure can be identified, and measures can be put in place to prevent a recurrence.
It is, however, important to note that the appraisal of outgoing political officeholders should not be carried out with a view to witch-hunting or scoring political points. It should be an objective assessment of their performance in office. Political officeholders should also be given the opportunity to defend their actions or inactions while in office.
In carrying out the appraisal of outgoing political officeholders, the media has a crucial role to play. The media is the watchdog of the society, and it is their responsibility to hold public officials accountable for their actions. The media should conduct independent investigations and report their findings to the public. The media should also provide a platform for citizens to air their views on the performance of outgoing political officeholders.
The appraisal of outgoing political officeholders should not be limited to their performance while in office. It should also include their conduct after leaving office. In Nigeria, it is common for political officeholders to leave office and disappear into oblivion. They leave behind a trail of corruption and mismanagement and are never held accountable. It is, therefore, important that their conduct after leaving office is also scrutinized.
The need to beam a searchlight on outgoing political officeholders cannot be overemphasized. Nigeria needs leaders who are accountable, responsible, and transparent. The appraisal of outgoing political officeholders will help to achieve this goal. It is time for Nigerians to demand accountability from their leaders, and the media should take the lead in this regard.
In conclusion, it is crucial that we beam a searchlight on outgoing political office holders to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions while in office. This will help to strengthen our democratic institutions, foster transparency and accountability, and send a strong message to current and future office holders that corruption and other forms of misconduct will not be tolerated.
