Over 2 weeks into the new Government now, it’s yet to constitute its cabinet either because time is being devoted to make a thorough selection or there is a search for a link that is missing. The delay, for whatever reason, is a source of concern and is a pointer of something abnormal. The disorder that visited the election of the leaders of the national assembly is a case at hand. This is inspite of the state of the nation, a country at a brink of precipice. With Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari as President of the Federal republic of Nigeria, his assignment ought to and must be bigger than any group, interest community or political party. The assignment is that of reconstructing Nigeria .A Government that should be constituted by people of integrity, exemplary character, role model and patriotic across parties and associations. The pervasive problems ahead, the complexities of the challenges and the high and legitimate expectations of the citizenry makes our call for national unity Government more impending. This is an emergency that expects consideration beyond party restrictions as reflected by the patterns of the won election. The substance, embodiment and what Buhari stands for is far and wide beyond the party that provided the platform that brought him on board- APC. Widening the scope of appointments would surely ease the process of running the Government for the President and naturally the appointment of his key players in Government. The weight Mr. President places on personal and professional integrity, qualities far from mere party membership or affiliation make us to offer this advice the more. Appointments from the major political parties in the country and other patriots that are known and recognized by all as people of incorruptible and patriotic attributes are surely the people that can work for the successes the President sets to achieve. Consideration of leading officers on mere party consideration at a critical juncture of survival Nigeria finds itself would surely not provide the needed commitment, sense of purpose and national rebirth needed. We uphold the decision of the President to consider patriotism, personal and professional integrity as the paramount values for appointment. This should be broaden beyond single party and cut across the major political parties. And relevant organisations in the country. This would scale down mere party relationship, raise sense of national purpose and chart direction for the much expected discipline, nation building and commitment as democratic culture on which you make great nations. This would also extend opportunities to nonpartisan Nigerians to give their quarter for nation building.
On a more critical note, those elected into offices ought to note, and should know that over 90% of Nigerians are not card carrying members of any political party and so also those who voted for the President. According to the President, Nigeria is a country of about 180 million people. For the Purposes of this piece, we assume half of the people are children under 18 years of age, while the other half,90 million are above 18 years from which INEC has registered 67,422,005 {though it places the percentage at 43.65%}, from which only 29,432,083 voted. From this Buhari was voted with 15,425,921, which is 54%, while in practical terms, he was voted by 23% going by the total casted votes rather than total registered voters. The former President has 19.6% which he may have won if he was not contesting with the popular General. A class Teacher would score APC –F- if its 23% is anything to go by. Or D going by 54% of the registered voters. This call for remedial classes, tutorials on tutorials and intensive coaching to heal wounds, rearm for a serious partake in the near future. A call to review strategies that would avert failure. Its not a case to celebrate, least to maneuver and course confusion that heightens distrust before even take up. At issue is that most Nigerians are apolitical, at best nonpartisan. Therefore it would amount to gross injustice on most Nigerians, and a parochial view of national service for any political party to insist that only its members are entitle to everything and should therefore get everything. Sure party is the rider, but the circumstances of political decision and electoral performances are far beyond party. Moreover it is on records that at least in the North, people voted for Buhari without consideration of any party affiliation. The nethermost is Nigeria need ’emergency’ approach that should cut across all boundaries. In fact the greatest challenge before the ruling party –APC – is to reconstruct a new political culture in the country that would allow it to mobilise Nigerians to its support and build their confidence in such a scale that would raise the dwindled votes it has gotten in the 2015 election. In certain evaluation President Buhari and APC are 2 different personalities, though one may be an extension or replica, of the other, to a point. The integrity, incorruptibility and impeccable records of the President made all those in the forefront of the merger and the subsequent APC to see no any other person but Buhari, Qualities that translate into the massive support he commands. As a combination of strange bed fellows, the immediate assignment before the party is to build code of integration that would ensure big and small in the party are effectively submerged into its manifesto and overall goals. Government of national unity is the starting point for now. This is what would allow the President to discharge his duty without much diversion to unnecessary internal squabbles. The strange bed fellows, if not handled, decisively effective, they can always constitute blockade to the President and what he stands for. Party is not sacrosanct, it doesn’t make Buhari and what he stands for, in fact he made the APC in a way, so is either for him to work APC into his image or APC would make him work into him. Politics, some experts define, is the ability to manipulate. Neutrality or natural course are elusive, vague, at best inexplicit, as seen in the national assembly Vs the President.If he doesn’t do it, others would do, perhaps detrimentally. Is either is done for national interest or selfish concern.
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Elharun Muhammad,
Teaches International relations & Development,
Kaduna Polytechnic,
eelharun@aol.com
