POLITIKING WITHOUT ATTACK ON PERSONALITY

By Charles Nwabardi

Politiking is activity or activities undertaken for political reasons or ends. It involves campaigning and canvassing for votes before an election, promoting a political party ideology and oneself.

Politics is guided in Nigeria like any other country by rules and regulations. This is why there is Electoral Act that stipulates how politiking should be played. It can also be called ethics of politics.

The greatest among the things that are expected of a politician is integrity that is spiced with patriotism.

Deliberate attack on political opponents is not a welcome development and should be totally  rejected by electorates in particular and Nigerians in general. Politics of derogatory attacks targeted to portray opponents in a bad light in order to smear persons’ reputation is politics of bitterness that goes further to manifest desperation and “do-or-die” syndrome.

This do-or-die approach has prevented development and stability in Nigeria’s political dispensation.
Attack on political opponents is the root of political killings, betrayal, lack of integrity, absence of focus, hatred and eradication of ethics.

In some countries of the world like Britain, Japan,Italy, France and so on, political campaigns are strictly issue based. Every country including Nigeria has prevailing challenges and a politician with good political ideology should focus on problem solving and introduction of innovative programmes that will uplift the lives of citizens.

A former American president, J.F. Kennedy inculcated an ideal political ideology in Americans with “Ask what you can do for your country and not what your country can do for you.” The Immediate past American President, Donald Trump consistently hinged his campaign on bringing back America’s glory with “America for Americans.” M.K.O. Abiola the acclaimed winner of June 1993 Presidential election in Nigeria used his Campaign Jingle “HOPE ’93” to win the hearts of Nigerian electorates who voted massively for him. Nevertheless, the election was annulled by the then military president of Nigeria, Ibrahim Babaginda. It may also be interesting to say that Insight Communications Limited, Ikeja Lagos created and produced the Campaign jingle.

The success of Abiola in the general election was that he used his Campaign Jingle to highlight Nigeria’s problems and solutions at that era (improvement in education, solving unemployment, improvement in health, economic development etc). His campaign promises cut across Nigeria as he promised the black African continent of pursuing reparation from the western countries for dehumanizing Africans during the period of slavery.

The present “Wahala” in Nigeria has provided good campaign platform for political candidates. There is widespread insecurity stemming from armed banditry. Kidnapping, insulgency, starvation, unemployement, under funding of education and health sectors. Lack of improvement in agriculture, lack of housing and so on.

As campaign will be lifted soon in this September in preparation for 2023 general elections in Nigeria, let all parties’ Candidates focus on telling Nigerians how they can solve the numerous challenges facing the country and stop targeting the personality of their opponents. However, Candidates with skeletons in their cupboards can be exposed with very valid evidence.

Nigeria is in dire need of transformation. No candidate is more experienced than the other. If experience should count now, how far has Nigeria benefitted from such experience? How can I be convinced of experience of of looting, selfishness, corruption, killings, destruction of institutions, tribalism, insecurity and widespread corruption? Experience of subjecting Nigerians to deprivation and abject poverty?

Although experience counts in all aspects of governance if it can bring transformation, but when there is no positivity from experience, there is no experience.

What Nigeria needs now is a leader that means well for Nigerians and not only for cabals. Nigeria needs a leader that can convince Nigerians that there can be a responsible Government that can build national ethos into citizens, solve economic and social problems.