False National Identity And Slanderous Campaigns.

THE floodgate of campaigns and existential road maps to nothingness has returned to the media space. The balance of power and elite polarisation look increasingly similar to previous elections, stoking concern about the emergence of transformational leadership that we yearn for as a people. An inclusive political and electioneering campaign remains an elusive goal in Nigeria since 1999, which has a history of military interference in governance institutions, shaky and unstable elected governments.

Regrettably, the presidential candidates of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples democratic Party (PDP) are engaged in a desperate fight for their political life in an election, which is just a few months away, and, in my view, the conversation are shamefully and, glaringly bereft of well-articulated proposals and issues. So far, the political campaigns lack logic, research and indeed the core issues of governance and development paradigms using global governance index and benchmarks.

Further, the individual candidate's lack of content and salesmanship calls for worry and above all, the tendentious statements and loathsome promises give a gleam prognosis of what Nigerians should expect in another four years.

Indeed, national security and the welfare of citizens are the most important issues facing Nigeria, after corruption. Yet, it is the one issue on which you cannot find a sliver of difference between President Mohammadu Buhari (Next Level 2019) and his opponent, Abubakar Atiku (Let get Nigeria to Work Again), in selling themselves and their parties to the electorate. Furthermore, the claim by the ruling party to fight corruption from the tyranny of the PDP has not resonated in the campaign rhetoric of the APC. Whether that can only, be guaranteed, through legislative means or whether significant devolutionary or federal mechanisms, can be made, to work in Nigeria from 2019 should be subject of serious debate in this campaign.

Disappointingly, most political parties in the country stand their campaigns on empty promises of national public goods while avoiding issue- based programmatic policy proposals that appeal to the masses rather, emphasis is placed on voters' ethnic identities, renting of crowd, distribution of non- programmatic benefits and deification of candidates that lacks the core of issues of governance and development paradigms. Furthermore, campaign strategies are woven along ethnic sentiments and elite personality cults, which at best serve their personal interest.

Curiously, citizen's voice, within the corridors of power has been weak, constantly being subjected to manipulations. One of the negative denominators of the episodic elections is lack of national identity template, the paradox of rebellious power mongers, disruptive, and ill-formed social media narratives and indeed fake lens of the electorates will blur the search for authentic leadership come 2019.

What is more, another major challenge confronting the Nigeria state is the unstable character of our political leaders. A nation that desires real transformation and development must look closely at recruitment patterns to party positions. Going forward, It is time we must move away from leadership ambush of the feudal and opportunistic influential that have held us down as a nation since independence and demand a clear perspective for a reverse leadership that can collectively define a Nigerian project independent of the current self- appointed emperors that are not working in the interest of the greater majority and the common person.

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Publication:	Nigerian Tribune (Oyo State, Nigeria)
Geographic Code:	6NIGR
Date:	Dec 13, 2018
Words:	584
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