Nigeria @54, Make It Right Before 55 By Abdulkadir S. Abdulkadir

Today Nigeria celebrates her 54th year of Nationhood and about 15 years of uninterrupted flow of democracy; the longest democratic dispensation in our history. While a microscopic few are feasting with big chunks of the mouthwatering ‘national cake’ the majority are only sighing for the gift of life. Though our nerves are still deprived of the calming water of democracy dividends, the dark junta days when draconian decrees where the rules; those days of economic regression and wanton abuse of human rights, are days one would never wish to relive. I pay tribute to our illustrious sons and daughters who fought and even paid the supreme price to send Khaki boys back to the Garrison.

While our democracy is ageing democratic tenet is edging out of the scene because successive administrations at the centre are only proving worse as the batons change. Illiteracy and poverty are the weak points of our people to which corrupt politicians leverage upon, I discussed that in one of my articles ‘Lessons from #EkitiDecides’ .

It might sound cliché but I will still reiterate, our people most often than not bother about executive offices viz the Presidency and Gubernatorial with little or no attention to the legislative arm during electioneering. Truth is, the more we send honourable men and women to the national and state assemblies the better for our democracy. They are designated Distinguish and Honourable, then we will only do justice to ourselves and generations yet unborn by sending only men and women who have so distinguished themselves in honour to represent us.

So long as the masses keep timid and not rise to hold leaders to account, thinking that they can survive without government, so long as ignorance linger and people take a noodle pack for a vote, the PDP with state resources and masked security agents will continue to rig back to the Aso Rock till the end of time.

If I were the APC national chairman, while I give fair effort in unseating the President come 2015, I will also place high emphasis in dominating and controlling the National Assembly. Send the right people that will take the business of this country a priority and not the package they receive as allowances or the ‘Ghana Must Go’ they get when Federal Government wants her interest protected. This I believe can help in setting the right bills/policies that will positively affect the lives of ordinary Nigerians.

With the right people, unseating a non performing President will not be any tug of war. After all, even a performing Governor can easily be impeached by the ruling PDP. The lower chambers of the national assembly, have so far proven to stand for what is right than what they stand to gain as in the case of OBJ’s third term bid, GEJ’s fuel subsidy removal, Probe of Aviation Bullet Proof Cars etc which is partly influenced by huge opposition members in the house.

The time to act was a decade and half ago, but it’s never too late to be part of the change we want to see in this great nation, Nigeria. We had at least three chances of choosing leaders better than the ones we had but always insisted on giving another chance. Let us for once wake up from our slumber and show them that it takes hard-work and dedication to get re-elected. As Albert Einstein rightly placed it, “doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different result is insanity”.

Vote wisely. Happy Independence Nigeria.

Abdulkadir S. Abdulkadir writes from Bauchi Nigeria.

Can be reached twitter @abdul003

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