Almost two months after a new government has taken off in Nigeria, the language and tenor of public discourse have continued to be more of campaigns than of actual governance.

The development should worry all citizens.

Almost on a daily basis, the governing All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) still deploy the rhetoric of campaigns, confusing the public rather than rally the country around the new leadership to keep the ship sailing.

The governing party, in particular, should note that it is in the interest of the opposition for the debate to continue on peripheral issues — like who between the outgone administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and the new government of President Muhammadu Buhari should take the credit for the recent bailout to states – rather than key items that affect Nigerians and are capable of determining the voters’ decision the next time.

The debate as to whether it was the prudence of Jonathan that left enough money to fill the treasury that President Buhari in one breath said was “virtually empty” and in another was said to be rich enough to provide a bailout, is a mere distraction; one which the PDP will love to stretch to the farthest point of elasticity to the detriment of the APC.

Sadly, the governing party seems to covet the soap box more than the execution arena.

Fortunately, however, it is the duty of the APC to conduct itself as a governing party and not as the opposition. Whining is for the opposition, while action belongs to the party in power.

Why, for instance, would Edo State Governor Adams Oshiomhole continue to engage in verbal pugilism with former Minister of Finance and Co-ordinating Minister of the Economy, Dr. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala over how well (or badly) the last administration ran the economy?

APC’s spokesman, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, has also continued to regale Nigerians with tales of how the former ruling PDP ran the country aground – as if the allegations are new to Nigerians. He recently gave Nigerians prior warning: You will be shocked by the level of rot that the PDP left when we open its can of worms soon.

Of course, the PDP fired back accusing Mohammed of telling barefaced lies.

My argument: The APC is no longer the opposition that should feel content once it has raised an alarm. As the Evil Genius General Ibrahim Babangida would say: The APC should realise that it is not just in office but in power!

Rather than titillate Nigerians with allegations of how badly the PDP performed, the party in power should meticulously gather its evidence, allow anti-graft agencies to package water-tight charges against anybody who has mismanaged the country’s resources, and bring the perpetrators of economic crimes to court.

Governor Oshiomhole, who is already a member of a committee set up by the National Economic Council (NEC) to investigate alleged mismanagement of funds from the Excess Crude Account (ECA) should see the assignment for what it is: A serious national assignment to right past wrongs, if there is any, or commend the previous government if, indeed, it was above board as its spokespersons claim.

An aside: A queer friend wondered aloud if any Nigerian public officer holder who won re-election – including Comrade Governor Oshiomhole – would truly not be guilty of the allegation he threw against Okonjo-Iweala and former President Jonathan. Simply put: How many of the Second-Term governors will come out sparkling clean if their campaign funds were given adversarial investigation? How many of them did not fund their reelection campaign with public funds? And, how clean was the financial war-chest made available to the election campaign of President Buhari? And by whom?

The questions are queer, indeed, and came from my queer friend.

It is in the interest of Nigeria that the financial dealings of the defeated party be probed and anyone found guilty is punished especially at the very top of governance.

That will set a precedent that will guide the incumbent government, knowing full well that in the not unimaginable future, the opposition party of today may also find itself back in power and they tables will be turned again too.

A thorough and forensic probe of the past government will help the suffering public. It will be in the interest of the Nigerian people. The APC should stop engaging the PDP in campaign rhetoric after election. It should simply do what it was elected to achieve: Clean the Augean stable, bring perpetrators of social and economic crimes to book, and set the tone for a greater Nigeria. Enough of allegations that are neither backed by proofs nor followed up with prosecution.

That approach was good and effective for campaigns, not now when governance has started.

While the back-and-forth arguments continue, the APC should be reminded that fuel scarcity has continued unabated and the outlets that have petrol brazenly sell at a minimum of N100 per litre.

The governing party should also note that the Boko Haram menace has continued with greater ferocity. Get cracking, please, and rally Nigerians around your cause.
http://dailytimes.com.ng/campaign-after-election-by-yinka-olujimi-2/

Meaning....

Let us all look before we leap.
I will prefer us to block leakage and wastage before gunning for corrupt past officials.

Mr Olujimi, I strongly disagree with your write up. Portraying that APC as whining is incorrect and a fallacy.
APC statements are always reply PDP's propaganda. Unfortunately, your write up is very vague as you only mentioned 2 APC members:
first is Lai Mohammed, who is doing his job as the Party's spokesman. A spokesman job is to speak for the party thereby defending it stance, beliefs, achievement and plans.
Oshiomole as CEO of a state needs to tackle the reason behind dwindling funds. One of the major story in Nigeria presently is the non-payment of salaries due to dwindling (or looted) funds.

When El-rufai tackled NNPC, he was proffering solution on how to check NNPC excessive corruption and lack of accountability and transparency which has cost Nigeria and Nigerians billions of dollars.
How many government officials are presently being investigated by anti-graft agencies? Nyako, Oronsanye, Silva etc.
The main actors of government have hit the ground running and there is visible progress. Record power generation was recorded last week, Change in high echelon of the military to intensify fight against terror.

APC is not whining but tackling the opposition's propaganda and lies towards the party.