POLITICIANS have foresight. They see things that non-politicians do not see. For them the future is always bright, glistering with optimism of victories at elections. Politicians see power, its uses, for themselves, and frighteningly, the challenges of being outside the spheres of power.
They dread it; they can do anything to be in power. Most of the promises they are making, in their desperation to serve us, are rehashes of some fabulous ones that have been made since 1999; others are copied from faded copies of 1979 manifestoes and regurgitated to digital relevance for a people, who can really say they have seen it all.
From all sides it is the same. The bigger the promises, the bigger the befuddlement of the electorates – politicians have held them captive. They have discovered the people, as they do at election times. Without an appraisal of what others have done, those who want power are on a campaign to prove that Nigeria has been badly managed.
It is possibly the only truth in all they are saying. It is convenient now to remember that Nigerians are in want. Politics is about the people they keep telling us, especially at times like these when they want the people to vote for the next round of the invasion of our resources. Their desperation is obvious.
What roles have the same politicians who want our votes played in our lives since 1999? When last did they bother about our lives? Are they telling us anything new? What proof, from their perfor-mances, do they have to support their promises? If national concerns are the welfare of the people, how have our governments applied Section 14 2 (b) of the 1999 Constitution to their actions? According to the section, “The security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government”. Concerned politicians should know they have ignored the people for too long.
As if they have not done enough damage, they are shutting down peoples’ participation in their government, contrary to Section 14 2 (c), which states, “The participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution”. Even campaigns are regulated through thuggery.
The indifference of governments, not only in Abuja, to Section 14 2(b) is responsible for democratic governments that have become government of the people “without the people”. Things are getting worse. Politicians through their actions distance the people further from their governments each election season. Our people should realise that token gifts for votes, not only insults their dignity but are the investments politicians make to continue appropriating our country’s resources to themselves at the people’s expense.
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