24 self-serving presidential aspirants

Uphold the law without flying out

Two recent comments left on my blog about the situation in Nigeria concerning the fly outs for health checkups and the antics of the Independent National Electoral Commission leave me in such great indignation, I hope I find words to express myself with clarity.

The whole matter centres what all those contestants are doing in the light of these developments, none took advantage of the fact that getting treatment for breathlessness or a knee injury abroad simply highlighted the fact that we had a health system no one was proud of and hence the opportunity to do something about it.

It made Nigeria an international laughing stock, almost irredeemable slight as an oil-rich country that could pay to fly out its stinking rich ruling class but not address ever-present social and development issues that could propel Nigeria further than we have ever dreamt possible. Our shame and they who seek to lead stood dumb.

The silence of the ambitious

However, the most grating one is how these self-serving, selfish, inordinately ambitious, indifferent and unconcerned contestants can even deign to offer themselves to lead talk less of serve when they cannot rise up against the abuse of process, the egregious impugning of the rule of law and the flagrant misinterpretation of the constitution.

The 24 eligible candidates who can for now contest the presidential elections in Nigeria are so ensconced in their comfort zones, having not been disqualified or made ineligible, a seeming injustice meted against a stronger contestant is best left unsung lest their personal ambitions be thwarted by the possible success of this contestant who to date has successively won 11 court battles challenging his ability to run.

If they cannot be bothered about this, how on earth can they sincerely be bothered to ensure that Nigeria is properly run and it begins to achieve like it should have or should be working towards when we celebrate the 50^th year of independence?

Dishonourable and disgraceful

These are no people of honour and neither should they be offered the privilege to rule in Nigeria, if before they have attained power they cannot raise their voices in protest against unconstitutional activities, how can they when in power swear an oath to protect the same?

Fearful people who have no principles left in their sinews, such that the fear of being tarred with the instruments of vindictiveness that the Presidency had converted the EFCC and INEC into leaves them forgetful of the fact that they would be powerless to rule if they are beholden to organs that terrorise and castigate personalities to achieve ends inimical to the development of Nigeria.

Instruments of presidential vindictiveness

I do hear that the EFCC and INEC are now being made more independent of the machinations of the presidency, I cannot say however that the damage that has been done to their reputations can be recovered and made right so soon. Reference.

However, one thing is clear; these 24 candidates which include intellectuals, former military leaders, ones with delusions of grandeur and unproven criminals do not deserve to be presented to the country for election.

A case to postpone elections

If Atiku Abubakar does eventually get his name onto the ballots, there is a possibility that he might but to only some places in Nigeria, a pre-rigged election looms and this must not be taken lightly, the leaving president must not in anyway be absolved of complicity to stealing the opportunity to choose from his fellow countrymen.

If however, the election would need to be postponed to ensure that justice and fairness is served, then both the sitting president and his vice president should and must resign their commissions at the end of this term and a constitutional precedent that allows the Senate President to be caretaker leader/President for 3 months must ensue, where none of those who had been in power can influence the will of the people till elections take place in probably June or July 2007.