As the opening of political campaign approaches in two days time (September 28, 2022), there is ‘a motivational must’ to comment again on the necessity for issues-based campaign by all aspirants to political office. This point, so widely made by others, cannot be said enough. For too long, but especially lately, the public space has been largely dominated by focus on personalities and personal traits-good and not so good.
No one can deny the necessity to scrutinise the person of any aspirant to high office. It is not only appropriate, but it is a legitimate duty and right of the electorate to do so. Leadership is a trust, those who seek to lead a people must prove first, and beyond reasonable doubt, their moral authority to lead. To adapt the words of a former American president, leadership in high public office is preeminently a place of moral leadership. In this respect, character, in its fullest ramifications, is a primary and fundamental factor for deep consideration.
But other crucial matters need to be on the table of discussion. Assuming aspirants scale in the considered opinion of Nigerians ‘‘the character assessment hurdle,’’ arguably the next most salient question is what each aspirant is offering Nigerians to not merely improve on the performance of the sitting leader, but lift this country out of the mess that its leaders have put it.
So far, most, but not all, of the aspirants have not shown that deep and hard thinking have gone into their preparations to govern Nigeria, or a part thereof. Beyond stating the obvious and worn problems that confront their country, and which just about every thinking citizen knows and feels, aspirants have not told the people how, which is to say by what strategy, they will move from ‘a statement of the problems’ to ‘ a solution of the problems.’ This is a question of implementation. Take a few examples.
It is established that a nation is built on the character and quality of its people. Great nations and countries are products of their morally upright, well-educated and well-skilled citizens who have zero tolerance for that heinous overarching word ‘corruption’. Corruption is killing the spirit, soul, and body of Nigeria. What do the presidential candidates intend to demonstratively do quickly and firmly to curb corruption?
They say leadership by example works best. As a ‘guru’ in leadership training John Maxwell would say, a leader must know the way, show the way, and go the way. Nigerians will want to hear political aspirants commit themselves, on the pain of publicly self-defined sanctions, to eschew acts of corrupting (including nepotism), in sum, to lead by example.
How do aspirants intend to enrich the human capital of the country or their states? Everyone acknowledges that Nigeria is blessed with enormous natural resources. But people make all the difference in development. This has been proven so clearly by such countries as Israel, Japan, and Singapore. As E.F. Schumacher wrote in his book Small is Beautiful, ‘there is no such thing as the viability of states or of nations, there is only a viability of people.’ Chief Obafemi Awolowo thought so too by asserting that people are the engine of development. To this end, he concentrated maximally on education to build the human capital of his people in the conviction that other ‘blessings’ would accrue therefrom. He recommended: ‘‘In order to attain to the goals of economic freedom and prosperity, Nigeria must do certain things as a matter of urgency and priority. It must provide free education at all levels and free health facilities for the masses of its citizens.’’
On Singapore cited earlier, Daniel Goleman (2013) wrote: “Singapore has no natural resources, no great army, no special political sway. Its secret lies in its people – and the government has intentionally cultivated this human resource as the driver of the economy. Schools are the incubator for Singapore’s outstanding workforce.” So, we directly ask every aspirant to leadership in the next election: ‘‘what do you intend to do to develop Nigeria’s human capital, and how in clear and specific terms will you achieve this?’’
It is common to note, rightly though, that Nigeria suffers ‘infrastructure deficit’ and that this is a major cause of little productivity and in turn, the underperforming economy. A country of over 200 million people cannot develop nor progress on 3000 – 5000 MW supply of electricity. It is, for obvious reason, not at all possible. ‘Energy security’ is as critical to the health of a modern economy as food security is to the social wellbeing of a country. What does each candidate plan to do and how, to substantially increase power output and enable industries – small and big- operate more productively and less expensively?
A country that cannot feed itself will be indebted to its food supplier. Indeed, food security is arguably the first of human and national security. We challenge every aspirant to publish research-based, data driven understanding of Nigeria’s current food needs, what gaps exist and where; and how these gaps will be bridged.
The relevant section of the constitution assures that security and welfare of the people is the primary purpose (not mere intention) of government. It is for good reason that security is put first and welfare second in this provision.
For, nothing can be meaningfully achieved in a state of insecurity such as pervading this land. No plan or programme of development can be implemented, including even raising local food production.
What are aspirants’ blueprints to secure the country and its people? What does each aspirant say on the devolution of policing powers to the states and local authorities, as done in a normal federation? Nigerians want to see a clear and well-articulated plan of action. Not rhetoric.
Two major industries that enable the creation of other industries are wasting away in Nigeria. The Ajaokuta Iron and Steel Complex lying there, doing nothing; so too are petrochemical plants (including refineries and oil depots) located north and south of the country.
The multiplier benefits of bringing these into the production mode are immense including jobs of all types and categories, directly and indirectly, skill acquisition, and the much-touted ‘technology transfer.’
If the petrochemical plants function as they were built to do, that unjustifiably dubious ‘fuel subsidy’ will disappear and scarce foreign exchange will be conserved for more purposeful spending.
Besides fertilizer for agriculture and the many industrial raw materials that are by-products of refining, Nigeria may even export petroleum products to other countries.
After all, there are some non-oil producing companies that have thought it wise to import crude oil, refine it in their refineries and export products to other countries. What does each presidential candidate intend to do with these mega projects; how and when?
This country is literally swimming in debt, thanks to the reason-defying economic management of the current All Progressives Congress (APC) government.
As of March 2022, Nigeria’s external debt stood at $39.69 billion. This is calculated to be 20.6 per cent of the country’s Nominal GDP.
The first quarter of 2022 witnessed a shortfall of N300 billion in Nigeria’s revenue against debt servicing. Total revenue was N1.63 trillion while debt servicing required N1.94 trillion.
The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) reportedly commented that “The staggeringly high 118.9 per cent debt service/revenue ratio in January-April is the world’s worst, and underlines unsustainable fiscal policy.”
What are the plan and policies of Nigeria’s presidential aspirants on borrowing and the debt burden that is turning into a debt trap?
We refuse to believe that Nigeria needs to borrow so much to execute its development plans. There is money in this country but too much of it is stolen by the managers of its affairs and resources.
The evidence is in reports of oil theft, in the unremitted funds from operations in the oil sector, and in the observations coming out of National Assembly investigations into the management of ministries, departments and agencies of governments at all levels.
It can be confidently said that the amount of money lost to all types of financial corruption can fully fund Nigeria’s development. The Nigerian victims of these heinous acts of corruption would want to know what exactly will aspiring presidents do about them.
In all these and others similarly urgent matters, it will not do to merely state the goal, how will that goal any way defined and phrased, be achieved and within what time frame? Time frame is important in this and other matters.
Nigeria is too far behind on the key indices of development to afford the luxury of what in popular parlance is termed ‘God’s time.’ S.M.A.R.T is a widely known acronym in management for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound.
We strongly recommend that every aspirant campaigns with a S.M.A.R.T-compliant manifesto. Voters can use this first, to determine the preparedness of the office seeker, and if voted into office, second measure his or her performance.
All said, it is no exaggeration that much of the afflictions of Nigeria arise from the fact that its governors operate a dishonest – but conveniently self-serving- a form of federalism. This is not federalism as defined, known, and practised in the civilised world.
The Guardian has written 61 editorials in as many weeks specifically to argue that Nigeria must align with the rest of the civilised world in the practice of a truly federal administrative structure including the control of resources and the maintenance of security.
Every aspirant to public office in the coming election must not only commit to the concept of true federalism as universally understood, but spell out in a document how he or she intends to bring it to pass.
All these are to say therefore that aspirants must, personally and directly, raise and speak to salient issues of national importance. No more repetition of tired platitudes and inanities or ‘‘manifestoes of convenient promises.’’
The Guardian
