Our today’s politicians are only looking for power. They are birds of the same feathers. They see politics as a gravy train for power and wealth accumulation. Do they even care about ideologies? Certainly no. These politicians hardly stay in one political party. They decamp from one political party to another for the sake of political power.
As the 2023 elections draw closer,many politicians who are at dagger draw with their political parties have started mulling idea of forming an alternative platform to nurse or pursue their political ambition. Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Kano born politician and founder of kwankwasiyya political movement recently berated both the APC and PDP. Kwankwaso stated that,”these political parties have failed nigerians and have nothing to offer any more”. Kwankwaso who was once member of the two dominant political parties but floated his “The National Movement (TNM) may be right. But he can not exenorate himself from the rot the country found itself. That is why, many nigerians describe his ratling or vituperation as the one of drowning politician who lost relevance and wants to reinvent himself. However, Kwankwaso is not the first person to root or call for the formation of third force. The former INEC chairman, Attahiru Jega, once called for third force to replace or wrestle power from APC in the forthcoming elections.
The slow face of country’s development since the return of democracy in the last two decades is a worrisome to any right thinking nigerians. But this can be attributed to leadership problems. Don’t blame our Political parties. They are just mere platforms for leadership recruitment or simply avenue in which leaders emerge. In 1999 when the military administration headed by Abdulsalam Abubakar proposed transition to civil rule, it hurriedly packaged and sold multi parties system to nigerians. Those political parties were bereft of intimidating ideologies as obtained in the first and second republics. One recalls,during the first and second republic, political parties had good manifestations and well crafted policies for the country’s growth and development. One can not match the qualities of defunct NPC, NEPU, NPN or PRP with our current PDP, APC or any other political party in the country. No wonder, inspite of political intrigues that marred those regimes, Nigeria witnessed strong leadership and institutions which resulted in socio-economy development.
Our today’s politicians are only looking for power. They are birds of the same feathers. They see politics as a gravy train for power and wealth accumulation. Do they even care about ideologies? Certainly no. These politicians hardly stay in one political party. They decamp from one political party to another for the sake of political power.
This is the main reason why many nigerians see “third force” as another old wine in new bottle. To them, third force can never be a better alternative in 2023. Those who will float, bankroll and contest under it, are the same failed politicians who have contributed to the country’s current challenges. While it may be truth both the APC and PDP have failed Nigerians, third force is nothing but another political gimmick aimed at swindling nigerians.
With the “third force” looks like an offshoot of APC and PDP, do nigerians have a second option? I think, yes. For Nigeria to have a good leadership capable of addressing the country’s socio-economy malaise, Nigerians need to discard or throw away parties politics. Party politics is a process in which electorates vote along party affiliation. It has unarguably done much harm than good to Nigerian democracy.
Instead, Nigerians should pay much emphasis on electing credible candidates in respective of their political parties.
Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua
