The following is my take on the issue and I came to this conclusion after much contemplation, and reading so many comments on the presidential debate and election and blah blah blah....and after looking around my environment and getting repeatedly pissed at the fact that till now we all havent got it. We are all getting carried away by who was eloquent, who appears bold and confident, who seems competent etcetera...what happens if we elect the seemingly correct candidate into office, and 4 years down the line we are on the same spot. No light (power), no railways, no infrastructural development and no progress (which is a very likely possibility)Even Obama who understood change so well had (and is still having) a hard time translating promises into real time deliverables. And the candidates we have today do not measure up to Obamas credentials (except maybe the more intellectual types like Utomi and others...just my opinion anyway)
Bottomline is that beyond being avid spectators of the race to the big seat in Aso Rock, we should be keen to look at other issues that do affect the fortunes of a nation. I know that bad leadership will always be inimical to a nations progress, but we should not get carried away only by the man or men who will occupy the presidency but also at the systems and issues that affect leadership as a whole in Nigeria. They are afterall only men
Issues like establishing systems to make our leaders listen to us (even if it means getting on the streets like Egypt and Tunisia); accountability in public office; security and the police; public-private partnerships as a tool for development; the educational system and health sector; fighting corruption.
I am saying that when we as a people make a case for these kinds of things, then we will have MORE CONTROL over the way our leaders lead us. I am also saying in other words that even if we elect the best possible candidate, without a system of checks and balances, he may become either terribly misguided, or sadly complacent.
I personally am tired of getting my hopes dashed. I place no faith in any one particular candidate. I would be more hopeful if people are united by common values and ideas.
However if I were asked who I would vote for among our present crop....hmmm.....
I would have preferred a Prof Utomi as president, and someone experienced in politics (but of integrity) as VeePee.
However that is just a pipe dream (dreaming is still free last time I checked).
It is obvious that NONE of our present crop of candidates is qualified or competent...Perhaps in Nigeria we should consider scrapping the position of President and institute a 'Presidential committee' so that we could have a combo of people leading the nation, with the likes of Utomi, Fola, Buhari, Shekarau and Ribadu all together...(another dream I know)
For me I am concentrating on life after the election, I am looking at 4 years from now, I am looking at you and I...no man is a perfect leader. The uprising in the Mid East shows us that leaders cannot take us anywhere if we are unwilling to lead ourselves.
That is my take on the issue. You can quote me
