Presidential campaign in Nigeria so far has been characterized by generalities and verbal bomb throwing between the handlers and operatives of the presidential candidates of the two major political parties that has a realistic chance of winning the upcoming presidential election scheduled to take place on February 14, 2015. The two major political parties are the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and All Progressive Congress (APC). The presidential candidate of PDP is the sitting president, Goodluck Jonathan who is seeking re-election and retired General, Muhammadu Buhari,the presidential candidate of APC. General Buhari was former Nigeria head of state who seized power through military coup and ruled Nigeria from August 31, 1983 through August 27, 1985. He was subsequently overthrown in another military coup. General Buhari ran unsuccessfully for the office of the president in 2003, 2007 and 2011 elections.
PDP political operatives have accused Mr. Buhari of being a religious bigot and an Islamist who is bent on imposing Sharia law on all Nigerians even though half of the population are Christians. He has also been accused of being intolerant, rigid and backer of the dreaded Boko Haram militant sect that has devastated the Northeastern part of Nigeria and beyond. Mr. Buhari has been called the jackbooted illiterate by the PDP operatives. On the other hand, APC operatives have accused PDP of sponsoring Boko Haram, mismanaging oil revenue, misappropriating $30 billion in excess crude oil reserve fund and wholesale corruption. Minister of Finance, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has denied that $30 billion is missing from excess crude reserve account. PDP operatives have in turn accused APC of misrepresentation and overheating Nigeria political scene in-order to create instability and anarchy. Some APC members have also claimed that it is the turn of the northern part of Nigeria to assume the presidency since the southerners have held the office since 1999 when democracy was restored. Some PDP operatives have also argued that the Southerners should keep it for now because the Northerners have held the office for the most part since Nigeria independence.
So what Nigerians have witnessed so far in this campaign are accusations and counter accusations between the two presidential candidates who often speak in generalities. President Jonathan has said on numerous occasions during this campaign that he want to continue his transformation agenda without specifying what it is that he wants to do in the second term if elected. On the other hand, General Muhammdu Buhari have stated on several occasions that he wants to make Nigeria a better place and more successful without specifics. Of course every Nigerian wants the country to be a better place and more successful so the candidates are in effect telling Nigerians what they already know or what they think they Nigerians want to hear.
What is lacking so far in this campaign are specifics by President Jonathan and General Muhammadu Buhari. Nigerians need specifics and concrete proposals clearly laid out and the time frame for accomplishing those proposals. The burden is even more on the opposition, APC to give Nigerians reasons for a change of course. The indisputable fact is that President Jonathan who has been in office for almost 6 years has a record, which Nigerians will examine and decide whether to keep him or change course. His 6 years in office comprise of 2-year carryover from late president YarAdua and his 4-year term.
It is up to Buhari and his party to give Nigerians the reasons to change course. The truth is that APC can only succeed if they can persuade Nigerians that the nation is on the wrong track and that they have better alternatives. General Buhari has said certain things in the past, which he needs to clarify. Accusations of been an Islamist bent on imposing Sharia law appears to have stuck even though there is no firm ground for that assertion. He needs to do more to dispel that image. Picking a Christian from the south as his vice presidential candidate is good first step, but he needs to do more. General Buhari has said in the past that the present 36 state structure is not working. Is he advocating that we go back to the 3 regional government structures we had after independence or successive 12 states or dissolution of the current 36 states and make the 6 geopolitical zones the governing entity.
It is clear that President Jonathan economic transformation agenda is rooted in privatization of all government owned industries such as Power Holding Company and NITEL/M-Tel he just privatized. He has also slated refineries for privatization. General Buahari needs to let Nigerians know his economic policy. Does he agree with president Jonathan’s privatization efforts or is he going to do what late president Yar’Adua did, which was to reacquire all government owned industries privatized by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo. It should be recalled that NITEL/M-Tel, Kaduna and Port Harcourt refineries was privatized by former president Obasanjo, but Yar’Adua reacquired them and promised Nigerians that they will be back to full operation in few months which never materialized. General Buhari need to let Nigerians know if he believes in privatization or recentralization of major government industries such as the power Holding companies, refineries and Ajaokuta steel.
The two major candidates need to put their mudslinging aside and engage in specifics especially the opposition party that must give Nigerians the reason to change course. They are loosing valuable time if they continue taking PDP baits. Major candidates needs to lay their card on the table so they will have a governing mandate after winning election. Winning by default is a not a way to put together a governing mandate. There is still time for PDP and APC to change the course of this presidential campaign. The coming election is very important because the outcome will help consolidate Nigeria democracy. Democracy has come to stay in Nigeria, but it has not been fully consolidated. Whoever wins this election will either move Nigeria forward or backward.