The Youth in Nigerian Democracy:The Presidential Race & the Youth

One of the greatest pride I derive in being a Nigerian and in particular,perhaps , the MOST UNIQUE feature of Nigeria is our UNITY IN DIVERSITY!
Today's edition is a special one! I'm using this opportunity to congratulate all Nigerians on this August occasion of our Independence Anniversary,may we celebrate next Year's anniversary a greater,more unified and more posperous country.Ameen.
But how are we going ensure that? Considering the predictions of the Americans of a divided Nigeria come 2015,coupled with the insecurity challenges AND THE DELIBERATE ACTS OF SABOTAGE AND INSINCERITY OF THE SECURITY FORCES AND THE PRESIDENCY in curbing the insurgency,the future seem very scary and pretty bleak indeed! The question now is whether we subscribe to the fission of the Nigerian state, if Yes,why,if no,why not?
When,you consider the numerous barbaric ethnic and religious conflicts that have been recorded in our history,you might want to agree that we all call it quits on Nigeria and we go our separate ways. Sounds good,doesn't it? You fall into this category of people calling for Nigeria's disintegration if you think it does.
Another school of thought thinks it's not wise for Nigeria to disintegrate but at the same time doesn't believe people from other parts of the country should have a say when it comes to policy formation. They just want to be on top as decision makers forever and the vulnerable among those denied the federal powers feel cheated and would gladly join those who want Nigeria divided. These power brokers,according to those less powerful ones are power drunk and very selfish.
There's a third category... a moderate group that believes in Nigeria... not out of greed of subjecting others to their rule and control but out of a higher sense of purpose which very little understand even though it's the aim and objective of all the aforementioned categories.
Everyone wants and deserve a better deal than we are currently getting, but,in my own view,it isn't enough reason to demand for disintegration. What we need is a major restructuring that would ensure equity among all Nigerians. However, this can't be ensured by disintegration or the maintenance of the status quo as it is right now,but, by a CHANGE OF HEART! EVERYONE GOT TO STOP THINKING ONLY ABOUT THEIR WELFARE,WE SHOULD ALSO CONSIDER THE WELL-BEING OF OTHERS...THE WELL-FARE OF ALL AND SUNDRY THAT'S TRUE PATRIOTISM!!!
Selfishness and greed are the greatest inhibitors to development in Nigeria. This shall be explained in greater details in the nearest future,insha Allah. But for the benefit of our current discuss,I would like to explain how it's stalling progress.
In 1999,at the beginning of the current republic,there were the formation of political parties.From their names and places where they are dominant,one can easily tell which is pro-hausa,pro-ibo and pro-yoruba. It was just too glaring!
As expected, each party won elections in their places of dominance,that is,APGA won overwhelmingly in the east,AD in the West and PDP up north....and just as usual, the PDP won the general elections. It's the party of the biggest region in Nigeria.
By 2011 general elections, there was a crack in the wall of the PDP, there was a major disagreement within the party that has successfully divided the north... it appears the northerners have lost the unifying force that had made them invincible since independence, they can't agree on whether to support Jonathan for president or follow an acclaimed plan of power sharing between the North and South.
The aggrieved Northern politicians  say Jonathan agreed not to contest in 2011,he was said to have agreed to step down after completing Yaradua's tenure. Now, that he does insist on contesting,they would rather pull out of the party to join other parties than to stay and vote in a traitor.... guy,you know the stories, I don't need to waste your time on that.The bottom line is that Jonathan emerged the winner of the 2011 elections amidst the political crisis. Some voted based on their convictions BUT THE MAJORITY VOTED BASED ON TRIBE,RELIGION OR ETHNICITY.Jonathan won on these various divides NOT based on conviction of the electorates. This has been the case from the word go...I've seen a situation whereby AN ILLITERATE so to speak won a political seat of power! It's that bad! So,it's NOT just a Jonathan thing alone. We vote based on sentiments all the time...we hardly consider performance. People get voted to power based on where they come from as against their ability to govern well! It's a shame!
Jonathan won in the South in the general either because he is a Christian or a man from the South and in the North majorly due to religious reasons and partially due to efforts of disgruntled elements of the North...mostly from the North Central who felt shortchanged by the core North.
2015 is just around the corner and Jonathan has a very good chance of winning for the same reasons as above NOT because he did well,he didn't... especially security wise. Yet,you see people sing his praises all over so much so that I begin to wonder if people haven't lost their senses of reasoning out of tribalism, ethniticism and religious bias. People are not asking questions...Yaradua left Katsina a N6 billion rich state...he cleared all the debts he met and left N6 billion in the coffers of Katsina...can u say that of Jonathan as a governor Bayelsa state...he has spent about 7 yrs in office as President...what major achievement has he made? Please,don't start counting the rehabilitation of existing roads or on- going projects here,point to COMPLETED PEOPLE ORIENTED PROJECTS he has executed and HOW these project have had a DIRECT PACT in your life as a citizen. You should now weigh that along with the enormous expenditure of the Federal Government in the last 7 yrs. Be sincere,at least to yourself...with all the billions of dollars,has he done well to deserve a second full term? Remember,also,THE SECURITY OF LIVES AND PROPERTIES OF ALL CITIZENS IS THE MOST BASIC AND ABOUT THE MAJOR REASON HE IS PRESIDENT.
On a day like this...our independence day,I think we need to review our way of reasoning...I think it's high time we started reasoning as Nigerians and not as Hausa,Ibo or Yoruba but as Nigerians.
You would be voting as a tribalist if you vote for a guy simply because he comes from your,state, ethnic group or even from your clan and you would be a religious fanatic if you vote on whether he is a Muslim or Christian. My fellow patriots,we are the third group of Nigerians I described above. Let us base our voting on the right values... not ethnicity, tribe or religious affiliation but on the candidate's capability to deliver the dividends of democracy...we should inquire of his past records as a leader and assess his performance, has he participated or initiated any community development project as a person...if he is coming in for the first time,what do people he had led before say about him? If he passes these tests well,then, we may vote for him even if he comes from the other far end of Nigeria...WE ARE ALL NIGERIANS!
Unless we send this message to the politicians,unless we start to make them realize that just being of the same faith or from the same region or tribe would no longer guarantee them our votes,they shall continue to take us for granted and treat us  unfairly as they now seem to have gotten used to.They would continue to USE AND DUMP US... election is just around the corner,you would start see them more often than ever...right now,you are their family,brother or sister...the moment you vote them back to power,they bid you their byes again...see you in the next 4 years.
Osun people did it,they voted for performance despite all the treat and FEDERAL MIGHT OF THE PDP,if they can do it,we too can.VOTE BASED ON PERFORMANCE AND NOT ETHNICITY OF RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION! WE ARE THE YOUTH AND WE ARE SAYING NO TO ALL FORMS OF SENTIMENTS...BE IT RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC, IF YOU HAVEN'T DONE WELL,WE SHALL VOTE YOU OUT COME 2015...that should be our message to the power brokers...without us,they can't do anything,trust me! Let's stand our ground this time.
I learnt that China is celebrating too today...what a co-incedent! I therefore congratulate the Chinese on their Communist anniversary celebration... many happy returns!
Thanks for your time and happy independence day Nigeria! Long live Nigeria! Amen.
Regards,
Abdurrahman,
07037595859,
http://moneymakingmachine-alchemy007.blogspot.com