Between Politics And Governance

There is no gainsay
ing the fact that 2015 election is the most crucial isue in Nigeria today. 2015 and the gathering clouds of politicking get thicker by the day. Virtually all ministers, lawmakers, governors and other elected and political office holders want to either secure their present position or move a step further by contesting for one position or the other.
The quest to remain politically relevant has eclipsed the numerous challenges facing the country.
The growing rate of unemployment, poverty, insecurity and hunger that Nigerians suffer as a result of the ineptitude of those in authority are unimportant. Every thing is now about who becomes what, who gets what in 2015.
Our leaders  at both federal, state and local government levels have placed their greed and personal interest above everything. Some governors are practically administering their states from Abuja while some Abuja based political office holders who have interest in their states spend virtually all the time politicking in their various states abandoning their statutory duties.
In the past few days, there have been accusations and counter accusations from the ruling PDP and opposition parties of how some politicians have started campaigning even when the Electoral Act says otherwise and the Independent National Electoral Commission has warned against it.
If only our leaders should realise they are in power to serve the people. Nothing should be more important than ensuring the well being of the people.
If only they can devote half of the time and resources they use in scheming for 2015 to providing good roads, water, electricity, power, and other needed infrastructure to the citizenry.
Can those in authority pay more attention to insecurity, kidnapping, child trafficking, armed robbery and other social vices which have slowed Nigeria’s move to proper nationhood? Our health facilities are in shambles, more and more Nigerians are now living in fear because of imminent flood forecasted by NEMA, the number of unemployed youths is in the increase, there are no industries to absorb the teeming unemployed graduates. Responsible leaders who bother about the welfare of the people, should have spared more time, finding lasting solutions to these problems instead of dissipating their energies fighting over positions.
I totally agree with the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mallam Aminu Tambuwal who, in a forum last year stressed the need to separate politics from governance. In his opening speech during the commencement of the seventh session of the House of Representatives, he had admonished his colleagues, “we must resist being distracted from the execution of our mandate which is only half done…”
He charged the law makers to strive to serve the people that elected them conscientiously.
Two years is such a long time to abandon the citizens to their fate while the leaders go about seeking for their selfish interests. No one says they should not be ambitious but let their performance and public acceptability speak for them.
Let good governance and service delivery be the tool they will use in winning the support of the electorate in 2015.
It is also my considered opinion that INEC should do more than issuing threats to those who violate the Electoral Act. A proper investigation of the reported cases should be carried out and adequate sanction meted out on the culprits. Nigeria should be a country governed by rules and regulations and not a country where any thing goes.

Calista Ezeaku