NIGERIA FOR CHANGE ASSOCIATION Suite 306, Copper House Zone 5, Wuse. ABUJA Nigeria4changeassoc@gmail 08069182472; 08189158685 WHY WE MUST VOTE IN APC AND MUHAMMADU BUHARI FOR CHANGE 1.0 INTRODUCTION In our earlier publication, we humbly show why Nigerians must vote out PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan in the 2015 Presidential Election. In this present publication, we wish to show why Nigerians must vote in APC and Muhammadu Buhari in the 2015 Presidential Election. 2.0 CHANGE: DEMOCRACY IN ACTION Democracy strives on change, alternance. Democracy is not a suffocating system. Once people have genuine grievances of poor governance, democracy offers a window of change. It admits of no extra–legal method of change of power. 3.0 PEOPLE MAKING A CHOICE BETWEEN FREEDOM AND BONDAGE The 2015 elections are crucial in our capacity of making the right choice. There is no denying the fact that we all want freedom. We want freedom from poverty, insecurity, injustice, modern slavery, oppression, ill–health, illiteracy/poor education, avoidable death and suffering occasioned by infrastructural decay, industrial anarchy and corrupt leadership. In summary, we want freedom from poor governance. We are seeking good governance. By seeking freedom it presupposes that we accept and acknowledge that we are in bondage. It means that we have come to the hard fact that ruling elite represented by PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan have traded in our freedom and well being for their rampaging internal colonialism. We all seek freedom from bondage. The challenge in seeking freedom is our capacity to identify and accept that we are, indeed, in bondage. 4.0 BREAKING OUR PSYCHO–SOCIAL CAPTIVITY Bondage is in two forms. There is bondage by violent external forces and there is bondage by manipulation of our weaknesses or sentiment for eventual subjugation and captivity. The former represented by British colonialism in Nigeria is no longer in vogue. The skillful, subtle and most treacherous one is the internal colonialism orchestrated by manipulation and exploitation of our ethnic, religious and regional sentiments/differences. The common man engages one another in the fight, while they are united in the looting and sharing of the spoil. We need freedom and we must be bold to reject the game of engaging us in psycho–social captivity. We are Nigerians. We love Nigeria. We want the best in that Nigerian identity and prestige. We have agreed to make Nigeria work for us by ourselves and in our way. We need Nigeria of unity, freedom, justice and peace. 4.0 FREEDOM BY SEEING AND FEELING THINGS BY OURSELVES The repercussion of poor governance has no respect for ethnic, religious and regional dichotomy. However, it takes good knowledge and courage for one to see and feel the horrendous effects of poor governance. If not, our oppressors through their agents strategically placed in religious, ethnic and regional centres, will be thinking for us and directing our attention from the real cause of our sufferings. They have strategically destroyed our educational system and made youth embrace cultism instead of great learning and hard work. We cannot continue to be fooled all the times. 6.0 CHANGE FOR US, BY US AND OF US We must recognize that true change begins by knowing and acknowledging that the change is for us. If we consider how our brothers and sisters instantaneously transformed their economic standard of living upon entering political offices, the effect of corruption and abuse of office, we know that we are really under the vortex of internal colonialism. So, we need the change. The second important point is for us to recognize that the change must be effected by us. Democracy has offered us a window of alternative political party for us to ventilate our grievances on our predators. This change is through electioneering process. No change comes up cheaply or freely. We must make sacrifice and believing that the change will be our gain. To seek to effect a change involves meeting opposition from those benefitting from the present system. The resistance could be subtle or open. In subtle form, they will discourage one by telling him that there cannot be any change because there is one system; raising religious, ethnic and regional sentiments and capitalizing on the poor knowledge of the people. They use poverty to break our resolve. The use of media for disinformation and misinformation of the people is part of the subtle method. Open method involves the use of armed political thugs to destabilize the people and causing confusion. People conscious and anxious for a change must be prepared to resist whatever methods oppressors may adopt. The change of us entails our resistance to allow our oppressors break our ranks through exploitation of our ignorance, weaknesses and differences. 7.0 WHY APC AND BUHARI AS PLATFORM FOR CHANGE We have abundantly shown why we must vote out PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan. It is our intention to show why we must vote in APC and Muhammadu Buhari. 7.1 APC and Buhari Best Vehicle to Prosecute the Change There is no doubting the fact that if APC and Buhari have not emerged as crucial alternative to the grave poor governance unleashed on the nation for the past sixteen (16) years, Nigerians will be craving for extra–legal method of determining the government. Therefore, APC and Buhari have come to deepen democracy and save it from terminal ailment of poor governance infused into it by PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan. 7.2 APC and Buhari are Political Evolution to Challenge and Change the Sustained Retrogression Nigerians have suffered a lot and will continue to suffer if we trivialized and missed the great opportunity for change. The background of the people that constituted APC are not as important as the platform they have provided for Nigerians to effect the necessary change. APC have provided political capacity to challenge PDP. The people must capitalize on the competent power struggle to move to freedom from shackles of slavery PDP represents. We have been under the plague of PDP for sixteen years, which is too old enough for us to test another political party. We need the change as people in sovereignty so as to experience the new opportunity offered by APC. 7.3 Making People to be Afraid of Change, which is their own Fear As a people, we loose nothing in experiencing change because we have seen and stand to see more of the worst coming from PDP. A man who is down, fears no fall. It is PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan that are afraid of the consequences of change. Instead of admitting it and providing good governance, they prefer to deceive us, make us fear any change and insulting our sensibilities by raising N21billion to come and bribe us or use the money to arm political thugs against us. 7.3.1 The Devil You Know is Better than Unknown Angels PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan would have the audacity to tell us to remain faithful to them because the devil you know is better than unknown angels. The good report is that they have acknowledged that they are devil. The world is not for the cowards but adventurists. Edo people presented a living example. By their audacity for change, they have experienced infrastructural revolution beyond contemplation under Oshiomhole. We loose nothing in venturing for a change. We must dream in the Lutherian tradition: believing and acting on the dream and the dream will come true as angels. 7.3.2 Creating Fear with Manipulation of Our Differences and Weaknesses PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan believing in creating fear in the minds of the people by making them see APC and Buhari, the true and effective agents of change as sources for aggravation of their hardship. They market falsehood, trigger mutual suspicion without substance and exploit ethnic, religious and regional sentiments of the people for them to remain in power. For the purpose of this vital change, we must resist the seed of disunity and mutual suspicion that they are planting by giving all sorts of names to the great party, APC and its eminent flag bearer, Muhammadu Buhari. We must be firm and solemnly resolve to disappoint PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan for us to have appointment for good governance in 2015. 7.4 APC as a Creation of Courage, Patriotism and Sacrifice by the Political Elite APC is not a lazy, dormant and dominant political party like PDP sustained by ubiquitous, dubious, corrupt, lawless and abuse of powers cliché, otherwise known as “Incumbency Factor”. APC is a formulation of critical, patriotic and selfless political engineering to combat, rescue and change the governance architecture of Nigeria. It entailed enormous intellection, courage, patriotism and self–denial for APC to be built to this enviable and competitive height. Every politician in APC has worked hard to deepen and endear democracy to the people. The process that led to the emergence of Prof. Yemi Osibanjo as the Vice Presidential Candidate attests to the sophistication, sacrifice, courage and patriotism at re–engineering Nigerian political process. 7.5 APC founded on Knowledge for Service to the People APC being founded on knowledge is averse to authoritarian culture and personality that is the hallmark of PDP. APC is out to cultivate and entrench democratic culture and personality in Nigeria. APC rightfully opens the political space such that dissatisfied and victimized individuals from PDP can have fortress. So also, politicians in APC, rigidly attuned to aggressive self-interest and authoritarian culture, can walk away to PDP. APC is knowledge based and knowledge driven because there is genuine commitment to service. By being knowledge based and knowledge driven, APC claims no monopoly of knowledge, does not underrate any idea by placing emphasis on faces and status like the PDP, and appreciates constructive criticism. APC being fashioned on knowledge cannot accommodate laziness, ineptitude, corruption, abuse of powers, incorrigibility and alienation of the people. APC is seeking power through the people. So, it is a reliable political party to serve the people with courage, honesty, transparency and accountability. 7.6 APC as a Strong, United and Committed Family to Nigerian True Growth APC is not like PDP in the sole proprietorship of President Goodluck Jonathan. PDP, being in sole proprietorship of President Goodluck Jonathan, enthrones the culture of hypocrisy, mudslinging, backbiting, double dealing, sycophancy and idolatry. PDP family is viciously sustained by the lust and hope for the crumb that will fall from President Goodluck Jonathan’s table in the tradition of “at all at all na him bad”. PDP once accused APC as being the property of Buhari and Tinubu. We thank God that there are at least two notable, mutually respecting individuals, acknowledged by PDP. We know that APC is a family that values every member and appreciates them. APC is sustained through vigorous commitment to serve the people, shared values and openness. It is not like PDP where the dictatorial, power lust, whims and caprices and deification of President Goodluck Jonathan are the commanding values for purposes of partaking from the incumbency factor”. 7.7 PDP does not Need People, For Itself is Power PDP treats power as an end and rallying point for sustaining its members. It does not need people and as such can continue to alienate and show contempt to the people. Instead of working for the people, it believes in raising billions of Naira from patently corrupt, lawless and abuse of powers sources to retain power at all costs. APC is about people and for the people. It is therefore the platform to effect the necessary change. 8.0 PDP FUELING CAMPAIGN OF PREJUDICE AGAINST APC AND MUHAMMADU BUHARI PDP has nothing to argue in terms of genuine development. So, it resorts to exploitation of ethno–religious and regional prejudices against APC. 8.1 Labelling APC as Hausa and Muslim Party in the South East It is the footwork of PDP members to engender ethno–religious prejudice against APC in the South Eastern States of Nigeria by labeling APC as Hausa and Muslim Party. This political mischief is deliberately designed to fraudulently earn and build ethno–religious base. PDP knows that with the history of the Civil War, ethnic consciousness is a strong weapon for the mobilization of the people. However, the Igbo nation as the most mobile and industrious segment of Nigerian people, knows that such toxic sentiment amounts to one’s oppressor diverting his attention from the sublime to the ridiculous. PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan would not want to be judged by his productivity or pro-people policies. They want the people of the South East to see them as their representatives in power without service. We know that Igbo people are wiser than they think. The Enugu–Onitsha Dual Carriage Road build during the military era has long been reduced to single lane for past ten years. Nineth Mile Enugu through Benue State to Nasarawa State deserved dualization to reduce carriage and time. He has no such agenda for the South East. The people of South East are not immune to every act of poor governance as we have stated in the earlier publication. So, the good people of the South East cannot be fooled. The good people of the South East need a united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria for their own well being. 8.2 Labelling Buhari as Religious Fanatic It has become fashionable for PDP to create the perception that Muhammadu Buhari is a religious fanatic. Buhari had served Nigeria in various capacities including being a former Head of State to condescend too low as becoming a religious fanatic. The purpose of creating this type of fraudulent impression is to divide the society along religious line, with Christians voting against Buhari. They have been benefiting for long and now Christians are saying, don’t fool us any more. 8.3 Labelling Buhari as a Military Dictator Unable to Attune to Democratic Norms PDP has been promoting the erroneous notion that Muhammadu Buhari as a former Military Head of State is a rigid dictator incapable of adjusting to democratic norms. This impression is to create apprehension in the minds of the public that his leadership will be ruthless, without human face. In PDP, we have Senator (Dr.) David Mark, GCON, a former Military dictator, who is presiding over the Senate with enviable achievements. If he was not given the opportunity, no one can accurately attest to his competence. The nation and Idoma people are proud of his quality leadership of the National Assembly. Muhammadu Buhari is the single individual that has added great value and competition to Nigerian Presidential elections. While others, including President Goodluck Jonathan, had to rely on State resources and abuse of powers, Muhammadu Buhari relied only on his impeccable integrity for the competition for the Presidency. President Goodluck Jonathan cannot compete with Muhammadu Buhari without massive corruption and abuse of office. He has to raise a whopping N21billion financial war chest in cowardly and frightening response to Buhari’s integrity electoral value. The money is meant to buy voters, engineer electoral frauds and violence and compromising the integrity of the exercise. The money is also designed to lubricate his official thugs (Police, DSS and Soldiers) and placate or settle INEC officials. Muhammadu Buhari is more of a democrat than the entire PDP family put together. He never gave up being on the opposition. He is not seeking the office for pecuniary lust. If Muhammadu Buhari is interested in material acquisition, he only needs to accept being a Chairman of any oil and gas company or construction firm and open line of communication with President Goodluck Jonathan or any other incumbent President and he will instantly become a multi–billionaire. Muhammadu Buhari is the only outstanding politician that provides credible alternative to the predatory PDP’s Federal Government. His integrity credentials thicken the democratic cloud against PDP. It is therefore important for PDP to create a lot of distractions on the person and character of Muhammadu Buhari for any electoral advantage it may worth. 9.0 NIGERIANS NEED BUHARI FOR FREEDOM AND PROGRESS Nigeria is in grave situation. Poor governance by PDP and President Goodluck Jonathan has made us socialize poverty, corruption, abuse of powers, lawlessness and hopelessness. We need Buhari to veto poor governance, assert our freedom and chart the course for genuine progress. 9.1 Buhari Has the Discipline, Courage and Loyalty For Our Freedom and Progress No Nigerian doubts the discipline, courage and loyalty of Buhari to Nigerian development. Every effort has been politically deployed to distract Nigerians from appreciating these enviable qualities. Discipline, Courage and Loyalty as opposed to aggressive self–interest, primitive accumulation of wealth and subordination of law for personal purposes are the critically missing ingredients in Nigerian government. 9.1.1 Buhari Has Great Discipline and Courage to Resist Primitive Accumulation of Wealth Buhari has no house in Abuja. He is not linked with any Company as Chairman of the Board of Directors so that his name can be used to win jumbo contracts from the Government. He has great contempt for obscene wealth. The love of great and unmeritorious wealth is the root of Nigerian failure. 9.1.2 Buhari has Absolute Capacity to Fight and Eliminate Corruption and Abuse of Powers Arising from Buhari’s great discipline and courage to resist ungodly and obscene wealth flows the capacity to fight and eliminate corruption and abuse of powers. Corruption and abuse of powers are at the heart of Nigerian problems. The PDP family and President Goodluck Jonathan are united and motivated only by the ungodly, obscene and primitive accumulation of wealth through the instrumentality of corruption, abuse of powers and lawlessness. 9.1.3 Buhari has the Character and Personality to make Nigerians Conquer the Conditions that trigger Corruption and Poverty Buhari is seeking power to restore the hallowed culture of honour, selfless service, humility and leadership by example, using public resources only for the public, a fair and equitable state for the strong and the weak, rule of law and enhancement of human dignity. Buhari is law and order personified. With Buhari every violation of the law will not escape justice. There will be equality before the law as there will be no question of connection or godfatherism. Inequality before the law; partial, discriminate and capricious application of the law is the first condition for corruption. Corruption breeds corruption and grows to destroy everything good in the society. Corruption not only creates poverty but deepens poverty. Buhari is firm on discipline, law and order, which opposition to regime of discipline, law and order, tags as rigidity, dictatorial tendency and totalitarianism. All great and prosperous nations are founded on discipline, law and order. The insecurity, criminalities, communal clashes, loss of confidence in the law enforcement agencies and administration of justice, culture of self–help, cultism, disloyalty to the nation and crass religiousity are consequent upon absence or defeat of discipline, law and order in Nigeria by successive government. Democracy is not antithetical to discipline, law and order. Rather, democracy revolves on rule of law, which by itself, is the best purveyor of discipline, law and order. Democracy is not a lazy, inept, capricious, inefficient and captive system. Buhari’s quality of discipline, law and order will prove invaluable in defining the character of our democracy, strengthen and deepen our democratic practice. By Section 23 of the Constitution the national ethics shall be Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious, Tolerance, Self – Reliance and Patriotism, 10.0 BUHARI AS A SYMBOL OF RULE OF LAW AND GOOD GOVERNANCE Democracy in its simplest form means Rule of Law. It is simply Rule of Law because it is an ordered way of doings as encapsulated in a Constitution and other Laws. So, in a democracy, there is no room of arbitrariness, laxity, favouritism and oppression. Buhari, with a strong character for discipline, order and justice is the best material to prove that democracy is firm and even handed. This is a necessary condition for actualization of good governance and the supremacy of the people. 10.1 Buhari was a Symbol of Rule of Law Even under the Military Regime Many lazy analysts and inept political opposition have labelled Buhari as a dictator and totalitarian because of what took place when he was the Head of State. Regrettably, they lack intellectual depth and honesty to distinguish between Buhari as a person in military leadership and the jurisprudence of that Military Government. 10.1.1 The Jurisprudence of the Military Government was Absolutism, Authoritarian and Supreme There is no denying the fact that military regime is fashioned on dictatorship and authoritarianism, which is why it is described as an aberration. However, there is a clear distinction between a Military Leader and the Military Government. The Federal Military Government headed by Buhari had Supreme Military Council as its Legislative Organ. The structure of the membership of this Supreme Military Council was the same as it were in the previous Military Regimes of Yakubu Gowon, Murtala Mohammed and Olusegun Obasanjo. Laws were made by the due legislative process of the Supreme Military Council (SMC). Accordingly, laws made by the SMC cannot be attributed to the person of Buhari. It is essential to note and remember that the Office of Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters was too powerful. People attributed the success of that regime largely to Major General Tunde Idiagbon, of blessed memory. Some Nigerians have argued that Buhari could not have achieved what Idiagbon did. Buhari delegated and allowed Late Major General Tunde Idiagbon to achieve so much because he was not power lust; he was not putting private interest to be in conflict with his official duties and had no private agenda of primitive accumulation of wealth. Buhari believed in the independence and collective judgment of colleagues and members before arriving at decision. Prof. Tam David–West, then, Minister of Petroleum Resources under him, had attested to this fact in many fora; how they arrived at decision and one needs not fear in articulating his position. The fact that laws made by SMC cannot be attributed to the person of Buhari is best understood by the alteration of legislature architecture of the succeeding Military Government of Ibrahim Babangida. Under the new legislative architecture, Armed Forces Ruling Council, (AFRC) replaced the SMC. The Military President replaced the Head of State and the Chief of General Staff replaced the Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters. The Military President became more powerful than the Head of State while the Chief of General Staff became less powerful compared to the Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters. Under the membership structure of the AFRC, the Military President had massive control of the members as he could remove members by effecting their transfers from the office that made them members. It can therefore be said that true military dictatorship could have been more possible under the Babangida’s AFRC and never under the era of Buhari’s SMC. The laws made by the SMC, whether draconian, dictatorial or totalitarian cannot be ascribed to the person of Buhari. It was a class and regime framed decision. However, it will be unfair to judge the operation of the military regimes then with our current thinking. They had their relevance, played critical roles in our history and provided the necessary national experience to make us hold unto democracy tenaciously and patiently; be where we are now and confidently moving unto future with democratic zeal and zest. 10.1.2 Buhari Observed Rule of Law and Respect for Independence and Contributions of Members to the Government While it may be said that the laws made then were “draconian, dictatorial or totalitarian”, no one has said that the laws were corruptly, selectively and partially enforced. There was equality before those “draconian, dictatorial or totalitarian” laws. Buhari worked and relied on Late Major General Tunde Idiagbon because they shared the same vision of a disciplined and ordered society. They had no ulterior motives to distract them. He did not interfere and expropriated the powers of the Office of the Chief of Staff Supreme Headquarters to himself. He needed no sycophancy or praise singers in the corridors of power. As a Minister under him, one worked with full independence, honest and frank contributions. Buhari did not abuse powers because he had no ulterior motives to serve. He will not abuse powers because he cannot have ulterior motives to serve. 10.2 Buhari Having Acted Within Military Jurisprudence Can Act Very Well Within the Precincts of Constitutional Democracy The difference between the Military and Constitutional Governments lies in the nature of powers exercisable. Under the Military, powers were absolute, dictatorial and unregulated. But under a constitutional Government, the powers are not absolute but divisible and interdependent, exercisable by different organs of the government and subject to the overall judicial review. 10.2.1 Buhari Having not Put his Personal Interest Above State Interest Will not cause any Difference Bahuri did not exercise the enormous powers of the military regime for his personal aggrandizement. Consequently, the enormity of that powers pales into insignificance. At the same token, Buhari, being not driven by personal aggrandizement, will have no difficulty in understanding the powers, the practice and procedure for exercising the powers. He will not abuse the powers for himself or any other person. He will bring honour and prestige to the office of the President. Buhari will not be pre–occupied by personal matters that he cannot respect and respond to citizens’ letters. Buhari will not be obsessed by the powers and paraphanelia of the office as to be carried away. 11.0 JUDGE BUHARI BY THE CONTENTS OF HIS CHARACTER Buhari is seeking to be Nigerian President to serve us in accordance with the Constitution. He will deploy his personal qualities of contentment, gratitude to God, discipline, service to fatherland, patriotism and humility to serve and develop Nigeria. 11.1 Buhari Not to be Judged by his Ethnic, Religious or Regional Background It is the Lutherian doctrine of a free, great and prosperous nation that a person should only be judged by the contents of his character and not by the colour of their skin. In our environmental context, we say, a person should be judged by his character and not judged by his ethnic, religious or regional background. The evil of corruption knows no difference in terms of ethnic, religions and regional background. Poverty is an evil facing all of us as a result of the huge impact of corruption. We are all suffering from mass unemployment of our youth, power failure, insecurity and infrastructural decay. The effects of these things know no ethnic, religion, or regional background. Yet, it is sweet in the mouth of our collective oppressors that we should see Buhari with divisive lenses. 11.2 Any Christian Not Voting For Buhari Because of Religious Consideration is Anti–Nigeria, Anti–Christ and a Terrorist Christianity is a religion of Love, Toleration and Accommodation. “For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: Thou shall love thy neighbour as thy self”. (Galatians 5: 13–14). Christianity is a religion that has drawn great distinction between the State and Religion. This distinction is not based on the statement of our Lord Jesus Christ (as some desperate scholars would want us to believe): “Render to Caesar the things that are Caesars, and to God the things that are God’s” (Mark 12: 17). It arose from great experience gathered since the fusion of Christianity and the State by Emperor Constantine of the Great Roman Empire. The experience caused great thinkers (jurisprudentialists) like Sir Thomas Aquinas and St. Augustine to proclaim that State and Religion are poles apart. The separation between the State and Religion gave rise to the doctrine of secularism. We are not talking of secularism tantamount to irreligion or crass scientificism, but religious pluralism and inter–religious harmony. The doctrine of secularism includes transfer of religious right from being a political right to fundamental right. Accordingly, no political leader in a democratic environment can affect or alter the religious right of the citizens. Nigerian Constitution is founded on the doctrine of secularism as we have said. The Government of the Federation or of a State shall not adopt any religion as State Religion (Section 10). Right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion is guaranteed by Section 38(1) of the Nigerian Constitution. It is therefore a political mischief to think and say that Buhari’s Presidency will force Christians to become Muslims. Election is a Nigerian political affair and Nigeria is a multi–religious state. Any line of voting based on religions consideration is against the interest of Nigeria. Accordingly, any Nigerian Christian judging Buhari by his religious background is anti–Nigeria. The doctrine of “Love thy neighbour as thyself” is the foundation upon which Christianity is celebrated as the religion of peace. By this doctrine, Christians sharpen Love with Love and fight Hatred with Love. Accordingly, any Christian not voting for Buhari based on religious consideration is an Anti–Christ. Politics of religion is a politics of extremism. Prof. Claude Ake had long warned us that political formations on social differences such as ethnicity or religion is to absolutize political differences and to enthrone the politics of extremism. One may disagree with the method adopted by Boko Haram. One thing that cannot be denied is that it is a political movement fashioned on religious ideology. Accordingly, any Nigerian Christian judging Buhari by his religious background not to vote for him is not just an extremist but a terrorist. Such person or group has no moral authority to cfiticize Boko Haram activities. Thanks ELAIGWU E. APEH, Esq. President Nigeria For Change Association
Posted on: Sat, 24 Jan 2015 13:37:29 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015