Don’t vote any Political Party in the 2023 Elections

—”But where was this messiah in 2003, 2007 and 2011. Or was he not a Messiah then? Who made him the messiah? How come did Buhari suddenly change into a Messiah the moment APC was formed?”—

In Nigeria, amongst many political parties that exist and keep forming, there are two major political parties: PDP and APC. These political parties are not different from one another. Now, undoubtedly Labor Party has joined the ranks of the major parties. What a shift! Moreover, Political Party is an organization of people who share the same views or ideas about the way power should be used in a country or society through government, policy-making, etc.

But let’s ask the question.

What are the ideologies or simply put, the ideas that govern and guide political parties in Nigeria? Or are they not political parties or just social clubs? Moreso, even social clubs have ideologies. What one political party aimlessly does, the other does or even overdo positively and negatively. The only difference is just in the name and the political party that is in power, though Labor Party is yet to prove itself different from other political parties.

Consequently, you see politicians moving from one political party to another thereby making themselves party harlots. But, how would you blame those cross-carpeters who have good visions and want to truly serve the people? They naturally want a favorable ground to serve the people. So, you have two types of party harlots: those who cross-carpet because of majorly their personal interest of fame, wealth, position etc, and those who cross-carpet because they want to serve the people.

It is this factor of service that Nigerians should favor–those politicians who truly want to serve the people. These politicians could be found in many parties that are not even among the major parties. So, should Nigerians actually want good governance, they should follow these relatively good politicians.

Otherwise:

If the people stick to a particular political party, the party can give them either bad or good politicians, since the parties have no ideological dispositions which should guide her members when elected and the result shall be a terrible consequence on the people.

For instance, Peter Obi was first in PDP, moved and contested in 2002 under APGA in Anambra State. The people of Anambra rejoiced in triumphant benefits. The same party that produced Peter Obi produced Willie Obiano and putting it prudently, Anambra State undoubtedly moved very backwards. No matter how you see it, APGA as a party highly influenced the political triumph of Obiano during the elections in which Peter Obi whom the Anambrarians would applaud even in the market places failed to deliver his candidate Obaze under PDP. Trust the APGA slogan on Anambrarians, “nke a bụ nke anyị.” What actually did “nke a bụ nke anyị” sentiment able to effect in the Obiano Administration?

Additionally, PDP and APC had and has both bad and good governors alike. Mbadinuju(May 1999 to May 2003) was in PDP, and Ngige(May 2003 to March 2006) too was one in PDP but now in APC. Comparatively, Ngige was far good than Mbadinuju in performance.

At the national level, the formation of a new party APC was one of the things that effected the defeat of PDP because the masses wanted a change but politicians cajoled them into a change of party instead of a change of persons who have the good of the people at heart.

One of the slogans from politicians was “PDP gave us 16 years of misrule” as if PDP was a human being. But, almost all members of APC now were either former APGA or CPC or ANPP or the same PDP members who supposedly misruled Nigeria for 16 years.Yet, Nigerians forgot that it was the same PDP that produced Yar’Adua, and Nigerians are still apologizing to Jonathan whom they buried alive. Now that we have changed from PDP to APC, how market?

Prior to this, Buhari contested for the presidency under ANPP in 2003 and 2007, and under CPC in 2011 and lost. But once the merging of the then three major political parties (ACN, CPC and ANPP) into APC happened, then came the euphoria of a political messiah in the person of Buhari who will bring change. But where was this messiah in 2003, 2007 and 2011. Or was he not a Messiah then? Who made him the messiah? How come did Buhari suddenly change into a Messiah the moment APC was formed? —Party!!!

One indisputable fact is that majority of the Nigerian politicians don’t care about the people but themselves and their friends who are ready to dance to their tunes whether in favor of the people or not. Hence, they look for the reigning political parties to actualize and effect their selfishness and greed for power. But we have many good politicians both in the cross-carpeting and static levels.

Withal, loyalty is the faithfulness to commitments or obligations. So, it doesn’t mean that party loyalty should be removed but party loyalty doesn’t work in Nigeria because there’s no difference in their operations. Party loyalty doesn’t favor the masses but, loyalty to good politicians in Nigeria does. People loyalty should be paramount; loyalty to the good of the people should come first and that’s where the first commitment for every political public servant lies.

Thus, for the good of us all and the voting masses both rich and poor. The only way to survive in this country is to vote those good or relatively good politicians in whichever party we find them, because we are the people that suffers the blunt of bad politicians which includes hunger, unemployment, insecurity, strikes, corruption, over consumption without production, negligence of educational system, dependent and corrupt judiciary, poor healthcare system, bad roads and what have you?

As history teaches, in this coming 2023 elections (the local government, state house of assembly, gubernatorial, house of representatives and the Senate inclusive), don’t be loyal to any party but to politicians who indefinitely shall contest under a political party. That is, vote for politicians because of how good they are considering their history and background and not because of the party they belong to. Loyalty should be based on the good of the masses.

Moreso, don’t be surprised that bad politicians shall defect to Labor Party if “PeterDatti” wins, but would they cease to be bad? They are only seeking for their personal interest. Don’t even vote for bad politicians even if you see them in the Labor Party.

©Fr. Henrycharles Umelechi

Truth Series.