Paul Obi writes that Nigerian voters face a clear choice in 2023 based on credibility, social justice and nation-building precepts
“We all pray for a peaceful and prosperous country; but God allows us to show him by our voting whether we mean our prayers we pray or not. You cannot wish this country well and vote for someone you do not believe in. Know that your vote carries the answer to your prayer for our country.”
– Prof Yemi Osinbajo
Nigeria’s Vice President
The plausible idea that voters across board when afforded the opportunity, will make the right choice and decision in electing their representatives has been a puzzle yet to be unravelled for nearly a century now. American political scientists, Anthony Downs, William H. Riker and Robert Dahl have been leading scholars who have studied that issue extensively. Downs in The Economy Theory of Democracy (1952), Riker in The Theory of Political Coalitions (1962) and Dahl’s Polyarchy; Participation and Opposition (1971) sort to emphasis how rational our democratic choices could be in a competitive sense. Therefore, the question arises, how do voters through voting build the best momentum for democratic governance? The crux of the matter is whether faced with the ballot, voters would make rational or irrational choices in voting in elections. The central argument in this discourse revolves around the role of the (ir)rational voters and their (il)liberal voting choices – responsible for Nigeria’s piling democratic deficits. As Stefan Linberg (2003) once asked, how do African and Nigerian voters prevent elections from feeding neo-feudalism and neo-patrimony, but rather counter-act these ill-fated phenomenon?
The debate on the theory of rational choice stemmed from the democratic philosophy of democracy being a system configured for public good. But democracy since the turnout of the 21st century has ushered in autocrats, despots, bigots, tribalists, and demagogues whose desk of cards have not been too far from ruination and damnation of institutions of states and nations. In Nigeria, how do we erase the constituents’ elements of neo-feudalism and neo-patrimony in our electoral democracy? In most instances, electorates and voters alike have been responsible for catapulting such anti-democratic figures to position of authority. Our elections, very often, have turned out to be self-destruct and self-immolation in many ways. Therefore, are Nigerian voters not responsible for the catastrophic ruin that our elected government has now bequeathed to us since 2015?
How do we then use elections to respond to Thomas Sankara’s poser of “we must choose either champagne for a few or safe drinking water for all.” How then can we rescue Nigeria from the macabre dance of shame in governance and politics that now define our nation-state? In February, as we line up to elect a new President, we have a choice to continue with the criminal prebendal state in place where a few ruling elites run amok with national resources and wealth, consigned the rest of the citizens to penury and lack, and designate the country as the poverty capital of the world. Or embrace a novel pathway that somehow meet all the yearnings for change and accountable leadership. Unlike previous presidential races, in the coming presidential election, Nigerian voters do not have two devils to choose from. Nor are voters caught in a deep blue sea on whom to vote for as President. At least, in 2023 we have clarity to guide our electoral choices.
Therefore, the democratic value of voters is not to elect the bad guys and a bad government. That role embedded in voters compelled voting in credible leaders who will not only work for the people and common good, but will also defend the republic against all forms of attacks – including elites conspiracy, looting, invasion, hunger, poverty, despair, insecurity and criminality. Thus, an appraisal of the four candidates, from Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP), Bola Ahmed Tinubu of All Progressives Congress (APC), Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), it is glaring that Obi ticks nearly all the boxes of what Nigeria needs to reset the country from its present sorry state to a more reputable nation-state among comity of nations. As part of the deep state, and an amalgam of Nigeria’s state capture, Tinubu and Atiku’s presidential ambitions are all tailored to serve the egos and agendas of political and economic oligarchs and plutocrats. The vast part of their political credentials has been railroaded to building self-proclaimed political and business empires, to the complete neglect of citizens.
First, Obi’s track records as Governor of Anambra State remain blameless. His public accountability and transparency is phenomenal. He is also more driven by the zeal to move Nigeria from consumption to production – an indication why his Manifesto came out top as new document far from other copycats and deep state enclaves. A fact that even World Bank officials have attested to. Obi’s economic blueprint and agenda far surpassed that of the APC and PDP. In fact, since so much lies in the character of a man, Obi’s probity in public service cannot be matched by the other presidential candidates. In terms of equity, after President Olusegun Obasanjo from the South West; GoodluckJonathan from South South; Umaru Musa Yar’Adua and Muhammadu Buhari from the North West, it behooves that Nigeria should elect a President of South East extraction. As a Boki man from Cross River State, this writer wholeheartedly shared that vision, but the Nigerian power mongers will rather ruin the country than support her stability through equitable distribution of political power.
On the other side, were it not for Tinubu’s age, shrouded historical and health records and APC policies, I would have been at the forefront campaigning for him. But the precarious situation Nigeria finds herself now does not warrant a weak, aged and medical tourist as a president with the boastful mentality of Emì Lo Kan. For the PDP, since my university days, I have always been an ardent supporter, extending such support to my political ward back home in Cross River State. But in June this year, after realising that PDP was still unrepentant, and not angling for the best presidential material, but was keenly interested in rapacious state capture, I had to zoom off with Peter Obi, whom I believe has the magic wand to change Nigeria for the better. With these clear indexes, will Nigerian voters self-destruct themselves again? Will their votes be bought again, while the country is put on fire – with an autopilot as the present situation indicates?
Thus, it is pertinent to reflect on the role of the Nigerian voters and how to escape the plaque of what I termed electoral self-immolation. That’s the flagrant and deliberate pursuit of primordial sentiments in electing spoilt rotten candidates; while rejecting the more mundane and democratically fitting candidates. Granted, Nigeria is governed by the insanity of nepotism and religious bigotry; haven’t we suffered enough to discard and trash those two monsters and embrace credibility and merit on the basis of who we are to vote for as President of the Republic in 2023? To what extent has the tribalists and bigots; state captors and members of the deep state helped to advance Nigeria in the last 62 years? Hence, Tinubu and Atiku’s candidacy remain a monumental threat to the never-ending national conversation on how to keep Nigeria one, united and inclusive.
This then brings us back to the recently held Lecture on the Late Dr Olusola Saraki where one of Africa’s most celebrated intellectuals, Prof Patrice Lumumba presented a prognosis of how African politicians, particularly Nigerian elites ruin their countries on the failure of shared power and the naked abuse of the majoritarian state ideology. In his speech, Lumumba cited how African leaders, particularly the Nigerian ones used “those ethnic divides to reinforce centrifugal forces and threaten the very nation we want to serve.” The presidential candidacy of the PDP in all ramifications is a typical and supreme example of how ethnicity, born to rule mentality and insensitivity to the majority of the Nigerian population is threatening Nigeria’s togetherness and unity. Atiku’s candidacy falls flat on the face of social justice, equity and the principle of shared power upon which the constitutional provision of federal character rests on. How do we explain to generations unborn that in 2023 another Northerner was given power after the ruinous and excruciating reign of President Muhammadu Buhari?
If we are sincere enough with answering the above question without guilt, there’s every possibility that the 2023 presidential election provides a template and pathway to retool Nigeria for the better. At the moment, Nigeria’s society is highly polarized and fragmented; the country’s global great-power status has diminished with sordid tales of a gloomy future. We now have every opportunity in the 2023 presidential polls as a guide post for national redemption. We have every chance to rescue and save a bleeding nation. A vote for Emi L’o kan and the PDP – whose main turf is state capture will invoke global concerns and relegation of Nigeria with too many risks to content with. The geopolitical risks of repeating the mistakes of 2015 are huge and will be expansive. We now have a clear and succinct path and choice to pull Nigeria from the precipice. Obi is that clear choice; for there are no two devils nor a deep blue sea to choose from.
Obi is a journalist, researcher and a media scholar based in Abuja
