Subsidy Palliatives: Time To Sack PDP —Joe Igbokwe

Opinion

Opinion

On Tuesday, the PDP government led by President Jonathan proved to Nigerians that this government and the PDP is deficit in honour, deficit in character, deficit in integrity, culture and content when it announced that the palliatives promised for the annoying removal of petroleum subsidy is no longer realistic because Nigerians refused to accept what it calls full implementation of subsidy removal.

Initially, I thought it was mere rumour until I read the story in almost all the newspapers. At once I ran away with the thinking that Nigerians should expect nothing from the PDP-led government from now on in terms of service delivery. President Jonathan’s action reveals a disturbing clownishness and shallowness of mind unbecoming of anybody that is privileged to be president of any country big or small. To Nigerians it is hope betrayed and expectations dashed from now till 2015.

Subsidy or no subsidy President Goodluck Jonathan is under obligation to provide palliatives that will ameliorate the suffering of his subjects and there is no argument here about it. The entire business of any government anywhere in the world is all about the welfare of citizens and nothing more. This is what governance is all about. Botswana, a small but unique country in Africa discovered Diamonds recently and what did its wise leaders do? They went to rework their constitution to make it mandatory for every citizen of that country to benefit from the resources that will accrue from it. I suppose this is leadership simplicita!

After 13 years of playing selfish politics with the destiny of Nigeria, I think that Nigerians must begin to brace up now to sack PDP by 2015, and we are not going to do just that by mere wishful thinking. To achieve this, there must be plans, preparations and perseverance. Yes, getting PDP out of power in Nigeria requires plans, preparations, perseverance, creativity, endurance and huge sacrifice. It will never be a tea party. It requires ingenuity, intelligence, knowledge and drive.

First, we need to know that power is not easily surrendered to anybody or group without a struggle. Nigeria is not a foolish constituency or a colony of small minds. Time has come for all of us –all lawyers, doctors, engineers, architects, accountants, town planners, teachers, and in fact all professionals, artisans, traders, builders, etc. to begin to network to rid our country of fake leaders. We will need skill to do this, we will need extra-ordinary courage to do this, and we will need the third eye to do this.

I have just read the story about a small country called Qatar in the Middle East whose leaders are now building for generations yet unborn. Compare that with our own President Jonathan, who is collecting N32 per litre of fuel bought in Lagos, Abuja or Benin and collects more than N40 from other Nigerians in one fell swoop and yet the President continues to insult our collective intelligence. No Nigerian leadership has been able to get that much in one fell swoop. And Nigerians should not wish away the fact that this is a country swimming in petro-dollars, which makes the so-called subsidy a mere pittance, considering what Nigeria makes every day from the sale of crude.

The first step in the project to sack PDP in Nigeria must begin with a call for the implementation of Justice Uwais Report on Electoral Reforms. By now, Nigerians are aware of the scam, which the PDP has turned our electoral system into and the wholesome manipulation the PDP has infected on the nation’s judiciary, all in a bid to ensure it does not leave power, even with the profound unpopularity it commands in the polity at present. If we do not put our full weight down to call the bluff of PDP and stop their criminality in 2015 our collective suffering will continue unabated in many years to come. WE NEED CHANGE OF LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA IN 2015 and this should be our slogan now.

The ruling party has demonstrated in the past 13 years that it lacks depth to show the road map to progress in Nigeria. The PDP rulers do not need more time to continue to do experiments they do not have the tools to accomplish. Come let us reason together on how to take back our stolen country.

A school of thought says the people get the kind of leaders they deserve. If you want change, go for it, and I think that the time is now.

 

•Igbokwe writes from Lagos.

Load more