By Linus Aleke
Putting one’s hope on campaign promises in Nigeria, and of course, elsewhere in the Third World countries, is akin to flogging a dead horse, or expecting a barren woman to conceive and give birth to a quadruplet.
Unluckily, that is the situation in the country, as politicians, uninhibitedly make campaign promises, during electioneering that they know, deep inside them that they were not going to honour.
To this end, political pundits in Nigeria opined that unrestrained dishonesty is the stock in the trade of the Nigerian political elite. This, however, aligns with the unconventional saying that, there is no morality in politics.
However, it is unfortunate, that the few electorate, who are not yet disenchanted with this retrogressive culture of politicians, also join them in the naked dance at the village square.
They serially descend so low, to collect, common garri, groundnut, and sugar, packaged in a transparent silicone, with the name of the politician, and his party logo boldly inscribed on it as a campaign gift and souvenir.
This, few aggrieved citizens, said, is in addition to, a small sachet of salts, that is not worth more than N60, in the market, low-quality rappers, soaps, and on few occasions, the electorates queue to collect as little as N500 or N1000 naira in exchange for their votes.
Also, those angry enough about this sordid political culture had likened it to the colonial abracadabra of the European powers, who took away tons of raw materials in Africa, including human resources (slavery), by tricking African Kings with mirror and another household article, in the name of barter system.
Those sympathetic to the poor electorate, said, alas, their attitude is like what the late Chinua Achebe said, in Things Fall Apart, “Eneke the bird says that since men have learned to shoot without missing, he has learned to fly without perching”.
They explained that since the politicians have perfected the practice of non-fulfilment of campaign promises, the electorate had also learn to collect whatever they see, as a bird at hand is worth more than a million in the bush.
The incumbent administration at the centre also rode to power in 2015, on the crest of change mantra, with campaign promises weaved around a tripod of reinvigorating the nation’s economy, fighting corruption, and sending terrorists and bandits to hell, to restore the needed peace and tranquillity the country needed to enhance rapid socio-economic development.
The detractors of this administration, further averred that the inability of Buhari’s administration to fulfil the above promise is an eloquent testimony that campaign promises in Nigeria are nothing but the rain that falls on a rock, which, does not alter its features.
Interestingly, this overt deceit, by the political class on the suffering masses in Nigeria is nonetheless, not a unique tradition with Nigeria or third world countries alone, but a global phenomenon.
It agreed with the above proposition that an Irish author, Stewart Stafford, posited, “If politicians don’t care about the electorate and lie to them, they can’t expect the electorate to care back and vote them in. An election must be more than a search for honesty in a snake pit”.
Correspondingly, the United Nations (UN), last week, charged the outing and incoming Governors in Nigeria, to keep their campaign promises to the electorates, before leaving office.
What this means is that the global institution is in total agreement with the later part of Stafford’s hypothesis that “an election must be more than a search for honesty in a snake pit”.
The Nigerian-born Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations, Ms Amina Mohammed, who gave this charge while addressing the state Governors on the task of nation-building, also told them that the first term in office goes very fast, and the second term even faster.
But like terrorism and natural disasters, such as floods, earthquakes, and tsunamis, among other several too numerous to outline, the West and the Arabs are also, not insulated from this leprous political culture. The only, difference, of course, may be that theirs are not done with impunity like it is done on this side of the divide.
Captivatingly, the politicians themselves are beginning to perceive the stickiness of their own filthy and rotten customs.
It was on this premise, that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, last week held an induction programme to prepare the newly elected Governors for the task ahead.
This singular move has attracted public commendation to the leadership of the Governors’ Forum for their foresight, in building the capacity of the newly elected Governors to change the existing irresponsible tradition of not keeping to campaign promises.
Even, the universe has two major features that are conspicuous and that is the day, representing the light, and night, representing darkness. Money also has two sides, front and back. It is in light of the above that the governors are commended for making an effort to liberate selves from dark tradition.
Unfortunately, some of the governors will soon leave the secured and palatial Government Houses that separated them from the grim reality of poverty-stricken people that they have governed for eight years.
In some states, for instance, one cannot drive up to 16 kilometres, from the state capital, before encountering poverty in its full monstrous outlook and murderous aura. Poverty in most of these states is not only tall but also very fat.
It is not strange news in such localities that humans and cattle or even donkeys drink water from the same stream, not minding the health hazard associated with such a habit.
Some of the already dilapidated healthcare centres established by these governors lack basic pharmaceutical drugs to combat the common cold. The reason why, they visit the UK, America, India, and other countries with advanced Medicare, at the expense of public funds, whenever they are ill, while ordinary people are abandoned to die in their penury.
These humongous gaps in provisions of the social basic amenities are not restricted to the health sectors alone. It cut across all sectors of the nation’s economy.
It is on the strength of the above observations that the United Nations (UN), called on the Governors to fulfil campaign promises before leaving office to close this unacceptable gap between the governors and the governed at the sub-national level.
Speaking at the event put together by the Forum in Abuja, the Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Ms. Amina Mohammed said, “Campaign promises made must be delivered, and that’s hard. It requires an effective team, one that can deliver on those promises that have been made”.
She added, “The only way to build a more cohesive nation and a more harmonious world is to deliver better for people: Better services, better opportunities, better safety, better government, and a healthier environment.”
Mohammed acknowledged that resource constraints were very real and that prioritising, phasing, and levering other partnerships would be key; while communicating and consulting would create fewer distractions and manage expectations.
The Deputy Secretary-General further posited that under the constitution of Nigeria, State Governors have the authority and the responsibility to deliver on critical foundations of infrastructure and basic services and rights of people that can deliver on social and economic development.
“But to do so, you must lead, whether it is from the front, the side, or the back. The word that runs across all is leadership. You must inspire and shape a better future that includes everyone,” she told the audience.
Noting that every state has a different starting point, different assets, challenges, and different circumstances, the UN Deputy Secretary-General highlighted four common areas where action and attention are urgently needed.
“First, you will need institutional capacity; second, you will need trusted partnerships; third, financing, the means of implementation; and fourth and finally, the area that is most in your hands, leadership,” she further posited.
The UN Deputy Scribe urged the state governors to bring the population on the journey with them and balance the political economy for the benefit of all and not just a few.
According to her, “You must inspire and shape a better future that includes everyone. You must also open up to your political adversaries and govern with vision, courage, tolerance, and humility. You must take every opportunity to have women and youth not just at the table but empowered to make a meaningful contribution to the discourse”.
Mohammed assured that “Our Resident Coordinators and our UN Country Teams are here in Nigeria at your service but also across borders in the continent. And the new Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework between the United Nations and the Government of Nigeria, which is the bedrock of our collaboration and shared pursuit of the SDGs but also of the African Union’s 2063 Agenda”.
She noted that beyond the formal support for programming and policy work, the UN is also in Nigeria to convene and broker partnerships that are necessary to carry the nation’s priorities forward.
The Chairman of the Forum, and Governor of Sokoto State, Aminu Tambuwal, said, the induction seminar was organised to support the new governors in developing the essential skills for democratic governance.
“To kick-start this post-election democratic process, we have invited governance experts, bureaucrats, and entrepreneurs, within and outside the shores of this country, to share their expertise on democratic governance in a diverse political economy with unique peculiarities in the modern governance framework,” he said.
He acknowledged the presence of democratic leaders from Africa, the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States of America, who have obliged to share their vast experience with the participants.
It will not be out of place to applaud the Nigerian Governors’ Forum for the positive step already taken, but at the same time, remind them of the need to redouble efforts in not only accelerating development in their respective states but also being deliberate in breaching the gap between the governors and the governed.
