The unending furore generated by Baba Obasanjo and IBB letters in the Nigerian political firmament is understandable. First, the messengers are not ordinary Nigerians and we have seen havocs that such phacelia letters had done in the past and it is capable of even doing at this strategic time, if Nigerians should decide to act on them sheepishly.Anyway, the letters were an advanced form of what has been trending forcefully in the social media and canvassed by many political stakeholders including sophisticated, emergency and elementary political analysts.
The contents of the letters are spewed with venom, thick enough to cause political heatwave more than the ones that causes meningitis. The letters have a melting point and with a commanding tone, one message for PMB: Don’t contest 2019 election. If they have both signed off without a ‘stop order’ to PMB it would have served more altruistic meaning but that part of the message is giving their motive away as misanthropy.
Honestly, without quit notice the letters were strong enough to impact on the Presidency and let people make or change their mind. Such would have earned them more respect as elder statesmen they are supposed to be.
The quit notice is going beyond the boundary of well-intentioned advice and undemocratic. It is simply bullying PMB. Who could have advised Baba OBJ not to go for his ‘well-deserved’ second term then and even an attempted third term? We all knew how IBB manipulated us maradonically before he enriched our political lexicon with ‘step aside’ stigma. People should not give what they don’t have or try to play God in the affairs of men. Now, if PMB decides to run and won in 2019, they should both bury their head in shame.
However, despite the fanciful bold face the presidency may be presenting, I believe the sea is not as calm as before and a lot of thinking is going on right now in some quarters with a view to doing things differently and make ameliorative adjustments.
The Presidency score first by taking a professional approach in responding to the OBJ’s letter with list of verifiable and facts-laced achievements of PMB without recourse to the use of foul or abusive language. That was excellence from brother Lai, who has been demarketed as Mr. LIE. Without the letters, that part of FG’s record would not have been made public. That is why PMB needs more letters really. Election is still one year away now and such letters may challenge PMB and his team to do more critical thinking.
Nigerians need to write more letters to PMB. It is part of their civic duty to remind him of his electoral promises but they can as well proffer solutions and not just critics.
No doubt, PMB has performed below expectations on many fronts and tactless on some critical issues. No credit too to his quality of advisers. But he has many things to his credit as well. I also believe that definitely, PMB cannot be the only option to rescue Nigeria.
2019 offers another opportunity for Nigerians to make a choice. A rational and wise one indeed.
But so far, 12 months to the election, we have only seen a scant few personalities (mostly with unattractive credentials) and amorphous coalition before Nigerians. I was thinking many Nigerians, including the Phanariot, would by this time be warming up sternly to the muddy, exciting and, at times murderous, political field. Perhaps like mushrooms, much effort is going on underground in the nation’s political sphere waiting to sprout suddenly one convenient day. But time is ticking.
I think Nigeria indeed needs a leader for the digital age and not just a ‘digital leader’ as IBB advanced.
And when they eventually come forth, Nigerians should judge rightly with their voter’s card. But a change will only make sense only when it is replaced with a better choice. That is the common sense.
Until then, we are still waiting.
