In an interview with the Guardian, Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka has said that the 2015 elections offers Nigerians little choice as far as candidates for the Presidency as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress could be described as one as the same in terms of their shortcomings in delivering dividends of democracy to the electorate.
An excerpt from the interview is republished here:
THE year 2014 hold so much for the nation. There is the Federal Government’s National Dialogue in the midst for preparation for the 2015 general elections, which is attracting so much attention. Nigeria is also going to be 100 years since amalgamation. What are your expectations?
ORDINARILY a general election that comes immediately after the marking of 100 years of the creation of Nigeria should be a landmark election. It should be an election for reflection and to take a retrospective look at the journey so far in our efforts to create for ourselves a united and wealthy nation from what the colonialist Lord Lugard enforced on us and raise a pointer to a new direction – the way forward – for the country.
Unfortunately, with what is on ground today –– politically speaking –– the signs are not encouraging. We are all seeing with our naked eyes the implosion and utter lack of seriousness within the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), which has the potential, if extra care is not taken, of weakening if not destroy it. It appears that Nigerian politicians are only just interested in fierce fighting for positions not because they truly want to serve the people but for what they can get for themselves. It is most unfortunate.
And, secondly, we now have a new opposition group, the All Progressives for Change (APC), which offers the nation an alternative but, to put it bluntly, is not markedly different from the ruling PDP that has been ruling and mismanaging the country for the past almost 15 years.
Presently as it stands, the PDP is bereft of fresh ideas on how best to move this country forward. It is now to all intents and purposes a lame dock ruling party therefore ineffectual government. And it certainly cannot continue like this without incurring the wrath of the people –– and we are already seeing the signs of that. Therefore, I am afraid to say that in my opinion the signs in the horizon for Nigeria, politically-speaking, are not encouraging.
This is a country that presently is badly and urgently in need of and awaiting the restoration of its glory –– lost glories you might say – but, I don’t know about you, for me, there is no one I have seen so far among those parading themselves wanting to be president that has convinced me enough that he understands the numerous problems and the real urgent needs of this huge and diverse nation and what needs to be done to uplift and bring happiness and prosperity especially to our suffering masses and develop Nigeria. I have not seen yet that presidential candidate that has – judging by my own standards – what it takes to be president and leader of a country that is as diverse and complex to govern as this our Nigeria.
Besides, what is even more worrying for me are these two parties that we now have –– the PDP and the APC. There is not much between them for the discerning electorate to choose from. Just as we need qualified and well-tested good people with vision to come out to contest for the leadership of this country –– not leaving it in the hands of recycled and mostly failed and corrupt politicians alone –– I believe we also need a third strong political party that is firmly rooted in the grassroots like the PDP and APC but that is distinctly different in ideology and vision from the PDP and the APC. A third strong party that will offer Nigerians an alternative person preferably not in the circle of past governors –– someone that will be a true leader with dignitas and gravitas, that is honest and has the ability and the capacity to unite this country and show love to its suffering people. Someone who will be a true father of the nation.
Continue reading @Guardian