Graft and insurgency: Buhari to the rescue (1)

THE cankerworm known as corruption has continued to diminish our humanity as a people, given that it comes with abject poverty, penury and want. 

When President Goodluck Jonathan ran for Presidency in 2011, he anchored his campaign on “fresh air” which in ordinary parlance would imply change of our situation as a people for the better. Unfortunately, almost four years down the line ordinary Nigerians have lamentations and pain to show in place of the promised “fresh air”.

  On daily basis, this writer and I believe some average-income Nigerians are buffeted by many phone calls from friends and relations seeking for financial assistance, to solve such basic problems like feeding and clothing. Beggars are found at all corners of the country, yet a few individuals have amassed tremendous wealth at the behest of our federal, states and local governments without any tangible effort to justify for the wealth.

  One can easily see through the gambit – that Nigerians are been fleeced by people who have access to government and public till, and they do this in cahoots with their brief case contractors partners. Flowing from this malaise, we now have its Frankenstein monster being manifested in insurgency presently ravaging the entire North East region of Nigeria.

  The question is, should we continue in this manner as a nation? Obviously such a situation is unacceptable, and as a people, we must seek solution towards rescuing the country from the precipice. Luckily, another round of elections is around the corner, and Nigerians have another opportunity to liberate themselves from the shackles of bondage imposed on us by the PDP- led administration.

  Since 1999, the party and its leaders have betrayed Nigerians by truncating all chances they had to rebuild Nigeria. This betrayal is mainly attributed to the greed and gluttonous appetite for primitive acquisition of wealth by a few people with access to power. Therefore, 2015 presidential election offers Nigerians a golden opportunity elect General Muhammadu Buhari as the next President.

  By doing so, he will bring his wealth of experience to bear in dissuading public office holders to shun corruption. Similarly, as a General in the Nigerian Army, he is better positioned to tackle the menace of Boko Haram headlong and once more restore peace and calm to several restive communities in the North East region.

  It is futile, and indeed senseless to believe that the Jonathan administration can stop the menace of Boko Haram. To believe so will amount to living a lie, and time is running out on all of us. The earlier we take the bull by the horn by electing General Buhari as our next president, the better for the peace, progress and oneness of Nigeria.

  It is only in an era of peace that people can thrive in their various life endeavours. A situation where we continue to live in perennial fear will not augur well for development and the Jonathan administration having spent trillions of naira without nipping the nefarious activities of the Boko Haram in the bud should step aside, for Buhari to step in and stabilise the polity.

• To be continued

• Enekwechi is an Abuja-based journalist and politician, Kwechis19@yahoo.com