A political party, doubtless, serves as a platform for like-minded people to unite for the ultimate goal of capturing power. But such power should not be an end; rather, it is a means of improving the lot of the society through faithful implementation of well-conceived programmes. As parties stage their various campaigns in line with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s 2011 timetable, there has been a perceived hollowness in their conduct. For political personalities have not been forthcoming on how to solve the nation’s daunting problems. It can be safely said that, except in the civil war years, at no time has the nation been more overwhelmed with problems than now.
The nation’s economy, for instance, is in a shambles. The nation’s industries are collapsing and Nigeria has today become one of the most import-dependent nations; the nation’s power sector has defied all rescue efforts generating only about 3000megawatts, less than one-fifth of the nation’s needs; unemployment has risen to about 33 per cent, including more than 50 per cent of the nation’s graduates. More than 70 per cent still live below poverty line with basic needs becoming increasingly unaffordable. Inflation rate remains high. The education sector is comatose with reports that more than 10million children are out of the school system. For the pupils in the school ,there are no sufficient personnel, classrooms and teaching facilities. Unlike in the past, the nation’s universities are not producing competitive graduates. Also, the health system has collapsed with leaders today running to foreign hospitals to treat common ailments. The problems appear endless.
There are crimes and insecurity in the land, including assassinations, armed robbery, kidnapping, ethno-religious violence. The nation’s transport sector is also in a mess, owing to poor road network and moribund railways. How do we combat corruption, the Niger Delta problems and also bring about profitable exploitation of solid minerals? Party men ought to be thinking of how to strengthen the country’s federalism and settle once and for all fiscal federalism and indigene/settler questions. Yet, in the face of all this, parties and candidates are not issue-driven. To many, it is just how to get power, not what to do with it. Over time, sentiments have risen above concrete issues. Some politicians are still labelled as either pro or anti-zoning. Two major parties, the Peoples Democratic Party and the Action Congress of Nigeria, that are expected to woo the electorate through sound ideas have resorted to name-calling and brickbats. Headlines are not about the concrete plans of the respective parties but about how one has launched into a tirade of abuse and how the other has countered it.
When issues are occasionally mentioned, nothing is said about specific steps to actualising them. When a party for instance pledges to “transform the country” through provision of quality education and “stable power” and improving the economy to make lives of Nigerians more meaningful, without telling us how, then it is questionable.
Parties and their members should start to work out the details. On Agriculture, for instance, what will be the role of government in construction and maintenance of functional irrigation dams, procuring high-yielding seedlings, high grade livestock and acquiring tractors and hectares of land in different parts of the country for mechanised farming? What is the cost and what is the role of the private sector? Candidates should tell us how they are going to use either centralised or decentralised policing to combat crimes. And since it is certain that not all parties will be satisfied with the present power road map, what are the better alternatives? On education, what are the plans for recruiting more teachers, improving facilities and classrooms towards expanding the space in all the nation’s educational institutions. What is the projected population of pupils and students? There were reports that the Action Group’s free education programme in the Western Region in the First Republic and the Unity Party of Nigeria’s in the Second Republic would not have succeeded without painstaking plans. There were careful projections on number of pupils, number of classrooms , textbooks, notebooks and other teaching aids needed. Funds needed to execute the programmes and sources were carefully projected.
In the Second Republic, the major political parties, the National Party of Nigeria, Unity Party of Nigeria, Nigerian People’s Party, People’s Redemption Party, Great Nigeria People’s Party and Nigeria Advance Party then bestrode the political space with specific ideas and vision for the country. The NPN was built around the slogan “one nation, one destiny” and had clearly stated policies on agriculture and housing. But both UPN and PRP were widely believed to have presented the most “coherent” plan of action during the 1979 campaigns. UPN was known for and guided by democratic socialism. It sought partnership based on coalition of like-minded advocates of the ideology, pledging free education for all, free health services, integrated rural development and full employment. The NPP hammered on “politics without borders “ and GNPP “politics without bitterness.” The PRP was another centre left party that derived its character from its focus on the “talakawas,” the poor and the deprived. The present parties lack such identities.
In the United States, electorate can readily predict what the policy of Republicans and Democrats shall be. The Democratic Party will, for instance, implement a broader range of social services in America than those done by the Republicans. The latter’s philosophy is based on a limited influence of government and a dominant foreign policy. The Democrats on the other hand are on the left and in favour of active role for the government and believe that such involvement can improve the quality of people’s lives and help achieve the larger goal of opportunity and equality. The far-right and conservative Republicans believe that reliance on the private sector (businesses and individuals) can improve economic productivity and help achieve the larger goals of freedom and self-reliance. They are described as “anti-bureaucracy, pro-military and pro-personal responsibility.”
Candidates and their supporters should start looking at what their parties stand for to see in what way they are relevant to the nation’s goals. Politics should not be seen as merely hijacking power for the sake of it. Parties should start adopting clear ideas about how to address the nation’s daunting challenges, while the Nigerian voters should start rejecting politicians without mission.
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