Former US-President Barack Obama’s once said, “I know that campaigns can seem small, and even silly. Trivial things become big distractions. Serious issues become sound bites. And the truth gets buried under an avalanche of money and advertising. If you’re sick of hearing me approve this message, believe me – so am I”. These words indeed are audible to all listening ears.

Election periods are often misconstrued for scoring myopic goals and selfish interests but this is a grand misconception. Elections are organized to enable every grown citizen to actively participate in recruiting government officials for a specified period, here in Nigeria, in a four years’ time. This must assimilate into the minds of the people. Election is neither an opportunity to have people from the same ethnic section to nor of same political affiliation to be in power but to hire the best brains for progress of the entire society. This is inarguably the secret of the successes being witnessed in the private sector every now and then. Recruiters in the private sector always choose the best with proven capacity to man sensitive positions.

The kind of politics that played out ahead of the 2023 general election are so disgusting that if not checked may destroy the society. Most absurd amongst them that ridiculed our rationality in the eyes of the world is the interview section by the presidential candidate of All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu at Chartham House in the United Kingdom. Appallingly, Tinubu called up his political associates, Nasir el-Rufai and others to respond to the questions posed to him about the leadership position he personally aspires to. Tinubu delegated Nasir el-Rufai of Kaduna state to speak on how he would address insecurity, delegated the director of Strategic Communication of the APC Presidential Campaign Council, Dele Alake, to respond to the question posed to him on oil theft in the country that contributes majorly to revenue leakage. He also delegated a former Commissioner for Finance in Lagos State, Wale Edun to respond to questions on how he intends to tackle economic issues in the country.  Even those that bear ‘Dele’ as their name never delegated responsibilities this way.

Other Tinubu’s ‘hired voices’ include the Speaker, House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, governor of Cross River State, Ben Ayade, former Ekiti State governor, Kayode Fayemi, and APC National Women Leader, Betta Edu to respond to questions posed to him directly as the APC candidate. Indeed, this is the caricature, or call it, drama of the century in the name of ‘teamship’.  Funnily, el-Rufai who had sacked teachers that failed aptitude test in Kaduna State a few years ago and didn’t give them opportunity to respond to the questions through third-parties also engaged in such abracadabra that has never happened anywhere in the world before now. These mercenaries should put it in their profiles.

One of the puzzles over the absurdity at the Chatham House yet to be solved is whether these mercenaries and their hirer didn’t know that a president is not elected as a team, and not even under any enforceable contract to appoint people that campaigned for him ahead of the election? The act suggests that people can also attend interviews, sit for examinations with mercenaries. So, on what basis did these mercenaries accept to answer questions posed to a candidate vis-à-vis the office he aspires to. This is a question waiting for answers. To be economical with words, the act is the height of shamelessness and irresponsibility, and a mockery on the nation.

Instructively, an ideal candidate for president of a country should meet conventional standards, and not an aspirant that lacks basic requirements particularly in a democratic setting that offers golden opportunity for people to choose by themselves. Nigeria as a country in particular needs a leader with proven capacity and experiences needed for the office. The leadership failure over the years following absence of in-depth understanding, proficiency and knowhow has made suffering ubiquitous in Nigeria’s space amid abundant human and capital resources. This therefore calls for a change. It’s thrilling to note that for the first time in the history of the country, a manifesto to move from consumption to production is presented to the people to endorse. It shows that the Labour Party; the presenter has the know-how, and this is the way to go considering the high population of over 200 million people. It is the key issue to put forward while deciding on the next four years.

The socioeconomic crises facing the country for some years now resulting in unprecedented hardship and insecurity is a call for a change of strategies in governance. It affects everyone, either directly or indirectly. So, this is not a time for tribal or religious sentiment, but to honestly give the batten to the most competent and capable candidate. I repeat, this is a time to choose leaders that can add value and retire those that have made themselves political ‘irokos’ feeding on the destinies of the masses. It is your turn to speak out by voting for those that have what it takes to fix the country, and not for your tribesman, member of religious group or even political party. It is time to vote for individuals’ profiles and proven capacity.

The apex sociocultural association, Afenifere has exhibited maturity and understanding in this direction by openly endorsing a candidate from another ethnic nation, Peter Obi on account of equity and credibility who it believes offers the best for the country despite the fact a ‘moneybag-candidate hails from its ethnic fold. This is the way to go. One expected that the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) should have also counselled politicians from the north to give the Southern region a chance for equity and peaceful co-existence after 8 years, instead of the seemingly ‘survival-of-the-fittest. General interest should override personal and sectional interests. If it goes well with the nation, every region will benefit from it, and vice versa. Progress can only thrive where peace is sustained, and not where discord takes the order of the days.

For instance, a former president, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, an elder statesman, from Southwest region after receiving and listening to almost all the frontliners didn’t mince words to counsel the masses particularly the younger people, youths to take back the country by voting the only competent candidate that will guarantee a secure future for them. In his words, ‘only one credible choice is presented to the people’. The alarm followed the country’s present situation of sitting on a keg of gunpowder. No elderly person can pretend not to know the implication of such actions. To crown it all, President Muhammadu Buhari in the light of it exhibits his political-will by the cashless policy to reduce financial intimidations and inducements to ensure a credible, free and fair election to the extent that his own political party he leads is crying foul and calling him names. The ball is therefore on the courts of the masses.

Umegboro, ACIArb, is a public affairs analyst and social advocate. 08023184542-SMS-only.