Exclusive partisan politics breeds nothing but conflicts and this is why we are where we are, hence the need to elevate issues rather than threats

Clem Aguiyi

I address the following words to the President and his supporters to remind them that words matter and issues should matter to them also, but before proceeding I wish to thank in advance my numerous fans, readers and fellow believers in the Nigerian dream for their tirelessness even in the face of intimidations, harassments and threats by agents of the ruling party. The coming weeks and months will be uneasy and will also present some unprecedented challenges for our nation. Our patience will be tested and our democracy tried but we must remain fearless and courageous in confronting the issues dear to our hearts.

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In all my study of contemporary politics, I have never seen a ruling party so intent on bringing down the polity they are supposedly in charge of like the ruling All Progressive Confusion of Nigeria. Ordinarily, it should be beneath any ruling party to think that the only way to fire up their base will be making flippant accusations and baseless claims against opposition members

Nigerians are enduring series of scary moments under this government and it’s increasingly dangerous listening to a president whose cabinet harbor forgers, artful dodgers and economic plunderers label the entire members of the leading opposition as looters and yet expect their cooperation in moving the country forward. I say to the president and his men, words matter!

It’s scary and dangerous listening to the National Chairman of the ruling party boasting of how he will destroy and wipe out the main opposition party. What becomes of our democracy if Buhari and his men succeed in their single minded pursuit of destroying and erasing PDP and its members from the face of Nigeria? Again, words matter.

Whereas we are not at war, the entire country have become a killing field where armed bandits, herdsmen and insurgents kill people at will. Yet, the ruling party whose responsibility it is to protect lives and properties politicize our misery and woes making up stuffs and blaming the violence on those who wants President Buhari’s job.

So far, it appears that the president and his men have shown complete lack of understanding that those who want President Buhari’s job are not enemies of the state, that the quest of President Buhari’s job is a legitimate aspiration, expected in democracy. In case they don’t realize the impact of their rhetoric, they should know that their words, impunity and arrogance are among the factors fueling tensions across the country.

In my own personal experience as a political commentator, I have written several articles critical of government policies and President Buhari’s leadership style. I can tell you that I have received horrible texts and letters, some threatening, some slandering and some degrading. I’ve been told I would be beheaded, that I should “shut up’’ and that I should not be allowed to continue to write my column. Unfortunately, this is a risk those working in the public sphere now take. If you are a writer criticizing this government policies or member of the opposition party particularly, PDP, you will learn to live on edge and in fear of your life. Except if, this is a rogue government, we do not need to be fearful of our government and our leaders.

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I acknowledge that these are frightening and divided times we are living in, but I would like to believe that all civility is not lost and that Nigeria can grow, heal and learn to respect differences of all kinds: opinion, politics, language, religion , tribe and so on.

The only reason I criticize President Buhari is because I want him to change and to end up a successful president. In his quest to exclude others and work only with his own people, he has successfully divided our country further and used our differences to drive us apart rather than bring us together as one people who fought and endured years of bitter civil war where millions of lives were lost on both sides. And we do not need another civil war in Nigeria, never and never again.

Arrogance and pride come before a fall. It is only the president supporters that have refused to see that Nigeria is in a polarised state and divided on account of arrogance as well as exclusive partisan politics of this regime. Exclusive partisan politics breeds nothing but conflicts and this is why we are where we are, hence the need to elevate issues rather than threats, intimidation and insults.

Last week when I published the article, ‘2019: the people will decide’, I advanced several issues which I expected to be challenged on point by point basis. Rather than disprove me on points what I got from the president’s supporters were the usual insults and threats, thus avoiding the issues raised. What is wrong in my advising the president to stop using choppers to go and commission roads? He should drive on those roads. I challenge him to drive from Makurdi to Enugu or from Lokoja town to Enugu and see if on any of those roads he can find a one kilometer road that is passable. There is no road in Nigeria. If we can’t build ordinary road, is it airport we can build well. How can we move the country forward if issues do not matter?

Those that messed up God’s design cannot dominate over God’s will. Nigeria for instance cannot escape restructuring. The president and his men must eat the humble pie and accept that this country is bigger than any individual. They must respect Nigerians and understand that this country will need all forces and faces to unite in order for it to become great. Nigeria cannot move forward with only forces and faces from the Muslim Fulani.

These are issues that must matter. I have heard the president say he will address the imbalance he created, if he is returned to power in 2019. Rather than make new promises, I would rather want to see what he does with the remaining time in his hand. The Igbo for instance cannot and will not continue to accept being second class citizens of Nigeria. We cannot continue being shut out of the National Security Council meetings where out of 17 members, 16 for a fact are Muslim Fulani. President Buhari still has time to lift his heavy hand off the Igbo. He should show that he is the president of every Nigerian, not just the Fulani president.

I have heard some fellow South Easterners say also that after 2023 President Buhari will hand over to the Igbo on the condition that they vote for him in 2019. First, this is a campaign gimmick packaged specifically to be sold to some gullible Igbo. If it is God’s plan that President Buhari will be reelected for a second term, nothing will stop him and not even the Igbo not voting for him will stop him. And if God doesn’t want him anymore, nothing will make him not go back to Daura. Those expecting Buhari to hand over to them in 2023 should go and ask the miserable citizens of the poverty capital of the world who sacrificed hands and limbs to make him president, how far with all the promises made in 2015?

The economy is always the mirror through which we gauge the real national situation and we have seen how the economy behaved in the last three years and half due to deep seated dislocation, a deficit of leadership, poor governance, trust and confidence, yet when I wrote of the economy being on life support, rather than disprove my assertion with facts and figures, I got threats as if shutting me up will stop the economy from sitting on an economic tailspin. Words matter and issues matter too.

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