Alkasim Abdulkadir: Politics is bleeding into governance (Y! FrontPage)

by Alkasim Abdulkadir

Alkasim-Abdulkadir-Y-FrontPage2

So for example, if you request a thorough investigation and call for punitive measures against the NIS exams were several people died, you are most likely to be an APC sympathiser. While if you ask for a greater accountability in Lagos State chances are that you wine and dine with the PDP. 

One of the bane of democratic rule in Nigeria is that we always fail to differentiate between politics and governance. Since 1999 to date our contemporary history is replete with examples of how we mix-up the two. Inter changing it at will to conform with our selective perceptions and personal biases. It is this same reason why it will seem to be that Chief Olusegun Obasanjo is witch hunting his political enemies through Nuhu Ribadu’s EFCC when in reality he probing government officials and governors of misappropriation is meant to redress systemic corruption and en trench a process of probity and accountability. However, in our thinking this was not about governance but a component of vindictive politics because once upon mutual interests have all but fallen apart, the cases of individuals like the then governor of Plateau State Joshua Dariye and also the then governor of Bayelsa State Chief Diepreye Alamieyesiegha
Using the current template, we have also failed to elevate the conversations concerning our interest in governance and political interests. We forget that our collective interests is at the heart of our critical needs to salvage Nigeria and make her work again. What has evolved is a perpetual contrarian perspective as regards to issues, most pertinent to note is how this has further escalated into a vicious cynicism that will not augur well for anyone. Party positions have become highly banal, while supporters viciously tear at each other in a bid to drown each others voices in a cyclical motion of diatribe.
What commonly is supposed to feed into our collective consciousness as ways of seeking better alternatives is now seen from the prism of partisanship as such if you hold certain views you must either be an APC sympathiser or a PDP apologist, thus trying to shut out those who maybe apolitical in nature, or those genuinely asking for good governance and other baselines needed for sustainability in Nigeria.
So for example, if you request a thorough investigation and call for punitive measures against the NIS exams were several people died, you are most likely to be an APC sympathiser. While if you ask for a greater accountability in Lagos State chances are that you wine and dine with the PDP.
In reality both poles of our political parties are responsible for this charade that has become the carriage that is driving our conversation. This is fed by the elected and appointed officials, reinforced by party chieftains and then endorsed by media interests.
We must understand that in multiparty democracy there will always be partisan interests, but we should also recognise the window of bipartisanship where we can all fly through for the sake of sustainable development in our country.
Most importantly constructive criticisms or advisories at the State and Federal level if adhered to, will go a long way to ameliorate some of the quagmire we find ourselves sometimes. Only then can we elevate this conversation that will lead to meaningful growth in the land.
NB
Doctors Strike and needless deaths:
It is disheartening that doctors in Nigeria have continued that strike, while the FG through the Ministry of health and labour are yet to meet their demands. As this lingers on several hundreds of Nigerians have been dying needlessly across the country. All the stakeholders responsible for the stalemate must understand that public health care remains the only affordable means of medical care within the reach of the multitude of Nigerian masses who are already impoverished as it were.

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Op-ed pieces and contributions are the opinions of the writers only and do not represent the opinions of Y!/YNaija.

 

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