PROF. YEMI OKE, Ph.D, FCTI, FCArb*
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Background
Welcome to that very crucial month of decisions, the month of FEBRUARY in which Nigerians must decide and vote right.
Nigeria is like a vehicle and the various aspirants are drivers. The major actors have driven before. But the vital question is how they drove the initial “vehicle” they had the opportunity of driving as Governors and Vice-President.
I like the vibes so far resonating from the political fields- *PDP seems to be saying “Let us return to the old order when we were there”.* *APC is saying “Let’s sustain the change under a Renewed Hope”.* *LP is say “Let’s Move from Consumption to Production”.* Other political parties are “mutedly echoing” their inaudible vibes somewhere.
*Basis of Your Choice*
What informed your choice or will inform your choice of presidential candidate? Focusing on the three parties that have some resonating echoes oozing from their campaign fields, there is need for Nigerians to be wary of wooly, hyped, speculative, nuances. Voting wrong is dangerous. ,*If your choice is informed by sentiments or simulated, unrealistic, anticipatory (make-beliefs) ideologies being marketed, sold and bought on-line, which is driven largely by untested capacity of a candidate on any of the issues of interest to you, then your choice is WRONG.*
Similarly, *if what informed or will form basis of your decision is “what they said” as to health, what is allegedly stolen, “might not be able to rule on ground of age”, "health" and other needlessly subjective nuances, then your choice is VERY WRONG.*
It is wrong *and faulty unless it is based or anchored on confirmed, definitive, authoritative, judicially- validated basis which is also scientifically-proven, medically-confirmed and officially certified and corroborated by reliable source or sources.*
*Plank of Presidential Campaigns*
Campaign slogans of LP, PDP and APC have vibrated different echoes. The three candidates seem to be campaigning more on the strength of their respective personalities. Truth be said, the slogan of *from consumption to production* appears more like mere rhetoric. *The maker, Peter Obi has not even given a single example of how he moved Anambra State that he governed for eight (8) years, being a state of traders and mercantilists from “consumption to production”.* *Lagos State would readily have qualified as a State that has moved from “consumption to production”* and much more, beginning from Bola Tinubu’s regime. Aside Dangote refineries and Imota rice and countless others, *it is apparent even to the ‘blind’ that, Lagos State has more active manufacturing activities than Obi’s mercantile Anambra State.*
Yoruba says, *Before you clothe someone; you must examine your nakedness* Lawyers say *you can’t put something on nothing and expect it to stand* My humble view is that *unless there is proven evidence of having moved his State from “consumption to production” it would be speculative and risky to trust the maker of the slogan to ‘experiment’ his impracticable rhetoric by turning Nigeria to a “trial and error” laboratory of sort.*
The campaign slogan of PDP has not been particularly impressive. Quite frankly, I decipher no bankable messages from the campaign slogan of PDP. What PDP seems to be telling Nigerians is that we should to continue with the old order. PDP is a party that has a challenge with keeping its words. A party that recklessly breached its grundnorm; its Constitution and fundamental principle which irked its G-5 Governors, may not be trusted. Lawyers that handled cases and won for the party are in Court, suing for professional fees and threatening winding-up (like the writer and others). Much more confounding is the fact that while there might have been some sort of feeble and insignificant rumours and unconfirmed allegations from faceless elements against the other two candidates, the one against the PDP candidate is from a known accuser, a former aide, who has been backing his allegations with videos and documentary images.
*APC’s slogan is anchored on an assurance of a “Renewed Hope” of prosperity in a better managed country for endless opportunities that work for all.* What is the antecedent of the slogan maker when he had the opportunity to drive things himself as Governor in Lagos. *A former Governor and current Minister counted at least twenty (20) initiatives of the Bola Tinubu that most States in Nigerian have adopted and mainstreamed into their administrative and governance policies. The list included IGR drives, LAMATA, LASTMA, LAWMA, LASAA, Digitalised Civil Service, Single State Account, Office of Public Defenders, Pension Reforms, Health Insurance Schemes, Lagos Security Trust Fund, and countless others.*
Fellow Nigerians, *which model of the administration of Peter Obi while in Anambra State or that of Atiku is found worthy of being adopted and mainstreamed by other States, unlike those initiated under Bola Ahmed Tinubu as Governor of Lagos State, some of which have even been adopted by the Federal Government of Nigeria such as Treasury Single Account, IGR-drives, Pensions Reforms, digitlaised Civil Service (IPPIS), and several others.
*Principled Patriotism*
Nigerians should never make the mistake of electing a President whose national patriotism and democratic activism have been largely untested. This is different from my argument on *Leadership in Difficult Times* on which I scored Bola Ahmed Tinubu higher than others in my previous piece (tiled *Comparative Overview of Atiku, Obi and Tinubu on Twenty (20) Points Socio-Political and Leadership Indicators*).
*Principled Patriotism* seeks to ask the question: *which of the three major presidential candidates stood-up to risk his life in the dark days of military dictatorship?* *While Bola Tinubu was spending his resources on Radio Kudirat, NADECO, funding widows and children of deceased pro-democracy activists to free our beloved country Nigeria and the good people of the country (Nigerians) from the shackles of military dictatorship, as well as enageing in other pro-democracy activities in collaboration with other conscientious Nigerians (some dead, several alive), the likes of Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar were busy with their mercantilists endeveours and shipping activities, making money for self and families*.
A leader that could not stand-up for you in difficult times would certainly not be committed to stand-up for you when your systems or country is challenged. Speaking frankly, the mercantilists’ mindset of Peter Obi who is a known trader is similar to that of Atiku’s desire for unchecked privatization. Put differently Atiku’s penchant for “generous” selling of national assets.
*The Ten (10) “Ps*
Without indicating so, I have briefly examined the three leading Presidential candidates on ten point that all begin with letter “P”-
(1) *Planks of their campaign*
(2) *Political Personality
(3) Previous performances, (4) Party’s programmes, (5) Personnel development, (6) Principled patriotism, (7) Peculiarity of ideology (mercantilists vs progressives), (8) Political Capital (committed aides, allies, people, etc), (9) Promises, Rhetoric vs Reality (10) Peoples’ Testimonies*
*Hyped Rhetorics vs Factual Realities*
The three political parties and their candidates should be assessed objectively based on proven track records as against hyped, unrealistic hopes. *Nuances and other subjective, unproved or unsubstantiated cyber-stimulated discourses should never form a basis or praxis of deciding who to vote this February.*
As informed people, let’s leave out-going President Buhari or political parties like PDP, APC or LP; our decisions in this month’s Presidential election should be based on objectivity, proven track records of past programmes, records, activities and patriotism to the larger Nigerian project and others by the candidates. If this is objectively and patriotically applied, the scale will definitely weigh heavily in support and on the side of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tibubu This is a fact, beyond rhetoric or needless sentiments.
*The Other Side*
Let’s flip things a bit. Peter *Obi does not project the image of a principled and consistent leader.* APGA ‘christened’ him as a political figure. He was in a hurry to abandon APGA. He has since moved from APGA to PDP and from PDP that was kind enough to give the Vice-Presidential ticket, to Labour Party. What we knew about Obi (from APGA, to PDP and LP, remains what defines his personality - beyond the needlessly hyped, stimulated on-line (arrogated, assumed) supports. Obi"s leadership is largely untested. Therefore, trusting him with the vital future of about 200 million people would, in my humble view, be very risky and dangerous. *This is because nothing has substantially or significantly changed from his mercantilists’ attitudinal dispositions to leadership. But, Government cannot be run or be operated like a trade or commerce.*
As indicated in my last article, Atiku Abubakar has never been tested with Executive powers. The closest he had to exercising executive powers was when he was the Vice-President to Chief Segun Obasanjo. The best objective assessment of Atiku would be how he served his boss, former President Obasanjo. The negative reference of the former boss on Atiku Abubakar is enough to guide Nigerians from voting him. Assuming without conceding that is not sufficient, the aftermath of all national assets sold under his watch would do. If still not sufficient, the testimonial of his former aide, who has documented, testified and publicly released videos and documentary proofs of “financial infelicities” of Atiku would guide prudent, objective and patriotic voters.
The only credible choice before Nigerians is Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu of APC. *The only issue around him is what, in Yoruba, is called “woni-won’pe” (dem say; dem talk say).*
*Conclusion*
Commonsensically, your choice as a conscientious Nigerian should never be informed by sentiments or any simulated, unrealistic anticipatory (make-belief) ideologies that are being marketed, sold and bought on-line, which is driven largely by untested capacities of certain candidates.
Comparing the three Presidential candidates, only Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu has demonstrated exceptional leadership in “Difficult Times” as well as records of risky, *Principled Patriotism* in the dark days of military dictatorship while the other two contenders were busy with their mercantilists’ endeveours and self/families’ activities.
Nigerians, please vote wisely. Entrust your institutional confidence in someone who had done it before (not those without demonstrated proven records).
*It is an act of patriotism to invest your institutional trust in a candidate with institutional loyalty to Nigeria - BOLA AHMED TINUBU*, who is now ready to RENEW THE HOPE and do it again successfully (as usual) on a bigger scale as President. *He is ready to take this as a very crucial NATIONAL ASSIGMENT!*
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*PROF. YEMI OKE, PhD, FCArb, FCTI*
*Lawyer, Scholar, Energy Consultant and Political Actor*
February 1, 2023
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