Buhari vs Jonathan: Any Of Them Will Fail Nigeria
In his contribution to Premium Times, Okey Ndibe explains why both main contestants for presidential post, Goodluck Jonathan and Muhammadu Buhari, may eventually be unable to live up to Nigerians' expectations.
Just a reminder: presidential elections that will determine Nigeria's fate for the next 4 years are to be held in ten days.
In his article, Mr. Ndibe notes that, though Nigerians have 14 presidential candidates to choose from, only two of them - rivals from the opposing major parties - have obviously set the tone for the pre-election sentiments in the country.
Mr. Ndibe names two possible post-February 14 scenarios, depending on which candidate claims victory: "Continuity" and "Change". He is quick to point out, however, that what Nigerians are likely to get from either one's victory is "a pig in a poke."
Nigerians are overwhelmed by the countless promises coming both from Buhari and Jonathan, and have trouble "separating the wheat from the chaff". Jonathan’s supporters are tired from attempts to make him look like a "super-achiever" in the eyes of Nigerians. Muhammadu Buhari's team, on the contrary, are making him look like "a kind of a wizard" able to eliminate corruption and Boko Haram in a wink. No doubt, if Nigerians were not this gullible, they wouldn't have allowed to be misled by such exaggerated claims.
One of the things that could have dispelled the illusions Nigerians have been constantly fed with were live, rigorous debates. Nigerians would have had an opportunity to ask controversial questions. Candidates could have come up with serious prescriptions. Thought-out solutions to structural defects Nigeria is facing now might have also been helpful.Instead, Nigerians receive numerous curses thrown at each other by the political opponents.
Having almost thirty registered political parties at hand to choose from, Nigerians tend to stick to either the PDP or the APC.
Ultimately, Mr. Ndibe concludes, it doesn't even matter who wins the election, Jonathan or Buhari, until the "fundamental changes" are introduced in Nigeria.
Source: Legit.ng
