Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - SUNDAY MUSING

Great one:

The formation of a new party requires a staggering amount of N200 billion.

On election day alone, you need over N10 billion to man the various polling booths.

Everything has become monetized.

TF

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Emmanuel Udogu <udoguei@appstate.edu>
Date: Monday, June 6, 2022 at 2:31 AM
To: usaafricadialogue <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - SUNDAY MUSING

OPINION: SUNDAY MUSING

 

         THE NEED FOR A POWERFUL THIRD FORCE IN 2023

 

In the period leading to the 2011 presidential election, Nigeria had a plethora of political parties struggling to unseat the PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan. The opposition parties were dynamic but inarticulate in framing their political dogmas. They campaigned for votes not because of the desire to serve the Nigerian polity, but because they wanted to acquire power to control who gets what, when and how–mainly.

 

  I wrote in this medium or forum (thanks to Brother Toyin Falola who has kept this series running for over two decades) that these numerous parties with their clashing agendas should coalesce and form a party that could give the PDP a run for its money. I raised my concerns then because their activities, reminiscent of similar activities in the past, were about to destabilize and render the country asunder. 

 

I also opined in my submission on this matter that the stability of the country was much more important than the parochial interests of the contending politicians and parties. Fortunately, the various groups were able to see reason/s to assuage their clashing issues at that time. I was not surprised when in 2015 these diverse parties worked together to form the APC and to unseat the PDP; and, accordingly, we saw the emergence of  two major competing political parties–on paper.

 

Regrettably, it has become clear to some observers that the current major two-party system or formation is a ruse and that the reason for their genesis was relatively identical. The gladiators in these parties (and their political godfathers or patrons) were and are interested mainly in furthering their self-interests and not the interests of the citizens they claim to represent. For instance, governors could be elected under the banner of the PDP and decamp or cross carpet, in Nigerian parlance, with impunity to the APC and vice versa. What this political shenanigan suggests is that politics is the "only game in town" because it is so lucrative. Little wonder, then, that some political entrepreneurs apply corruption as an enzyme to further their ambitions.

 

In my view, the dominant political parties have not succeeded in providing us with shining leaders and good governance; and, if truth be told, the society is culpable for aiding and abetting bad governance by encouraging the cankerworm of corruption that has pervaded the society and body politic. To paraphrase Mr. President, "the character of a polity is a reflection of its leadership." Well, you be the judge. 

 

Arguably, since both parties have not provided the so-called dividend of democracy, it might be useful for Nigerians to try a Third Force–i.e., the formation of a new powerful political party so that the APC and PDP would not take Nigerians for granted. To this end, I suggest that the other parties (NNPP, Labor party, PRP, SDP, et cetera) should amalgamate or unite to form this Third Force to be dubbed the Nationalist Party (NP) in 2023.  Such an act would demonstrate the troupe's belief in patriotism and commitment to revive and rekindle Nigeria's past glory as the "Giant of Africa." In other words, I (we) look forward to members of the Nationalist Party governing democratically "as servants and not as masters!" 

 

  

Ike Udogu

 

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