offorkansi: This is certainly not the best of times for Africa's most populous country. Granted, we have had terrible times in the past including enduring a bitter civil war but at no time have we experienced such large scale discontent and mass murder as we are experiencing today except probably during the war. Simply put, things are falling apart. Worst still, the captain of this ship called Nigeria on whose shoulders the onerous task of navigating this ship through troubled waters falls on, seems asleep on board as the boisterous waves continue to threaten the safety of 170 million people. While it may be argued that some of the problems facing this administration predates Dr. Jonathan, it is also true that his party, the people's democratic party had held sway since the return to democracy fourteen years ago. So, while some may argue that he is not to blame for the precarious state of our affairs, the PDP cannot exonerate itself from the collosal failure that Nigeria has become. If anything, they are to blame for not providing good governance and dividends of democracy to the suffering masses despite the vast resources they've controlled within this time. The only reason why this remains so is because we have consigned our fate in the hands of a retrogressive and conservative party that works to satisfy the greed of a power few than the need of the people.

After fourteen years of misrule, all we are left with is 'a legacy of ruins'. The score card of the ruling party is a dismal display of gross ineptitude; epileptic power supply, dysfunctional educational system, discrepit infrastructure, prostrate healthcare system, burgeoning youth unemployment, unbridled corruption and a growing but impoverishing economy. Successive PDP led governments have shown time and again that the party is perpetually inept and incurable. Those who adduced the implausible reasoning that they were voting for Jonathan and not PDP during the 2011 elections now know that 'six' and 'half a dozen' are one and the same. Monkeys will always eat banana, so despite his endearing credentials GEJ has continued with PDP's legacy of ruins.

We desperately need an alternative to the idea-starved, retrogressive clique of money swindlers called PDP if we are to have any real chance of enjoying better dividends of democracy. Fourteen years is enough for any serious party to make meaningful impact as demonstrated by Lagos state and few other states. Democracy without a viable opposition is counter productive. Over the years, ruling party has shown scant regards to the feeling of the masses largely because of the absence of a formidable oppostion to give them a run for their money. What we had in the past was nothing more than town unions in the name of political parties with just few exceptions but they were incapable of mounting any serious challenge to the PDP dominance.

The emergence of the APC is a welcome development signalling a major leap in the growth of our democracy and the search for a formidable opposition. Whatever misgivings we may have against the propagators of this new group, they must be lauded for sinking their differences and private interests for the sake of our common good. What we need to do now is to raise our stakes in the new party by participating actively and stamping our authority as the real custodians of the party. We must get registered and insist on equal opportunity for all. As difficult as it sounds, it is possible if the people invest in the new party by mobilizing their resources and numbers right from the grassroot. We cannot fold our arms and expect those that invest their time and resources to give way tomorrow when the party finds its footing. Let us start by sensitizing the masses and tasking the leaders to abide by the tenets of internal party democracy.
We cannot afford another PDP in a different name, that will spell doom for this country. God forbid!