₦airaland Forum

In 2011, I voted for the Social Democratic Mega Party. I knew my vote would not change the outcome of the 2011 general elections as it was obvious that either Goodluck Ebele Jonathan, GEJ (the incumbent) or General Mohammad Buhari, GMB (then of the strongest opposition), was going to win that election. It was simple logic.

Despite being emotionally touched by the GEJ campaign speeches, I did not vote for him. Then, I said to myself, ''it is not GEJ whom I'd be voting, but rather the PDP'', a cult in the form of a political party largely consisting of the very crop of people who had had the biggest chances to develop and unite Nigeria, but had instead spent the past four or five decades squandering it's finite resources and pursuing their selfish and empty political ambitions by systematically dividing the nation.

Even though I craved for change, having been mostly unsatisfied with the rather slow, unfocused and weak manner the incumbent had started off his leadership during the months leading up to the 2011 elections, I did not vote for the APC (the the CPC + ACN + Others) because I knew it would not be Buhari or Ribadu I'd be voting in, but the APC, another cult in the form of an opposition party, made up largely of politicians who for one reason or another (selfish, ulterior, regional, sometimes even religious) were not accommodated in the scheme of things within the PDP. Many were once members of the PDP, while many others are used to crossing from one of the parties to another.

So I voted for Social Democratic Mega Party/Pat Utomi. In truth, I knew nothing about the SDMP -literally nothing but the person of its presidential flag bearer, in the person of Pat Utomi. Essentially, I was voting for Pat Utomi, and not the SDMP. Alas, I had also made the same fundamental misjudgment millions of Nigerians made when they said, ''I voted for GEJ , not the PDP''.

But That is the point. You see, there is really no such thing as GEJ till 2019 or GMB till 2023. It should be, PDP till 2019, or APC till 2023, for unlike in military regime where the dictator might single-handedly effect a change, this time policies are not necessarily those of the person of the president but indirectly those of the party of which he leads. And we are yet to see a party among these present crop of parties that has been able to distinguish between politics and the development of state.

And that is where I have an issue with. unlike in civilized nations, and among patriotic and conscientious politicians, what we have in Nigeria since 1999 at best cults or societies whose interests are always sefish and or ulterior, devoid of any clear ideologies or patriotism. note that this includes, but not limited to, the APC and PDP, particularly at the national level (which is why true federalism is another thing that might save the nation, but which this group of people will never allow to see light of day)

In Nigeria today, we have the same people, who have either held major national or local positions-executive, legislative or administrative- without doing much to effect the same very basic changes the citizens seek . Because, I do not understand why the roads are always bad, why their is no portable water, why we import fuel and why only one or two of the biggest hospitals can boast of a common defibrillator. Hardly, do we see any new faces in government -technocrats and meritocrats- holding sensitive positions, including at the local level, because like I said it is a cult, and you do not just enter a cult. Instead, you are taken in.

It amazes me to see young people in Nigeria, in their 20s, 30s and even 40s swearing, offline and online, and fighting fellow citizens over Mr A or Mr B, over PDP and APC, over this and that as if they have no memory. Yet the road to their villages and the highways to their cities are barely motor-able (not just since 2011 but maybe since 1993, not only in Ebonyi but also maybe in Ondo or Kano states)

I know that various factors determine the success of any leadership, including personal characteristics of the person leading, but my take is that as long as the forces behind the current political parties in Nigeria remain, as long as every candidate must be sponsored by these political groups, effective, development-oriented, independent-minded and progressive leaderships may continue to elude us at the central level. Only a candidate whose allegiance lies totally or mostly with the people and who is answerable to the people and his conscience alone can put an end to these dynasties and cults that have continued to hold us backward as a nation.

Until then, let the drama continue. APC or PDP, just let us retain our memories, in 10 years we may still be shouting for one JAE/APC OR HSL/PDP to come and save the nation. God forbid.

DISCLAIMER: THIS IS ONLY AN OPINION, NOT A CAMPAIGN.

mikeansy:
I am waiting for this election to be over and Jonathan wins a second term in office

The North must do some soul searching and ask the question "was the killings really worth it?"

that is if things doesnt get out of hand by then

I hate that phrase ''dividends of democracy''.

Things u only hear in Nigeria.

jieta:
you are only fooling ur self nigeria can do this, is just that the present administration has been favouring some section of the country that is why the need has not arrive. take for instance GOODLUCK wins in 2O15 and want to stay more than 2019 if he becomes the president, the ss,se,sw that are supporting him will turn against him and i bet you this will be minor compare to the one that will happen

Na wa o , how am i foolin myself na, hian

KriTic24A:
Don't forget that the Military is interested in the uprising as a launch-pad for take-over.
What you see is just stage-managed...
Otherwise, there would have been thousands dead by now, trust African soldiers for that....

you r right, but You cannot be so sure too. Occupy nigeria was close o

seemples:
My bro, those livers you see there are heavily under some influence...weed or spiritual

eightsin:
Mehn.. that thing pass mind.

LMAO. Naija for life!

seemples:
Yes We Can!!!

(if we smoked sontin
)

Lol! So u sayin d burkinafso youths smoked sth before they cud do that

The Youths Of Burkina Faso Stare Down AK 47 Wielding Soldiers To Topple Blaise Campaore's Dictatorship

Could Nigerians Ever Do This?

Quite educative and excellently presented.

The toughest universities are not necessarily the best.

Most of them are tough because most candidates apply to study there becos they pay far cheaper tuition fees, since they are mainly federal schools subsidised considerably by Fed Govt.

Many of them also come with prestige and glory that u may not get elsewhr in Nigeria. For eg, if i studied at University of Nigeria, dat alone would make me seem better than one who came from one State university of Science, or one Awolowo Ojukwu Balewa University.

So no need to fight over this, or take glory in these superflous comparisons.

It's simple logic, federal unis esp the 1st and 2nd genration schools are harder to get admission into. UNN, UNILAG, UNIBEN, ABU, ILORIN, OAU, UI etc

I dont think that Blood is sold in the hospitals. But you must pay the cost of screening the blood and that could be much.

In private hospitals esp, 'commercial donors' are paid for their blood, when families of patients have no other choice.

A place I could visit once in a while.

But to base and raise my family there? Very very hard.

Are many posters here envious that the OP got American citizenshiship

Any body who is not in the corridors of power, not among the Dangotes and co in Nigeria will gladly accept same, so why the hipocrisy?

What the OP has said is that stark truth, sometimes I wonder the kind of people in this part of the world.

Nobody has given deep thoughts to what he wrote up there, especially the part of leadership and follerwership.

Africans, and Nigerians especially, must change their mentalities first, starting from the least person to the topmost person.

Op congrats on your citizenship. Of course, that doesnt strip u of your Nigerian citizenship, am happy for you.

Anybody who is labelling u a coward is a Hipocrite.

cramjones:
chasing his Igbo women
-CramJones

no need to mention Igbo Mr man. Your msg can still pass without appearing to insult the sensibilities of a whole ethnic group.

Y'all are all the same.

Use the social media. Get a trending hashtag continue to post it until MTN speaks and does the correct thing, which is to have pre-informed its customers of this policy...

Use the social media. #MTNBringbackourunlimiteddatashare

Go to their fb page and continue to embarrass them with reports too their.

What they have done is wrong, underseving of a big firm like them that should no the Law.

Hi, I need someone to set up dis biz for me somewhr in delta. Can I get such here? Any partner

swisscarter:
it has and can be upgraded to KitKat

thanks

Abeg people can dis phone be upgraded to kitkat?

am an android newbie o, but wanna give it a try startin from Gionee m2 or LGD410

STARTIMES decoder and sattelite FOR SALE at VERY CHEAP rate. Location...ASABA.

My people would say, 'okwu onye no na be ya ekwu'.

I guess u are like, 93? Perhaps the roads should not have been recontructed, so that posterity would appreciate the ground upon which the War was fought.

U guys are all funny

Being a ploitical rule, this is very sensitive.

Insult is not a legal or criminal act. Defamation of character might be, but who is the Judge?

It is only morally wrong, and unethical. But that is as bad as it is. Don't let the line between your moderation of the forum and denying members of their freedoms of speech disappear.



Let the Nigerian govt ban that before u do.

Kcinho:
It seems you are a SuperLion.

Yes

drered:
Doc.? Pharm?

Doctor

drered:
It is still in use to prevent NSAID induced gastric ulcer in men and women.. It is only contra-indicated in pregnant women..

pregnant women to be precise, or any woman with any chance of being pregnant to be safe.....

I refrain from mentioning non-over-the-counter drugs online for ethical and professional reasons

Nice to see these pics. For 3 years, going through that route daily, from UNTH old site to Ituku was crazy! The road was worse than hell. Yet, see how clean the road is now, constructed to class without even a single noise from the governor or his aides. Sullivan is really a man for the people.

the most commonly used drug for abortion was originally produced as a drug against peptic ulcer disease. up till now it is still a drug for treatment of ulcer, though not in women.

some drugs used for abortion that contain female hormones will cause hormonal imbalance in the male, with effects such as enlargement of the breast and loss or reduction of other male sexxual characteristics

Women Salon gossip

OBRICADO:

what u guys have done to this gal is bad oo! Morally wrong....

My 2cents