S.O.S ALIEME

The Nigeria political clime appears very interesting to watch these days as the race to ASO ROCK is being hotly contested by would-be aspirants. A political “rat race” refers to an exhausting, intensely competitive, and often cutthroat struggle for power, office, or political relevance that mimics the relentless, futile nature of a mouse on a running wheel. It is a metaphor for a self-defeating, endless pursuit where participants such as political actors, parties, or agents, invest significant time, wealth, and energy into competing, yet often end up in the same position or experiencing burnout, both personally and politically. 

The two phrases; ‘a rat race’ and ‘a chess game’ are intertwined and entangled in the same end game, the prowess to capture political power or position.  In a very simple narrative; “a rat race” is a way of life in which people are caught up in a fiercely competitive struggle for wealth or power. Similarly, the goal of a chess game is to capture the opponent’s King by placing it in “checkmate.” When one player’s King is in check (under attack) and there is no legal way for it to escape on the next move, that’s checkmate. Prejudice apart and without mincing words, the phenomenon of politics of “a rat race” in the Nigeria polity, is borne out of selfishness, greed for power, opportunism, sycophancy, kleptocracy, corruption and despotism. Truth be told, this is a compendium of what we are witnessing in today’s Nigeria ahead of the 2027 general election.

Historically, our experience of a politics of “a rat race” since our independence on October 1, 1960 is limitless in deadlocks that have forestalled a trajectory for a true nation building. The military incursion into our democracy since independence almost the end of twentieth century in 1999 continues to plunge the country into a myriad of socio-political economic problems of “a rat race politics” that seems not to have a dead-end. The reality of this rat race’s anomaly is that, a country whose foundation is not built on fairness, equity and justice, cannot stand the test of time. The issue of North/South dichotomy, vis-a-vis; the Northern hegemony will continue to underscore the bane of our so-called unity in diversity.

Understandably, today in Nigeria, power has changed hands and to the political elites in the South but some Northern heavy weights are also interested in the fight for the exalted position in Aso Rock. It is no longer Southern hegemony. To them, it is unsavoury Northern hegemony and the new political slogan of some elites in the South may be that, power must change hands by fire by force, back to the North. It is noteworthy to say that, it is only three years of the miserable economic policies of a Southern President; BAT and some elites in the North seem ready to burn down the roof of the house to return a Northerner back to the centre of power in Aso Rock Villa.

Suffice it to say, in a power play politics that is underpinned by regional sentiments, religion and ethnic bigotries, the real purpose of leadership, devoid of primordial sentiment, nepotism, favouritism and bigotry is undermined and jettisoned.

At this juncture, to say the emergence of some political actors as members of African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) to challenge the ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) in 2027 may not be too different from other politics of “rat race” that might end in another deadlock, is to say the least. Arguably, it is imperative to say that the sincerity of purpose that needs to be displayed by the emergence of a new power bloc to ignite and galvanize the support of citizenry across the country, including North and South to oust the ruling party, All Progressives Congress, APC from power cannot be over – emphasized.

Furthermore, the political actors in the new political coalition will need to sacrifice their political ambitions for true nation building by addressing the issue of North/South dichotomy based on fairness, equity and justice to allay the fear of political and economic domination by either of the two regions; Southern and Northern regions. In addition, the coalition must have a clear cut political agenda, focusing on fairness, equity and justice.

In other words, regardless of your geo-political zone and ethnic minority, we all must exhibit that genuine strong sense of belonging to come together to make the country work for all and, anything short of this paradigm shift will be a fruitless exercise. Yes, it is dead on arrival, an endless politics of “a rat race” indeed.

In the final analysis, what are the clear cut agenda of the new mega party to reasonably convince the citizenry that the birth of a new political coalition will fare better than the current ruling party, All Progressives Congress (APC) and, is the group ready and prepared to live above board to truthfully convince Nigerians that we are not in another wicked cobweb and a vicious circle of a new round of endless politics of “a rat race?” Will the news of political brouhaha of the emergence of a mega party to challenge and oust the ruling party, APC from power in 2027 be a mere political jamboree, or, a real test of visionary and purposeful leadership to rescue the country from the many years of “malaise of misrule” of both the People’s Democratic Party, PDP and the All Progressives Congress, APC? Time will tell.

God Bless Nigeria!!!