By Innocent Okon
In the luminous era of integrity driven politics in Nigeria, salient intangible ingredients were indispensable! You either had them above average score point or quit the political space.
Those who had these rare ingredients commanded cult followership and demi god status. Some of them came into the political firmament before and after the political independence of 1960. Providence did not allow any section, tribe and religon to lack them.
In the North were Sir Ahmadu Bello, Aminu Kano , Maitama Sule and T. S. Tarka. The West had the sagacious Chief Obafemi Awolowo, while the East produced the cerebral Zik of Africa, K. O. Mbadiwe, Prof. Eyo Ita, Chief Nyong Essien and a few others. These distinguished Nigerians came into politics with low bank accounts, but with humongous integrity and desire for altruistic service.
That generation morphed into the second Republic in 1979 and produced icons like Dr. Clement Isong, Aper Aku, Lateef Jakande, Balarabe Musa, Sam Mbakwe and Bisi Onabanjo. They were in the starting eleven team of that political era!
The sun started its eclipse on the political health of Nigeria in subsequent military guided civil governance, arguably in the 90s. The legion that emerged in the political space in that era and still monopolising same are political entrepreneurs and buccaneers!
They may not belong to the same political party, but share same rapacious appetite for public funds and lust for political office. They are inflicted with malignant dementia, which shields them from both the distant and immediate past.
Their adroitly deployed weapons of longevity are religion, tribe, money and gullibility of the masses. Take all these to the dust bin, most political actors in Nigeria today would have been long consigned to the foot notes of our political history!
Despite the palpable inclement political and economic climate in Nigeria, a league of spent gladiators have already begun jostling for political power come 2027! Their permutation as usual is that the masses are a gullible lot who neither probe into history nor need anything beyond daily survival.
The new kid in town now is called African Democratic Party (ADC). When you lift the veil, its same gory sight of assemblage of characters that have individually and collectively taken turns to rape and plunge us all into this doldrum and cul de sac!
The prime mover is Atiku Abubakar, who may be seeing the Presidency of Nigeria as a pension and gratuity that he must earn before he returns to Allah, his creator!
Former Senate President, David Mark is also on the front seat. Like his fellow travellers, he has a huge baggage! The nation is still awaiting his explanation on the role he allegedly played in the annulment of the June 12 Presidential election won by Chief MKO Abiola. His MEMOIRS should and must capture this segment of his foray into military politics in Nigeria.
Also serving the revitalised ADC as a scribe is Ogbeni Aregbesola, a former Governor and Minister. His track record as a Governor of Osun state is not enviable! He is an adept when it comes to manipulation of religion to gain political relevance and favour. During his tenure, he introduced hijab for girls to complement approved uniforms in public schools. He reportedly left a backlog of unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities before he exited office in Osun.
Another fortune seeker in the line up is Mallam El- Rufai, former Governor of Kaduna State, Minister of FCT and DG of BPE. This is one character that is unfairly blessed with short memory! He seems to have forgotten all his actions and inactions to decimate Southern Kaduna ethnic extraction demographically and politically during his tenure as Governor!
His political matrix can never function without deft juxtaposition of religion, gambit and prebendalism!
The desire for power at the centre has activated the centripetal pull that has brought them together, once again. This union maybe shortlive because of selfish overt political ambition of the drivers of this project. But if they succeed to forge a common political opposition party, can Nigerians forget so soon their ignoble service records? How can we raise our voices to shout in support of this old wine in a new bottle?
Okon, a lawyer, wrote in from Uyo, Akwa Ibom State
