Civil society organisations (CSOs) and other stakeholders have appealed to Nigerian politicians, especially those in the ruling parties at the national and state levels, to play down the politics of 2027.
Instead of investing their energies, time and other resources on the subject of the next occupants of the presidency and government houses, the CSOs said the focus should be on good governance to save Nigerians from the current challenges of insecurity and hunger caused by skyrocketing food prices.
They particularly faulted the endorsement of President Bola Tinubu by his party, the All Progressives Congress (APC) with the declaration of “no vacancy” in Aso Rock in 2027.
President Tinubu got the endorsement of the party’s National Executive Committee (NEC) at its meeting last Wednesday to run for a second term in office at the 2027 general election as the chants of “no vacancy at Aso Rock” rented air in the hall.
The chairman of the Progressives Governors’ Forum and Imo State Governor, Hope Uzodinma, moved the motion to pass a vote of confidence on the president and it was seconded by former Edo State governor, Senator Adams Oshiomhole.
At the state levels, some governors, who are on their second terms, are also reportedly pre-occupied with who will step into their shoes. Some of the governors are believed to have their eyes on the presidency and the Senate while top politicians, who lost out in the power game, especially ministerial appointments, are regrouping against Tinubu.
Reacting to the ongoing developments, the director, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD, West Africa), Dr Dauda Garuba, said he was not surprised at the APC’s declaration as election is the only project on the agenda of the political class in Nigeria.
Garuba told LEADERSHIP Sunday that the wealth made in political office had made elections very crucial.
“I am not surprised. Election is the only project on the agenda of the political class/politicians in Nigeria. No sooner one election ends than preparation for another begins. The relationship between access to political office and wealth has raised the stakes in elections in the country.
“That also defines the behaviours of political sycophants, jobbers, and thugs waiting to be recruited for various assignments. So, when next you see or hear such statements as the one you are asking questions about, simply check which of the categories of persons…,” he said.
For his part, a political science lecturer, Dr Christian Okeke, said declaring no vacancy in Aso Rock in 2027 is bereft of democratic credentials and seems to suggest that “the result of the election had already been written and known to party members.”
Okeke said the meeting should have focused on the inflation, insecurity, high energy costs, and other malaise making life difficult in the country.
He asserted that such a declaration was a sad day for Nigeria, particularly coming from a party that was offered a level playing field in 2015 to snatch electoral victory from the then-ruling party.
“Whereas it is the right of any political party, including the APC to decide the agenda for its meetings, the ruling party should have done better at this time by showing that it is sensitive to the plights of the citizens.
“That unfortunate declaration effectively foreclosed the possibility of allowing democratic contest within the party ahead of the election and may have been pushed out to warn other potential candidates that they could be wasting their resources.
“Right thinking persons had thought that rather than exhibiting such shenanigan, the APC NEC should have sat with the president to methodically assess the troubles the citizens pass through and offer lifelines.
“What should have topped the agenda of the meeting should have been the inflation, insecurity, high energy costs, and other malaise making life in the country nasty, brutish and short. Such conditions of life should have preoccupied NEC, more than securing a befitting national secretariat complex and asking the President to intervene.”
He asked the party to appeal to the president to remember millions of Nigerians who daily go to bed on empty stomach, who have no jobs and those who fall prey in the hands of kidnappers, bandits, terrorists, armed robbers, killer herdsmen, ritualists and such monsters and do something about the challenges rather than becoming overtly obsessed with 2027 election.
Also, the executive director, Partners for Electoral Reforms, Ezenwa Nwagwu, described the political parties in Nigeria as mere vehicles for election, so they care little about policy direction of the government.
He admitted that the declaration smacked of internal democracy, saying that ruling parties usually give the right of first refusal to the president in terms of the ticket to seek a second term.
“Election is two years away but for politicians they don’t think about governance. By next year the conversation will shift, everything will be put on hold. That is what we have seen. We spent a lot of time challenging elections in court, so we are a litigation-happy people and through that those who govern us escape…we are moving all the time from one election to the other. Anambra election is in November,” Nwagwu said.
Stakeholders Renew Clamour For Probe Of Boko Haram Funding
Meanwhile, stakeholders have expressed shock at the federal government’s delay in launching a full investigation into Boko Haram funding in the country.
Their concerns were prompted by federal government’s failure to make any serious public statement or commitment to probing Boko Haram funding, a few weeks after the United States (US) Congressman, Scott Perry, alleged that the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) had been involved in the sponsorship of the sect and other terrorist organisations.
Prior to Perry’s allegations, Nigeria’s Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), General Christopher Musa, had expressed worry over the operations of International Non-Governmental Organisations in conflict zones, particularly in the North East, where Boko Haram and ISWAP insurgents are active.
In a recent interview with Al Jazeera, the CDS asked the United Nations (UN) to investigate the sources of funding for terror groups and revealed that many insurgents caught in military operations had been caught with foreign currencies.
Speaking to LEADERSHIP Sunday, a former director of the Department of State Services (DSS), Mike Ejiofor, said he had recommended that both the National Assembly (NASS) and the Executive arm of government investigate the matter to know the authenticity and they have taken up the matter.
The security expert said it was not just sufficient for the American lawmaker to allege that USAID is sponsoring Boko Haram and other terrorist organisations, hence the need for a probe to establish the veracity and otherwise of his claims.
He said, “The federal government has taken up the matter, I think. I recommended initially that the National Assembly should investigate the matter and I think it is investigating the matter, the federal government is also investigating the matter. And that has been my recommendation that they should investigate the matter to know the authenticity.
“It not just sufficient for the man to make his statement that USAID is sponsoring Boko Haram, not only Boko Haram, other terrorist organisations. We all agree and know that USAID is a front organisation which furthers the interest of America but it has to be investigated to know the authenticity, veracity and otherwise of that allegation,” he said.
Other security experts who do not want to be mentioned because of the sensitive nature of the issue said it was curious that the federal government had not swiftly swung into action when there was a clue about the sponsors of Boko Haram.
“The issue of sponsorship of Boko Haram and terrorism in the country generally has been elusive, making investigation very difficult but now there is a clue and it is as curious as it is shocking that the federal government is still delaying. It is sending bad signals out there on how serious the government is about tackling insecurity, especially Boko Haram terrorism,” one of the security experts said.
Another stakeholder in the security sector said his organisation had already launched a discreet investigation into the matter and would soon make its position public. He expressed worry at the failure of the federal government to take the bull by the horns as far as the funding of Boko Haram and even banditry in the country is concerned.
“It is rather unfortunate that after the disclosure by the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa and US Congressman, Scott Perry, the federal government is still foot-dragging on getting to the roots of the matter.
“Our organisation has launched a discreet investigation into the matter and very soon we will make our findings public and take action as a civil society interested in security and welfare of the Nigerian people,” he said.
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