BY BILLY NWOYE
Declaration of Deception appear to be the first executive decision made under oath by both Obi the Labour party flag bearer and Tinubu the APC flag bearer. This is unprecedented in Nigeria’s electoral process and sends the wrong signal to voters to question their integrity and readiness to be president on day one. The failure to choose a running mate up till now should not be swept under the carpet. It is concerning that both men clearly lack the ability to make a time bound decision of this importance within the window provided by the electoral act. They want Nigerians to believe they are prepared to be president when they have failed the integrity test by misrepresenting to voters who their running mate is. The flag bearer of both APC and Labor party are both facing a crisis of choice, a display of weak executive judgement. What is happening here is akin to arranged marriages in the United States in other to obtain a residency card called Green Card. The citizen presented to US authorities to meet the condition of a spouse during application to obtain a green card is as though a place folder for thousands of Nigerians who will after being granted the green card looks for a wife from Nigeria or else where to marry.
Tinubu and Obi’s action like the arranged marriage or place holder in the US are both morally wrong.
A pastor friend of mine renounced Peter Obi and started supporting Atiku on the basis that Obi “appears not to understand the difference between what is urgent from what is important”. “Going to Egypt when you have not chosen a running mate amount to getting your priorities wrong. Using Igbo adage, “azota ana achowa Ute”. “Obi has not secured the ground to place his mat, but he is busy traveling to go and learn how to weave a mat in Egypt”. Obi lost my support for demonstrating bad judgement in that instance. A good president will appoint a cabinet member with requisite knowledge of critical issues. Presidency is not a one man show. Like Buhari you are the President and self appointed minister of petroleum at the same time.
The state Nigeria is in today requires the next President to hit the ground running on day one with a cabinet of diverse talent. As a people, Nigerians are very conversant with the implications of sluggishness in decision making and indecisiveness in running the business of government when in 2015, it took President Buhari about seven months to appoint his ministers. The auto-piloting of ministries and vaccuum created in the long wait culminated into what led to an economic recession. President Buhari started on the wrong foot and the results is collosal failure even seven years after.
One of the first responsibilities of an aspiring leader is to know the kind of people he wants to work with and the first of such is in his choice of a Vice Presidential candidate. As one who will head the national economic council and other key decision making position in the administration, whoever wishes to be President must have a solid idea of who he wants to fill that important position. In 2019, Atiku Abubakar, having served as one of the most effective and successful vice President in the country, with the knowledge of the importance of the role to the success of his government, picked Peter Obi despite disagreements from some power and elites blocs from the east, Atiku held firm with that decision and went into the election having made the best choice of a VP.
In the preparation for the 2023 election, even after the deadline set by INEC has elapsed, Atiku Abubakar of the PDP is the only candidate that have chosen a running mate or VP candidate and went ahead to justify his position on the basis of competence, shared values and inclusiveness. Unfortunately, the candidate of the APC and the candidate of the Labour Party are yet to decide who should be their VP candidate. For the first time in the history of our country, the issue of placeholders is being pushed to the front burner. If a candidate cannot make a choice of the first and closest responsibility he has as a leader, it speaks of unpreparedness. As former governor’s, Obi and Tinubu may liken the office of the Vice President to the deputy governor’s who served under them. People who are not sure who their vice presidents should be can not be sure who their ministers and important government appointees will be. In fact, Buhari seems to be more prepared than Obi and Tinubu for the presidency. Dallying in the choice of the vice presidential candidate is bound to translate into a style of governance that may worsen the economic and security condition of already fragile nation should either Obi or Tinubu win the general election.
This is a very critical time. Nigerians cannot afford to look the way of unprepared candidates.
The man who has chosen his VP, released his manifesto while others are being pre-occupied with mundane controversies. Atiku already has an idea the quality of mind and talent he intends to work with when he achieves victory at the polls. Atiku Abubakar is the most prepared candidate. With preparation comes success. The choice for Nigerians is clear and should not be judged on rhetoric but on action.
Hon William”Billy”Nwoye, Former Adviser to two U.S Governor’s in California