The nation ought to create a political system that elevates competent people and holds them accountable, argues VICTOR IKEM
Nigeria’s best political tragedy might not be the absence of competent leaders, however the lack of ability of its residents to look past ethnic id, non secular affiliation and regional sentiments when selecting those that govern them.
For many years, our political consciousness has been formed by the belief that having a president or governor from our ethnic group ensures collective prosperity. We have turn out to be so emotionally invested within the geography of political energy that we regularly overlook the competence, character and capability of those that train it.
Every election season, Nigerians are mobilized round acquainted narratives: it’s our flip, our area has been marginalized, or our tribe should produce the subsequent president. These arguments often dominate political conversations, pushing extra necessary questions on financial administration, employment, training, healthcare and nationwide growth into the background.
Yet, after many years of rotating political energy amongst areas, one elementary query stays: How a lot has the ethnic id of our leaders improved the residing circumstances of strange Nigerians?
There is a psychological satisfaction that comes with seeing somebody from one’s ethnic group occupy political workplace. It creates a sense of inclusion, recognition and collective accomplishment. But psychological satisfaction isn’t financial growth. The truth {that a} president speaks your language doesn’t robotically present employment to your youngsters, electrical energy for your enterprise, reasonably priced healthcare or meals for your loved ones.
A president out of your village could provide a way of political belonging whereas presiding over insurance policies that impoverish your neighborhood. Conversely, a reliable president from one other ethnic group could implement insurance policies that enhance your livelihood and broaden financial alternatives. Which would you somewhat have? This is the basic query Nigerians should start to ask themselves. Ethnic inclusion stays necessary in a various federation like Nigeria. However, there’s a important distinction between selling equitable illustration and sacrificing competence to fulfill ethnic entitlement. Representation with out competence is merely symbolic. Representation with out accountability is politically handy however developmentally meaningless.
Democracy is basically a contest of concepts, insurance policies, management capabilities and competing visions of society. Unfortunately, Nigeria’s democratic apply has more and more turn out to be a negotiation amongst regional pursuits and highly effective political elites.
Rather than prioritise essentially the most competent candidates, political events often dedicate appreciable consideration to zoning preparations, ethnic balancing and the distribution of political workplaces. Consequently, the query is usually not who possesses one of the best concepts for remodeling Nigeria, however whose flip it’s to occupy political workplace.
While zoning preparations emerged partly to deal with legit issues about exclusion, they need to not turn out to be everlasting substitutes for benefit, accountability and democratic competitors. A democracy that prioritises the distribution of workplaces over the supply of public worth dangers changing into an costly mechanism for managing elite pursuits somewhat than bettering residents’ lives.
Another troubling characteristic of Nigeria’s democracy is the belief that elected political leaders are entitled to stay in workplace for eight years. Although the Constitution permits eligible presidents and governors to serve two four-year phrases, a second time period isn’t an automated entitlement. It should be earned via efficiency and renewed public confidence.
Unfortunately, many politicians spend appreciable time consolidating political buildings, rewarding loyalists and positioning successors somewhat than delivering significant growth.
What would occur if Nigerian voters developed the braveness to vary their political management each 4 years each time efficiency fell beneath expectations? Imagine politicians realizing that their continued keep in workplace depended strictly on measurable outcomes somewhat than ethnic loyalty, political propaganda or entrenched celebration equipment.
They would face higher strain to ship enhancements in infrastructure, employment, training and healthcare. This isn’t an argument for eradicating each chief after 4 years no matter efficiency. Rather, it’s a name to determine a political tradition during which re-election is earned, not presumed.
No politician ought to really feel entitled to eight years in workplace just because the Constitution permits it. Nigeria’s management disaster can be a disaster of political consciousness. We can’t repeatedly reward incompetence with ethnic loyalty and count on good governance. We can’t defend poor management as a result of the president belongs to our tribe whereas condemning comparable failures when somebody from one other area occupies the workplace.
Such selective requirements weaken democratic accountability and encourage political godfatherism. Nigerians should turn out to be brave sufficient to reject underperforming leaders, regardless of their ethnic origins or political affiliations.
Our electoral selections should be guided by competence, integrity, coverage proposals, administrative expertise and measurable achievements. The most necessary political id any Nigerian ought to possess is citizenship.
Nigeria possesses extraordinary human potential, entrepreneurial power and financial alternatives. Our problem is making a political system that constantly elevates competent people and holds them accountable. The chief able to remodeling Nigeria could not converse your language, practise your faith or come out of your geopolitical zone.
But if that particular person possesses the competence, integrity and imaginative and prescient to strengthen establishments, develop the financial system and enhance residents’ lives, that’s the chief deserving of your vote. We should cease asking whether or not the subsequent president will come from the North or South, East or West.
We should begin asking whether or not that particular person has the data, character and capability to control Nigeria successfully.
The chief who will rescue Nigeria could not come out of your tribe. Until we settle for that chance, we could proceed sacrificing our collective future for ethnic victories that ship little greater than psychological satisfaction.
Nigeria should turn out to be higher than our tribes, and our loyalty to the nation should turn out to be stronger than our loyalty to these looking for political energy.
Dr. Ikem is a public coverage analyst, growth communication scholar and media advisor.
