BUHARI, APC AND THE RACE TO ASO ROCK --BY SUSAN MAKAS ONUOHA I have quietly observed social media commentators with varying opinions reflecting their political leanings and support for either the candidate of the PDP, President Goodluck Jonathan or Gen. Buhari of the All Progressives Congress. The leaders and supporters of both parties are fighting so hard to win the heart of the populace especially those who are still on the fence barely twenty eight days to the general elections. The All progressive Congress (APC) are mouthful with what they term the ills of the PDP which stand it unelectable . It largely centers on the allegation of wide spread corruption which they claim made it impossible for the PDP to move the nation to where it rightly belongs in the last sixteen years. They refer to what they claim is the inability of the PDP to tackle adequately, the problem of decaying infrastructures. In the South East, APC commentators, members and sympathizers complain of the seeming intractable Enugu -Onitsha and Enugu -PH express way , the major artery into the zone. They also refer to lack of job opportunities, power generation and distribution for the industrial zones of Onitsha, Nnewi and Aba. Though it is none of their business, they also refer to the imposition of candidates that has caused several factions in all the sates of the zone as one of the reasons the PDP should no longer be entrusted with the fate of the people of the zone. On the other hand, the Peoples Democratic Party supporters also have run amok with the choice of Buhari as the candidate of the APC, describing it as lame, a bad product that could hardly be sold. Faulting Buharis claim to being a democrat, PDP supporters observed that at 73 and having been a Head of State, Buhari has nothing new to offer and in fact, is out of sync with modern socio-economic trend. Most are of the view that he should remain an elder statesman while contributing his quota to the development of the country . On a lighter note, some expressed fears Nigeria may be heading for another YarAdua scenario should Buhari wins, claiming he has failing health. Besides, they also claim Nigeria does not need a Mili-democratic government in this democratic dispensation, flashing back regretfully to the Obasanjo era when Nigerians lost fundamental freedoms due to the authoritarian nature of the administration that had a lot to do with the background of the former president in the military. They often compare this to the fresh air of freedom that Nigerians breath under President Jonathan where he is severally abused and challenged and no one has been arrested or harassed . Furthermore, others view the APCs claim to championing anti-corruption as just being on the lips as many of its leaders have one case of corruption or the other hanging on their necks. Come to think of it , many of the leaders of the APC were formerly PDP members and to claim that the PDP is corrupt means the APC is also corrupt . It is simply a question of kettle and pot which is more black. In other words, the APC has its fair share in whatever ill they accuse the PDP of in the last sixteen years. At the bottom line, there is one thing that one observes very easily among social media commentators. Most are very lazy to research and dig out information. They therefore resort to false and cheap information given by media houses , most of which are biased. For example, the APC is wrong to claim the federal government has not done well in job creation. It certainly has but I agree that a lot still has to be done knowing the scaring number of the unemployed and the fact that almost all want a white collar job. TheYOUWIN program under GEJ has done a lot to empower the youths in various fields, making them create wealth and further make available employment opportunities. Also, the Subsidy Reinvestment and Empowerment Program SURE-P is a federal government internship scheme which train youths on skill acquisition with monthly stipends . Alas, going by the new trend on Buhari health challenges, Nigerians are no longer talking about Buhari Age but concerned about his health. Various accounts of ailment is trending but the APC has come out to deny such. However the question kept coming up. Does it mean Tinubu wants to become the next Obasanjo in installing a sick person just like the case of Yar Adua ? Why didnt Tinubu choose Rotimi Amaechi, Rochas Okorocha,Tambuwal or Kwankwaso for the race? But there is an irony about the issue of age in this election. Governor Fashola has just asked Lagosians not to vote Jimi Agbaje, the PDP candidate citing citing old age( 60) as against Akinwunmi Ambode of the APC. I ask then, has Fashola forgotten so quick that Buhari is 73 and still wants rule Nigeria. This is another way of asking Nigerians to close the chapter on Buharis candidacy. Time will tell.
Posted on: Sat, 17 Jan 2015 21:24:57 +0000
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