Date Published: 07/20/09
The Seven-Point Agenda and 2011 Presidential Election.
By Ndiameeh Babrik
If winning election in Nigeria is about performance I am still wondering what magic wand the PDP, “party of the deceptive people” will use in 2011 to win the presidential election. It is almost two and a half years into the four-year tenure of Umoru Yar’adua, some say na Umaru, others say na Umar but it is a matter of cash. Still Umar and his foot soldiers are still talking of seven-point agenda barely 18 months to the next election. By now one would have thought the seven point agenda would have been exhausted half way through or almost completed, unfortunately the first point on the agenda has not been touched yet. I f the PDP is going to field Umaru as their presidential flag bearer in the 2011 election, what then will PDP and their Umaru till the electorate? Now that even Umoru himself has vowed to follow the rule of law to conduct a free and fair election in 2011. From every indication and the grand swell of opinions 2011 election is going to be full of surprises. Even the Nigeria police it seems have equally vowed on their honor never to be partners in crime in assisting politicians to rig elections. The Obama speech in Ghana it seems has opened their eyes to reality. The agitation in the land is for a free and fair election. No more election as a do or die election as per the Aremu Obasanjo era. All these two for one Kobo politicians with no principles who are cross carpeting to PDP should better think twice. They have simply squandered their good will with the electorate. People like Yuguda and Dakin Gari, “ko Dakin Dusa ne ma oho” have their days numbered in their various government houses.
Every day we hear of seven point agenda, but not one implemented in two and half years. Barrack Obama is barely seven months in office in America but the Americans are filling the impact of the dividends of his administration already simply because he was prepared for that job and had a well laid out blue print of what to do right from 2004 AD. He was not brought overnight from nowhere and imposed on the party and people like Umoru. It is like PDP is a calamity in Nigeria but imposition of Umoru is more calamitous. Even Obasanjo his estranged godfather who was crude and barbaric treaded the Niger-delta issue with caution and some form of decorum but at the last count the Nigerian Armed Forces have lost over 30 soldiers with three senior officers of the rank of Lieutenant Colonel or equivalent and this is even the official figure we do not know what the unofficial figure is since everything in Nigeria government circle is always classified and secret even the health of public officers which is managed at tax payers’ expense. This is preventable and unnecessary death if you ask me.
Talking of the Armed Forces and the Police, they have every reason to be on the side of the ordinary citizens when it comes to election matters instead of siding those who cheat them and pauperise them like every other ordinary Nigerian. Investigation in Abuja and other Nigerian cities have shown that even senior officers of the Armed Forces now live in rented houses in the suburb of Abuja and likewise other towns and cities. I am not even talking of the police and other paramilitary yet. That cannot be good for the moral and welfare of the members of the security services. That surely will tell on their performance and the security of the nation as has been seen in the Niger-delta protracted crisis.
This is a wakeup call to all security services I believe that supporting a transparent election will tell on their welfare and the welfare of their families. This is for the simple reason that if they assist a politician to be rigged into office as was the case in 2007 election, he will be held hostage by his sponsors as the corrupt formers governors and their godfather OBJ is now holding Umoru hostage in Aso Rock Villa simply because they sponsored him and imposed him on Nigeria.
This is a clarion call to members of the security services in Nigeria that do not allow yourselves to be used in 2011 election to rig PDP or any other party for that matter into power. Heed the call of Barrack Obama of America and let us for once have a leader popularly elected by the electorate. Nigeria and all of us will be better for it. Let PDP and their Umoru tell us what they have done since 2007 to warrant another four years in Aso Rock Villa. Let all of us as Nigerians tell Chief Ogbulafor and his PDP that the issue of PDP ruling for 60 years is a fallacy. Their corrupt PDP grip and reign in Nigeria will come to an abrupt end on Sunday May 29, 2011 by the special grace of determined Nigerian people who have vowed to protect the sanctity of their votes henceforth.
This will be a good omen for all of us actually especially if we are lucky to be alive to witness a milestone in a true democratic change in government in our precious Nigeria. It will be a dawn of new era in Nigeria politics. American President will be eager to visit Nigeria. Nigeria then will take its pride of place in comity of nations. It is then the old rivalry between Ghana and Nigeria will be re-enacted. For now, it is Ghana 5, Nigeria, zero. Nigerian foreign minister will not have to lie to an unsuspecting public that Barrack Obama the American President has given him his word that he will visit Nigeria very soon which is out rightly rebutted just the next day by the American embassy in Abuja. It shameful that the PDP is showing its true character that its members are bunch of liars and that their governance is through lies and deceit.
Dear Nigerians, let us in one voice call off the bluff of PDP in 2011. Welcome self determination and standing for our rights in 2011. Seven point agenda has been a gimmick to steal money from the national treasury, simply put!
Ndiameeh Babrik
ndiame_2005@yahoo.co.uk
