Monday letter1
The problem of our politics is the foundation. The foundation of our politics is generally defective as it is based on politics without principles, direction and ethos. Today, we now have a political amazon that understands the defectiveness of the very foundation of our politics and democracy which has not been able to give the people results that translates to dividends.
Mrs.Habibat Deen is a politician that understands and have a strong position on virtually every issue that defies our political advancement as a people. Her victory at the PDP primaries was not a fluke but a confirmation of a fact: that the people have come to realize and imbibe the message of change which emphasizes a fresh start and new type of politics philosophies.
Her positions emphasizes the economics, the environment, transparency in government, foreign policies, national security, social issues, agriculture and most importantly education. Habibat is a self-styled democratic socialist and a new deal era-Nigerian progressive who is pro- labour and emphasises reduction of economic inequality.
She described herself often as a democratic socialist and an admirer of aspects of social democracy as practiced in some Scandinavian countries. Habibat identifies her conception of democratic socialism which stipulates creating an economy that works for the benefit of all, not just the very wealthy in the society, reforming the political systems which she states is grossly unfair in many respects and corrupt, recognises health care and education as rights, protecting the environment and creating a vibrant democracy that recognises the people first as cornerstone of development.
She advocates a democratic socialism that is not tied to marxism or the abolition of capitalism, it instead describes a programme of extensive social benefits funded by the governments.
Habiba is a social democrat and not a democratic socialist, and the two ideologies are fundamentally different from each other. Social democracy does not mean the abolition of capitalism but support for a mixed economy, combining private enterprise with government spending, social insurance programmes, Keynesian macroeconomics policies, and democratic participation in government and in the work places- all of which are parts of her platforms.
She sees the House of Representatives which she is aspiring to be a member to represent the good people of Ankpa Omala Olamaboro federal constituency as a market place to debate our nation’s developments and growth, her security, environment and the economy. She has a visionary grasp of how for too long the politics of fear, secrecy, cronyism, and blind faith has combined with the degrading of the public sphere to create an environment dangerously hostile to the voice of reasons. She believes that we are now in the hands of an administration that is positively inclined towards sharing the truth with its citizens, more than any administration in our recent democratic history. We must use that to change the narrative of our country.
.Isah Abbas Ankpa, Kogi State
