ONYENWE PRINCELY
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Oliver Wendell Holmes in 1872 once said “we must not roughly smash other people’s idols because we know or think we know that they are of cheap human manufacture” And perhaps for those of us advocating change, it would be vitally crucial to reflect on the saying of this sage but the facts are apparent that bashing leaders without an alternative viewpoints will invariably lead to negative changes.
According to Joseph Conrade “These (changes),if ever are the brave free days of destroyed landmarks, while the resourceful minds are busy inventing the forms of the new beacons which, it is consoling to think, will be set up presently in the old places”
It is a voracious disparagement of the leaders in power to turn down the polity to a reversal disadvantage of the masses that voted them to power. Thus, I am hopeful that All Progressive Congress APC Government can correct the devastating anomalies within a short while on the fact that Nigerians are not yet satisfied with its leadership style. The people need those courageous leaders that could promptly convert the political willpower of the masses to a logical realization despite all odds.
In effect it means the leaders are expected to demonstrate their words in action averring audaciously that the masses have lost confidence in the entire political settings. More so, I must not fail to wish Nigerians happy festive season but to remind us on the pressing challenges ahead to overcome with reasonable understanding to enjoy its tidings beyond 2019.
Hence, the change we need must reflect an attitude of mind predisposed to correction and innovation. Change without a corresponding attitude of mind for good value in an aggressive societal order like ours can prove equally catastrophic. On this premise President Buhari and all the leaders of APC have a lot to do to live above board. His good efforts must not be jeopardized by ingrates who do not understand the dance steps of Nigerian politics.
Recently he emphasized the only way out of poverty is through diversification of the economy, having Agriculture and solid minerals as alternative sources of revenue, he may also be advised to bravely remove fuel subsidy to balance oil and gas sector. Senator Uche Ekwunife has maintained reasons to go back to the official pump price of 87Naira per liter.
In the plenary held by the senate set to pass supplementary budget on fuel subsidy, there were arguments as Senator Emmanuel Paulker believed the clamour for fuel subsidy removal was laughable. Senator Adamu Aliero argued that if the sector was not deregulated and fuel subsidy totally removed it would remain surmountable.
The Senate President Saraki has warned his colleagues not to politicize fuel subsidy because of its high importance to the people. Hence the subsidy is not helping Nigerians; the expected maximum benefit is not forth coming. The demand for Premium Spirit is high creating scarcity of its supply which has in turn caused severe hardship on the masses at this super festive season which is fast on hand.
PMS is currently sold at 150 and 185 naira per liter at the filling stations while the fuel peddlers are selling same product at 250 and 300 Naira per liter thus exposing Nigerian people to unthinkable hardship keeping vigils at filling stations. It is as if both NNPC & PPMC are running shoddy deals against the masses, I opine they should rather dialogue speedily to save Nigeria over discrepancies in fuel price and stop its scarcity ones and all.
Of course, the high temperature that surrounded the ministerial appointments is reduced to a common minimum and President Buhari have tried showing love for the South Easterners by giving them Ministers of Trade and Industries, science and technology, state/education ministries, labour and employment and foreign affairs.
As well, information is seen as the light through which the people see and admittedly any puncture on its representation may deform the entire system. It is so noticeable that the position of the minister of information shall remain highly sensitive and as such demands a high degree personality embellished on eloquence and smart appearance to sustain the tempo and ethics on which communication trades.
The present officer of information should be endeared with a perfect representation of a true Nigerian at all times and must not be as controversial as he is. I am not saying that Lai Mohammed is not good but I would rather doff my cap for the likes of Frank Nwaeke and Labaran Maku whose representations at this level speak volume.
Probably among the 4000 Federal Board Appointees to be shared among states, 50 Board member slots have been giving to Imo State the eastern heartland maybe to bring them into the mainstream of APC govt. The roguish speculation of Ugwumba Uche Nwosu’s cook and the acclaimed missing 5Billion Naira part of Bailout fund should not distract the good people of Imo state. As it concerns the rumour on this issue, all I will say is that truth is truth no matter how mankind may shuffle it.
A trivial rumour does no good to any government. It is deleterious to the growth of democracy. It is a distraction of speed of governance in every society including ours and therefore insignificant peddlers may be advised to be more objective and engage in the programs that will make Imo State proud. It is expected of Imo state Government to spread the nomination across board stakeholders to embrace political cognizant Imolites.
It could be recalled that Imo people trouped out en masse to vote for Governor Okorocha and now that the 200million naira electoral victory largesse is disbursed, It is an added standing to his campaign promises which is gradually been fulfilled. APC party leaders are expected to utilize the money judiciously and distribute it according. I urge Okorocha to make hay to call off the strike embarked by the state judiciary which has automatically crumpled the activities of High court Owerri and have adversely affected the practicing lawyers in the state creating a leeway for most matters in court to die natural death.
It sounds as if the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Justice Mohammed Mahmud has blamed the seeming low performance of the Judiciary on underfunding. This statement was made at the opening conference of the 2015 Nigerian Judges held in Abuja where president Buhari lamented how judges and lawyers aid those exploiting the country saying ’’unfortunately our justice system currently has a reputation for delays, occasioned by a combination of endless adjournment, incessant Interlocutory application and overwhelming caseloads’’
Judging by this statement it simply means that every Nigerian is affected directly or indirectly in this course of advocating change. The paramount allegiance is to serve Nigeria with all our hearts and minds to bring the real change on board having in mind that industrialization cannot be successful without having a functional structure to advance the economy.
Nigerian masses must not be used as stooges or animals in their fatherland by our leaders or other superiors in power in the quest for change. They are supposedly the beneficiaries of dividends of democracy but so unfortunately the high and mighty in our society have decided to reverse due process to selfish , unethical and mundane advantages thereby encouraging corruption at all levels of governance.
On addition to the foregoing, you see most stories are fictitious as if it is easy to come to reality. This has made me keep asking if Chibok saga is true. Has one hundred naira become equivalent to one United States Dollar till date? The 5,000 naira monthly pay for unemployed Nigerians is it achievable? The 3months promise to end Boko Haram insurgency may not have expired beforehand too.
Suggesting on the ways to tackle Boko Haram, the sultan of sokoto Alhaji Abubakar described the terrorists as “Deluded individuals who are hiding under religion to perpetrate evil. He challenged APC government to assist the more than 2.5million estimated Amajiris in some state in the north to acquire the basic education required. If his submission is not going to be taking as a jamboree APC government should at least grant a listening ear to this plight.
Notwithstanding high prone of insurgency by the terror sect, Nnamdi Kalu’s hostage by DSS has attracted questions across the globe demanding his prosecution or prison detention by MASSOB. Maybe the best time to grant Biafra republic is ripe as IBB and his acquaintances are trading to vote Igbo president in 2019 if the Igbos can present one candidate in the race but he couldn’t have whispered that Biafra is a distraction because the law has it that if Biafra can fulfill her fundamental obligation as a sovereign state, she would be granted autonomy.
Suffix it to say that a respected APC chieftain chief Oyegun has submitted to the fact that Biafra agitation have shown that Nigeria is fragile and the quest for its actualization is a burning challenge to tackle jointly by this administration. The news from the cleric resident in Owerri West Imo State, Alhaji Uzozie on the mystery kolanut urging Buhari to guide Nigerians in line with the frequent agitation of Biafra must be properly addressed to avoid causing further unrest.
It could have been a political subterfuge to elude the unwarranted circumstances cloaking Kogi state election in this article but I want to thank God for His infinite volition granted me at this heat period to make my comments. That the substantive candidate of APC Audu Abubakar suddenly passed on before the end of gubernatorial election is not a new accident in the political history of Nigeria.
The most face up is to have relative measure to handle such accidental discharge and possible eventualities. It is a pitable occurrence but a spot on litmus test of the newly appointed INEC Chairman whose onion is to decide the fate of subsequent elections. Translators of law and policy should not make jamboree of our legal system as regards to Kogi election declared inconclusive. I think the wish of the masses is to have a free and fair election to declare the winner thereafter. I don’t think that the high and mighty in our political atmosphere will highjack the entire poll rather while the PDP candidate is re-strategizing to sweep remaining polling booths, a new candidate should emerge through APC primaries having the likes of James Ocholi and others as warm-ups aspirants.
Regrettably, the rate at which illegal immigrants flood Nigerian streets while our citizens are molested abroad is a charge for the immigration commission to braise up actions for more work. Unemployment, sub-standard health services are another cog in the wheel of Buhari’s administration. The cost for health assess is rated over 13,000 per capita which could be translated to about 45,000 naira monthly per person. We have had several programme stories on Health at your Door step which is still oblivion till date. Our leaders are expected to bring home the required dividends of democracy to the rural communities. Nigerians are not politically blindfolded even as the long awaited political wind is icy.