Nigeria's Elections and Matters Arising

It’s the aftermath of Nigeria’s successful elections even though the real or imagined turmoil is yet to settle and these happenstances seem to have a daunting impression on the body politic of Ghana.  Aside economic relations that have binded the two countries together and fact that they are all west African countries, I am not able to draw any line between the unsubstantiated inferences that are flying about.

According to some observers and social commentators who mostly align with the main opposition party; the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the final results of Ghana’s General election which comes off in 2016 is just the true and exact reflection of what happened in far away Nigeria. The erroneous and oversimplified assertion which leaves no margin of error only makes one want to ask if these people are really serious about governing our ailing state that needs timely redemption.

Admittedly, Ghana is not doing well and requires a formidable opposition that can flaw the modus operandi of the ruling government and offering better alternatives thereof. An opposition that will put forward, realistic issues that will bring everybody to the table and a better campaign message that will translate into a beacon of hope to the hopeless and finally a can-do person we can all rally around to move us out of the quagmire we find ourselves in, but if people go about touting some bogus analysis that won’t fly, then I am tempted to think that the opposition is not ready to take over the reins of governance from our dead goat of a President.

For crying out loud, how can folks even come out with analysis such as, Buhari won the presidency at 72 and so is Nana Akufo Addo by next year at 72 and while Jonathan is already 58, Mahama is yet to hit 58 by next year? While they are both known to take over the reins of power from their bosses after their demise in office, the PDP and NDC of Ghana are symptomatic of the umbrella as their emblems, so by inference, APC, a Socialist party is NPP and Nana Addo, the same as Muhammadu Buhari. Additionally their respective opponents, Jonathan and Mahama have both been alleged to preside over massive corruption, mismanagement of the economy and bad governance which makes the plot Grande.

I shudder at these porous analysis because it looks like that is where the coincidence starts and ends and Nigeria’s elections outcome has got nothing on Ghana’s Presidential elections come next year. These people who think Buhari’s win is a precursor to Nana Addo’s win simply because of a handful coincidences have also forgotten that the political terrain in Nigeria and it’s demographics is far different from that of Ghana and whereas Jonathan woefully failed to contain the actions of the insurgents, Boko Haram, John Mahama has nothing to contend with except the chronic dumsor which has always bedeviled Ghana anyway.

Conversely, these impoverished thoughts have blinded the commentators to forget that the 72year old Buhari is more astute and agile than the 71year old Nana Addo and cannot really be compared to, in terms of health and zest to do the work at the Presidency. It is also noteworthy that Buhari has been a Major General in the army before and comes on as a hopeful candidate to restore peace and to quell down the rampant death, arsons and insecurity as a result of the insurgence of its people. They have also forgotten that as someone who comes from the North, he succeeded in garnering support from the Muslims who almost outnumbers other religious sects combined. And if Buhari has once been a Prime Minister through a Coup d’état, how realistic are these comparisons by comparing Nana Addo to him as though he has also executed a coup before? 

In the same vein, they have forgotten that the sterling performance of the Ex-Army General and

someone who has once being a President speaks for itself while Nana Addo is still contending his Lawyer Status or yet to convince all and sundry that he was called to the Bar? They have also forgotten that unlike Buhari, who is a Muslim, the two main contenders on our terrain are both Christians and are bound to split votes on that score. What more? Buhari has not side stepped the constitution to impose women on their constituents at the expense of their male counterparts or has not issued a caveat to the Ibos not to contest elections in the Yoruba dominated areas, thus denying aspirants and other sympathizers, their constitutional rights to enjoin in anything.

Why has age even become an issue in our political discourse if the constitution has not placed a limitation on it? Are we bereft of ideas and issues that will see us progress? And if there is anything to go by, barring other things, shouldn’t old age be synonymous to wisdom? Methinks it is time we as a people drop this age factor in our body politic to rather focus on abilities and capabilities?

We are already disappointed by the government of the day for not providing the basic necessities that will ensure better socio-economic lifestyles of its citizens but it gets a lot more painful when the opposition to check them comes on with this voodoo analysis and knee jerk reaction that does not stand the test of time. It is even more painful when all they seem to do is to be shifting goalposts and dancing in circles which will otherwise make most of the people who are bedfellows with the NDC  not hesitate to sleep in with the incumbent which will eventually give a closure to Nana Addo’s political career. 

In other words, we have gone past these armchair kinds of Politics, so the Politics in a bid to coming clean and taking the people serious should refrain from all these gimmicks and compose verifiable messages that Ghanaians can identify with, because the comparisons and differences in the two candidates who seems worlds apart can go on unend. And while these similarities are being bandied around, have we also thought about the aspirations of Ghanaians which may not necessarily be like that of the Nigerians?

Going forward, can we agree to play with the thorns on the roses and tell ourselves that the child’s play is enough?

writer tweets @vilejah