PDP CIVIL WAR AND US

GOKE BUTIKAKURO
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is gradually becoming a dangerous influence on Nigeria, just like a dangerous wife of Odogo, who assures all neighbors who declared their domestic animals missing that the return of his husband from outing is worth waiting for.

Look, there are certain things that concern not the poor and hapless, though, those things could be entertaining. Certainly, the civil war of any ruling political party is no business of the masses, defection of political stalwarts has no relationship with our troubles as common men and women, because those fight and squabbles are battle of narrow interests. I think, we should learn to know what concern us like delivery of democracy dividends or lack of it.

Yes, the argument above has always been my position on the political system in Nigeria, because I was made to believe that the power struggle of the ruling class is about who gets what, not about collective interest, but the dynamics of politics has started changing the tune of my argument now. Surely, we should learn to monitor in what goes on all political parties with a view to dissecting the players and gladiators, particularly from the ruling party, be it at the centre or component units.

While I was discussing with a friend who is a citizen of United Kingdom (UK) on the sudden millionaires in my country, I asked if it was possible to become a jet owner without any means of livelihood, he screamed blue murder, “it can’t happen, the Scotland yard will be on the neck of the fellow, until how he makes his money is revealed.”

In Nigeria of today, Nigerians are more interested in the civil of the PDP than the statistics of 40 million youth who are unemployed; the formation of the ‘new PDP’ led by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar thrilled them more that the death trap called federal road that linked Warri, Delta state to Bayelsa, President Goodluck Jonathan’s home state.

It is still fresh that Jonathan’s wife lost her foster mother while passing through the road from Rivers to Bayelsa. Look at the way governors, Ministers, and political gladiators are abandoning their duties to pay condolence visit to the first family

Was it not celebrated in newspapers that Dame Patience Jonathan was seething with rage that Governor Rotimi Amaechi did not come to pay condolence visit to her in the Aso villa? So, who will pay condolence visit to hundreds of unsung people who had lost their innocent lives along Lagos/ Ibadan express way.

Today, I argue for knowing what goes on our major political parties, because facts have shown that our detachment from politics has further emboldened politicians to take passive electorate for granted in the conduct of governance, a situation that has untold telling effects on our growth as a people.

In Nigeria of today, clergies who befriend these politicians on the corridors of power are owners of private jets, airbuses and luxurious yacht on our rivers, their friends cum fronts in corporate Nigeria are wastefully rich with bombardier jets worth billions of hard currencies, and private universities, their sons and daughters have oil blocs with overbearing wealth which guarantees holiday in Bahamas with girlfriends and boyfriends, wife of the President can shut any city she desires down with a kangaroo visit, and so on and so forth.

Worst still, Niger Delta militants who source lives in waging war against the state, under the guise of fighting for the regional resource control have joined the league of nouveau rich now. I learnt that one Government Ekpemupolo infamously known as Tompolo has just taken delivery of Bombardier jet close three billion US dollars, just like others who enjoys attention of President Goodluck Jonathan, not because he has established line of businesses, but because he comes from the region of the man of power. Remember, the guy got billions of Naira contract to police the pipeline in the Niger Delta, while our police, Navy, Army, and Airforce are rendered passive spectators.

It would have been a different stories, if our oil, which they called theirs, anyway is secured, but the geometric increase in stealing by the same militants and their allies in power has shown there is absence of government here. Now, the same militants have started threatening fire and brimstones if Jonathan fails reelection bid. As a matter of fact, one of the thugs called Dokubo Asari has declared that this country will be history if Jonathan is not elected, and the guy is not molested by the security operatives who were quick and happy to withdraw security attachment of the opposition of the President within his party.

How do we reconcile the two facts, where one shows astronomical increase in youth unemployment, while the other shows that the nation parades highest patrons of private jets market in the planet?

How do we reconcile two facts where one shows that an elected President who controls 52 percent of federal allocation has not delivered close to three years, except subsidy removal which added pains to the suffering masses, issuing vehicles registration numbers plates, which takes toll on struggling poor motorists, and fails to lay foundation for a single refinery, but takes joy in importing what the country has in abundance, and the second shows a threat sheet where the minority group is threatening to burn the country should their son loses bid to continue in office despite massive failure of all sectors.

I think, Nigerians should wake up now, and latch on the crisis in the ruling party at the centre in reworking our mathematics on how all sentiments and biases would be eliminated for the concept of “a good man for the job.” Let it be known that it is when we have a competent, broad minded, and futurist President, that strong institutions to drive the nation will emerge.

I rest my case.

Goke Butika, is a journalist of intercontinental exposure.

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