Fair weather politicians, bad examples for youths
THERE is no field where treachery is as pervasive as in politics. The saying ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’ seems not to apply to politicians in the country. Political support is transient and is mostly driven by personal interest.
The greatest problem in Nigerian politics is that party affiliation is not based on principles or ideology but on conspiracy to capture power for individual and group enrichment. Most Nigerian politicians are fortune seekers and fair-weather friends. That is why politics is still being practised at a primitive level.
Politicians are like fishes in water, they migrate to where the water is fuller. This is same reason politics here is a do or die affair. Sadly, youths are toeing this line.
This is commonplace among African politicians. In the U.S. for instance, whether you are a Republican or a Democrat, you stick to your party, no matter what. A Republican wouldn’t rush to join the Democrat because his party is no longer in power. I respect a man who believes in something and holds to his convictions even if they are wrong. We practice the same system of government with the United States, so we should emulate their political ideology. The ongoing presidential campaigns in the U.S should be a guide to our politicians and their supporters on how to play the game ‘politics’ without destroying lives and properties.
In my hierarchy of dislikes, next to inconsistent people are those who sit on the fence on controversial matters. They are neither here or there but wait to see where the pendulum drops so they will now align with it.
Once you occupy a position either appointive or elective in Nigeria, don’t assume that all that garner around you are real friends. Mostly, they are fair-weather friends. Most times, regular challenges would help you identify real friends.
“Nearly all men can stand adversity, but if you want to test a man’s character, give him power,” Abraham Lincon once said.
A look at recent events in Rivers State, a few days before the Supreme Court ruling on the fate of the governor, most of the friends and loyalists of Governor Nyesom Wike deserted him to the All Progressive Congress (APC). Even some members of the state House of Assembly, mostly PDP threatened him to pay their standing arrears or stand impeachment before the Supreme Court’s verdict. They had thought that he would not win at the apex court, having lost at the lower courts.
Also seeing that the former Governor Rotimi Amaechi had been appointed a minister, most thought the state would definitely be in the control of the APC although, they never stated the above assertions as reasons for leaving the PDP. These people backed him and gave him overwhelming support to get to office. Are these real politicians? No! They are businessmen and women!
I am sure they received with shock the news of the Supreme Court judgment that returned Governor Wike as duly elected governor of Rivers State. They would by now be counting their teeth with their tongues, that is, if they’ve not planned to return to the PDP.
If politicians are this inconsistent, then they have no legacy to pass to the younger generation. I still wonder why some young people would stick their heads for a Nigerian politician. Many innocent Nigerians especially young people lost their lives during the electioneering processes, especially in Rivers and Bayelsa states. Little did these youths know that the politicians they are fighting for would someday make peace with their opponents and become best of friends, as in the case of the APC governorship candidate in Rivers, Dakuku Peterside and the Governor Nyesom Wike who reconciled shortly after the Supreme Court‘s verdict. In fact, to the amazement of many, they gave themselves a warm embrace.
These fair-weather friends are everywhere in the African society, even in business. Another instance is the case of Abia State, where shortly after the Appeal Court set aside the Tribunal judgment and ruled that Mr. Alex Otti of All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) be sworn-in as governor most people in the governor’s camp and members of the state Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) were seen decamping and throwing their support for the APGA candidate because they felt the hand of the clock has changed.
I’m sure, following the Supreme Court’s verdict on Abia polls on February 3, 2016, which confirmed Okezie Ikpeazu as duly elected governor, this category of politicians would be regretting their actions by now. That is the heart of men.
Now, this same thing had happened to former President Goodluck Jonathan shortly after the general elections that ousted him and handing over ceremony. One can now imagine how Jonathan would feel about Chief Edwin Clark’s sudden criticism of his administration. Recall that in a media briefing on October 2015, the former Federal Commissioner of Information and elder statesman Chief Edwin Clark, who, after declaring his support for President Muhammadu Buhari, openly criticised the administration of his political godson, Goodluck Jonathan (whom he gave overwhelming support during the elections) as lacking political will to fight corruption.
A former governor in the South-East Nigeria, a former deputy Senate Leader from the North-East and many others who feed on politics had left the new opposition party for the ruling party because the opposition can no longer sustain them.
Indeed the saying “success attracts ‘great friends and adversity great friendship” is real. Even the Holy Bible said time and chance happen to them all. I am beginning to think the Bible was referring to this category of humans. It has always been like that from time. Once a man is down, many of his friends avoid him. Consider where an armed robber is celebrated and his crimes ignored, but once he gets a bullet and dies, you would begin to hear curses on him from same people that once celebrated him.
President Buhari was right when he said during the first appointments he made that he appointed only those who have been with him in the struggle for many years.
Adversity is a great teacher. It defines friendship. It’s like a journey in the wilderness, you can only make it to the other side if you persevere and remain steadfast to your goals. Nigerian politicians are no real friends, rather they are power seekers.
Politics in Nigeria lacks principle and integrity. If it wasn’t for
favour, political friends and allies would stay faithful. If politics is about issues and accomplishments, fickleness and fair weather allies will disappear. Unfortunately, most of our leaders
patronise sycophants the more.
Not all politicians possess all the characteristics described above. Most politicians that have a semblance of integrity were humble and had other professions to fall back on. M. I. Okpara was prepared to go back to school to update his skills after being a successful Premier of Eastern region of Nigeria. The same goes for Chief Sam Mbakwe, who was a lawyer and was also humble enough to return to school to update his skills after being a successful governor of old Imo State of Nigeria
(1979-1983).
‘’Good governance is perhaps the single most important factor in eradicating poverty and promoting development.’’….Kofi Annan, 1998.
Inconsistency is the bane of Nigerian politicians, who would always flow with the tide. Consistency pays! And for ‘unattached’ contributors to political discussions, consistency in one’s conscience is extremely rewarding.
When these fair weather friends hit you, you would definitely be depressed and realise that you only have your family and reliable old friends to fall back on. All others are fortune seekers. I advise that if you must go higher in career, business and politics, you have to put God and family first, followed by those who have always been with you. Know your limits with unreliable friends, sycophants, cheer leaders and friends that come around you for fame, power and money. They can best be described as drinking partners. The ruling party should keep this set of politicians at arm’s length. Also, parties should be formed on ideology such that members would remain faithful and not be running to greener pastures when challenges arise.
The world is growing. Nigerian politicians should grow up too. They should leave good legacies for the upcoming politicians to follow. There should be a time political players should say NO to some issues. It is no other time than now. It’s high time Nigerian politicians said farewell to an era of inconsistency in political affiliations, half truths, lie, sycophancy and deceits. It is time to bid farewell to propaganda and unnecessary sympathy.
We must bid farewell to a country where officials and party members swore to assuage selfish considerations instead of putting smiles on the faces of the people.
It is time to say goodbye to a country where mediocres flourish. An end must come to an era where party and selfish considerations are put before national interest. An end must come to an era of political merchants thrive. We cannot continue to live in the era in which the main beneficiaries of our patrimony are the greedy politicians, economic saboteurs, fraudsters and ‘connected’ businessmen.
We must say no to an era where party men are only concerned about how to share oil proceeds to party stalwarts and cronies, where they only think of what to benefit from the government in power, not how they can contribute to nation building. We despise days where officials sell their constituencies to their parties; serve friends rather than the people.
Nwokocha is a young writer, Content Development specialist, and principal author, The Metamorphoses of Nigeria. (ossygerald@yahoo.com)
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1 Comments
Wonderful write up.
We will review and take appropriate action.