...continuation.

We are all excited and worked up as we entered the New Year. Nigerians worldwide are looking forward to April 2011, you know why? Because Nigerians would get another opportunity to right the wrongs of the past, but, from the look of things, I see no changes.
I mean, the same set of people that ruled in the past 4 years are the ones coming out for re-election or, should I say re-selection?
Selection begins right from the primaries in most, if not all the available ACTIVE parties. They rarely vote in the primaries, a few old men comes up with a 'consensus' candidate which all other members MUST accept as their candidate, be he good or bad he's accepted and supported by all and sundry.
Now, if the internal policy of a political party is to 'select' rather than to 'elect' their flag bearers, what do you expect that they do to win during the general elections ESPECIALLY when they happen to be the ruling party?!
This is the reason why I remain skeptical of any change during the next regime. Only a fool expects a change in out come when same things are done the same way. And I bet, I'm not that fool just as I guess you aren't either? The question now is if there could be a change at all and the answer to that question is a big YES!
Like I pointed out in the previous post, no leadership that I know of at least, can rule over a people with a different orientation for long.
When there's a continuous occurrence of foul play in a polity, the citizens should watch out as there are a few bad eggs among them that are sabotaging their efforts to effect changes. They must be wary of such people. These bad eggs are slippery and slimy, more like a snake, they come around acting and talking as though they are with you in the struggle but in the real sense, they are only there as spies for their greedy 'partners in crime' up the ladder.
They also ensure that you remain inert as they ensnare you with sudden valuable gifts of all sorts thereby killing the spirit of righteousness in you and replacing it with that of guilt and consequently that of shamelessness so much so that you see nothing wrong with someone stealing and looting public funds. Such is the case in Nigeria today.
Financial fraud is now the order of the day, the hero now is he who got away with the greatest loot, the theme of most political post holders as well as civil servants today has changed from 'service to the people' to 'take what you can and give nothing back!'
These explains why people can win elections from prison and the reason why ex-convicts and politicians and civil servants that are known to have committed financial crimes or to have mismanaged public funds before would come out to contest and win elections in Nigeria. When you ask how these criminals had managed to win major elections, the answers you get might sound like 'nobody voted for him, the election was rigged', funny, right? I bet it is.
It’s funny how people would rally round such criminals during political campaigns proudly wearing souvenirs bearing the name or picture of these 'corrupt leaders' around singing their praises. They start to explain how he did this or that during his time in office and how he would continue the 'good work' if given another chance.
Funny how same people we so bitterly complained of are now begging for another chance to continue and we give our consent, continue what, looting?!
Until we change, nothing's gonna change. Until we TRULY say no to money politics, we should forget about a truly free and fair election in this country.
The day in Nigeria when 'automatic tickets' are done away with both in internal elections of parties and inter party elections, the day those who mismanage public funds are not granted a 'second term' in office, the day when ONLY those that might have transparently declared their assets are allowed to contest, until that day when the political agenda of aspirants are demanded and put to test in national debates on national T.V.'s as they do in developed countries, till that day, I see no changes.