The timing couldn’t be more perfect: Two-contradicting judgments from the Nigerian courts on Atiku, on the same day!!!
Just what the already troubled Nigerian political waters need to generate more waves of controversy and acrimony that may throw the transition process into total chaos.
As for me and my household, we have given up on the presidential elections because there’s nothing awe-inspiring or even encouraging among the present cadre of candidates. It is a shame that some of the promising candidates have either been bullied to step-down (Duke and Muazu) or simply got lost on their way to the campaign ground (Utomi).
Imagine how “Presidential candidate Donald Dukeâ€, and his party the PDP, would have benefited from the global publicity of the just commissioned $358 million TINAPA resort. Just imagine the extent of goodwill and PR this would bring for the PDP and the nation. But the PDP acting under the influence of the Commander-in-Chief couldn’t see this far- he placed his bet on an unknown, reluctant and incapacitated Yar A’dua. A Sharia law enforcer! Very smart!
Since the electioneering process started it’s been truckloads of controversies and political faux pas from all quarters and levels of government.
There is only one thing I see from the murky and turbulent political waters: A grossly fragmented and highly incompetent nation. And no one is more responsible than Mr. Obasanjo - a President whose last moments in office have been irredeemably tarnished by controversies, graft and political missteps. This is a grossly disappointing scorecard for the ex-Amy general and former head of state.
[...] Grandiose Parlor gives up on Nigeria general election, “As for me and my household, we have given up on the presidential elections because there’s nothing awe-inspiring or even encouraging among the present cadre of candidates. It is a shame that some of the promising candidates have either been bullied to step-down (Duke and Muazu) or simply got lost their way to the campaign ground (Utomi).” Ndesanjo Macha [...]
April 3, 2007 at 9:07 pm
Imnakoya - I am not certain how I go about changing my email address on this site. I agree with you about the lack of hope for a helpful outcome in the Nigerian election.
April 3, 2007 at 9:58 pm
I predict that the expected doomsday again will not materalise in the 2007 elections. Nigeria has perfected the act act of brinkmanship, unfortunately. Alright, the sabre-rattling and overfed elites on either side of the divide would get to the precipice peer down but will retreat athe critical moments, just as they use to again. The reasons for the seasonal precipice peering are too numerous and complex to be analysed here. The Imnakoya’s piece succinctly highlited the possibilities of a Donald Duke as PDP presidential candidate — and even Pat Utomi, those who know Nigeria well know those are far shots. Frankly Duke and Utomi, by their antecidents, may be fantastic possibilities in a nation with such huge competence deficits; but that, ironically, is why their kind may never rule the nation at least in the forseeable future. Here, there are formidable threats to competence especially by those that have benefitted by its opposite in the past 5 decades. What do you think would happen to some of those guys and power if the likes of Duke and Utomi are giving the free reins and you run a system base on pure merits?
April 4, 2007 at 10:40 am
Allan - You make a good point. I have been wondering myself whether an idealistic leader such as Duke or Utomi would indeed be able to succeed in such a complex nation with so much importance attached to ethnic balance and kin ties in recruitment of both civil servants and military. Nkrumah in Ghana is one example of such a leader who succeeded on an international scale but was not very successful in pleasing the people or ensuring a stable democratic government.
April 4, 2007 at 11:23 am
Many thanks for the interesting comments.
Don:
I don’t think Duke can be seen as “idealistic”, perhaps Utomi is. Duke comes across as a practical politician who has taken steps to put his house in order, and who understand the need to deliver the true dividends of democracy - even if this phrase has been bastardized by his fellow thieving politicians - he has the foresight to go all out with the Tinapa project. This is one landmark endeavor - politically, socially and economically.
What killed Duke’s ambition is the “Atiku factor”. Atiku is the only reason I can conceive that made PDP drop Duke in favor of Yar’Adua - someone who never had the intention of being president. The nomination of Yar’Adua is solely to split Atiku’s influence in the north and somehow appease the already cramping political godfathers there.
Compared to Yar’Adua, Duke has a deeper connection with the Nigerian grassroots, he’s healthier, younger and very much more charismatic. Duke was the perfect presidential candidate until Yar’Adua was dragged out of bed!
Akin:
I wished Duke had the guts and wherewithals to look Obasanjo in the eye and proceed to realize his dream on another platform; the Labor Party (LP) would have been a great political platform for him. As you may know, Mimiko in Ondo and Pedro in Lagos states did just that - having been denied the chance to run in the PDP gubernatorial primaries they opted for LP.
Would Duke risk being accused of party-hopping and overly ambitious? I don’t think this matters at all. Politics is not a tea party! In fact, this may be the only way tested, decent and credible candidates could emerge out of the already murky political waters of Nigeria!
April 4, 2007 at 7:14 pm
Updates should be given after every 10 minutes.
April 19, 2007 at 8:09 am