By Steve Osuji

1. THE OLD ORDER MUST GO: These two parties (APC/PDP) are two sides of one coin. They represent the classic image of Nigeria’s old order. They are the remnant of everything wrong with Nigeria and all the things we must do away with. The two flag bearers, Bola Tinubu and Atiku Abubakar are evidently tired, ailing, uninspired and uninspiring.

2. THE OBI PHENOM: If a Peter Obi had not emerged as Labour Party flag bearer, Nigerians may not have had the opportunity of seeing the difference between the old order and a bright, new age that is possible for our country. We would have been stuck with choosing between tweedledee and tweeddledum. So the emergence of Obi has sharply defined our situation and shown us clearly, one reason to do away with our old, jaded ways.

3. THE DARK, OLD WAYS: To choose any of these two parties is to choose to remain in our dark, evil old ways. It means we have decided as a nation, to live in a dangerous, retrogressive and unproductive mode. A template bound to lead us all to catastrophe of untold magnitude.

4. ENTITLEMENT AND OWNERSHIP: These two parties have not been weaned and may never be weaned of the entitlement syndrome. By the very structure of these parties, they are either owned by an influential moneybag or a vicious cabal. Either way, they determine by hook or by crook, what happens in the party and by extension, in the country. Going by this, they are not democrats by any measure but are actually autocrats and petit imperialists They don’t win elections by popular participation but by their dark devices. They are therefore, not accountable to the people.

5. A CORRUPTED ENTITY: A major manifestation of the old order is an entrenched and ramifying corruption. There’s of course, a difference between a corrupt space and a corrupted entity where every sphere of life is tainted and mired. It means that the entire living space is permeated by a deadly canker intent on vanquishing it unless surgically excised. APC and PDP represent that canker and they are deeply entrenched in our space like a viral disease. Without equivocation, their two flag bearers, Tinubu and Atiku symbolise the face of corruption in Nigeria. They don’t have any qualms about corruption, they don’t want to fight it, and they can’t even resist it.

6. NO VISION: Regardless of what they script in manifestos or what they say on the hustings, these people simply don’t have vision. Or put differently, their vision is short, tainted and jaded. They would always see through the narrow pinhole of self, family, associates and friends. They have no capacity to see a bold, bright new world order for all… they are not statesmen.

7. ROAD TO PERDITION: APC and PDP are taking us on a road to perdition. There’s only one destination they will end up at: destruction and death of Nigeria. This explains why in the last 24 years, little progress has been made in Nigeria. One step forward is assailed by 10 steps in the opposite direction. This explains why even as we go for a general election tomorrow, we are in a situation of war just that mortars are not booming. But the populace are living like refugees though they may not be displaced. These two parties have unashamedly travelled the same dirt road of ‘highest bidder’ primary elections, violent and manipulated voting and eventual state capture. It’s a road to nowhere.

8. TRUDGING IN THE JUNGLE: For nearly 63 years of political independence, Nigeria has remained like a man irretrievably lost in the jungle. He has no compass therefore, seems quite unable to find his way to the highway of civility, light and progress. It explains why Nigeria is probably the richest country in the world yet it has the poorest people. It explains why for 24 years of consistent civil rule we cannot generate power or refine the enormous crude oil providence endowed us with. We cannot seem to copy and past, basic developmental feats the rest of the world had perfected centuries ago… because we are held hostage in the jungle by a relic of a political class. We must get back to the paved roads and travel with the rest of the world.

9. APC/PDP HAVE NO CAPACITY TO REFORM AND TRANSFORM NIGERIA: These two parties have no capacity to carry out the enormous reformation and transformation tasks Nigeria needs now. As already stated above, their leaders, Tinubu and Atiku are neither inspired nor imbued with much vision. They have neither energy nor spunk. Worst of all, they are too deeply marinated in corruption to be able act in a noble manner. They are themselves, in need of reform, body, soul and spirit. ( Let’s even ignore the speculations that they are both of phoney progeny). So as they say, you can’t give what you don’t have.

10. A LITTLE FLICKER OF LIGHT: A little flicker of light seems visible on the Nigerian horizon. Would they allow it to shine? Would they let it blazon brightly in order to light up every nook and dark crevices of the land? Though most of us can see the light as represented by Peter Obi and Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed of the Labour Party, but are we willing to let it shine? For once in a long time, majority of Nigerians, especially our youth, have a candidate so inspirational and worthy to thrust leadership responsibilities upon his shoulders. Would the old brigade give Nigeria a chance for a change? Obi is neither a Messiah nor a Saint, but he tells us what no politician ever told us. Peter Obi tells Nigerians the things they had always wanted to hear…he shows us that flicker of light we always wanted to see. Now is time to unleash our great country, NIGERIA from the chains of the old order…
▪︎ OSUJISTEVE/24.02.23