Fresh Blood or Old Timer for President?

[Richard Akindele]

The issue of the ideal candidate for the impending Nigerian presidency is a difficult question.

While it's easy to dismiss the old timers as not worthy of the position of president, electing a rookie with no track record is nothing more than a role of the dice. Things could turn out either way.

Such a young president could end up being what the doctor ordered, the messiah we've all been waiting for, or be among the worst presidents Nigeria ever had.

I am convinced though that with Nigeria's oil revenue, all that the nation needs is a no-nonesense president that'd aggressively put our revenue to positive use, instead of such income disappearing down the deep pockets of crooks.

The Nigerian youth is heavily involved in corrupt practices such as the popular 419. Everybody seems to gravitate toward the easy solution of making a quick buck. Nigeria being a nation that glamorizes wealth, an inexperienced president may be more focused on enriching himself/herself, as opposed to having the interest of the common man at heart.

My believe though is that the old timers cannot be relied upon to take difficult decisions in the interest of the nation. They will always gravitate toward diplomacy and compromise, so as not to alienate their long time friends. What is more, they've ruled Nigeria for decades and failed miserably. What more evidence do we need to prove their incompetence?

I'm exactly convinced that given a chance to rule Nigeria, the nation would be a different place by the time I leave. Unfortunately, being a person who's not politically motivated, the chance of becoming Nigeria's president is nil.

I am sure there are thousands out there like myself who would do a better job. But such people would never run, simply because the political landscape in Nigeria is a circus.

So, what is your answer: maintain the status quo with old politicians, or roll the dice on a young inexperienced candidate?

[Richard Akindele]

Emmanuel Bello

The race for Aso Villa is on again. This time, it promises all the excitements of a relay match with the president stretching the baton (some will say he is still holding on to it) to the myriads of hands before him. While some are well-known and are already campaigning, there are those who are bidding their time, silent strategists who are yet to show themselves. The fact is that there are many contenders who are not the best known in the public arena but are equally qualified and will do a great job once given the chance. In a country of over a hundred million people it is not unlikely that there are some presidential materials that are probably hampered by financial consideration in a political system tinge with monetary considerations.

The old and new

Basically, the contenders could be divided into the old school and the new comers who believe they could make a difference. The younger politicians continue to preach the virtues of generational shift, making a case of the need to inject new blood into the decaying system. The latest contenders include political party leaders such as Rev. Chris Okotie and others who are chairmen of their parties as well as the presidential flagbearers. Although Okotie, for instance, had a stint as a presidential aspirant in 2003, he cuts the image of a fresh comer and thus symbolizes the spirit of the new class who believe that they could do a better a job than they older folks. Others in this class include General Buba Marwa (retd), Zamfara State Governor Ahmed Sani and the yet-to-be-known aspirants who are found in all work of life such as the businesses, the academics, religious institutions, and other private concern.

On the flipside, the veterans are banking on the age-long advantage of hindsight, their wealth of experience and the overall connection they have with the people. They are also the archetypical politicians who possess the know-how of the game of stealth, double-speak, and the nuances of politicking. In their armoury also is the weapon of thug-following.

The end of experience?

An emerging scenario in the political landscape is one in which the older class of politicians are daily getting resisted by the growing new order who now repudiates the value of experience. For instance, a group that goes by the name "The Restoration Group" recently put up paid adverts in the papers in which among other things it admonished Nigerians to shun politics of the older class because "moneybags mortgages politicians, mortgages the nation".

They went on to observe that "as politicians jostle for positions in the post Obasanjo era from 2007, the people of Nigeria expects and calls for a change in political culture. The restoration group says no to the extant politics of moneybags and godfathers, the mortgages politicians and mortgages the nation."

They also aver that there is need to resist "any emphasis on political experience because such experience in Nigeria is experience in bribery , rigging, thuggery, disregard of laws and processes, planlessness and self aggrandisement."

The argument is further sustained by those who said the cumulative effect of the type of leadership provided by the older class is seen in the present state of the nation. They say that experience has not changed the nation in terms of development, and actually blame the older leaders for the present state of things.

Recycled leadership

By a way of definition, the recycled leader is one who has been there before and has not impacted on the nation in radical ways and seeks office again. With this definition, it would mean even the incumbent is such a leader.

Those who are against it are quick to point out that such leaders, apart from a penchant for conservativeness, do not add value to the nation.

However, there are others who contend that it really does not matter who is at the top. They said that an older person could work with younger people and thus bring the benefit of youth and radicalism into governance. The example of President Obasanjo was cited. According to them the President surrounded himself with younger people in the key sector of the economy for the nation's good.

Gen. Babangida's experience

For the handlers of his campaign, a strong point in favour of the former Nigerian ruler is that he will bring his 8 years experience in leadership to the political field. He has learnt from his judgement of errors they opine and conclude that he will change the nation through his policies. They sell him as the man who knows where the problem is especially as he is often blamed for the nation's ills.

But his critics will raise the already mentioned issues of redundant experience that does no good. They will say that the former president is the example of a man who did not do much to affect the nation's fortunes and has no need to return.

He is criticised for institutionalising corruption and always seeking ways of scuttling the people mandates.

The biggest case against him is that when he is given a second chance , IBB as the former president is fondly called, will continue with his policy of enriching others while he stuff his own pockets. His harshest critics believe that the economic theory of the Minna General is live and let's lives- a policy which stipulates that the man is not bothered with corruption.

Among ordinary Nigerians however the Babangida days easily conjures images of the days when money was available and generally the good days. With the then first lady, Maryam Babangida's Better life program, combined with the president populist programmes, the IBB regime was the masses choice.

Yet critics have insisted that there is no place for the General in the next dispensation given his antecedents.

General Babangida himself recently declared that he would run in 2007. Not a few believe that he was speaking tongue in cheek.

Atiku Abubakar

He is another old timer and although he has not been the nation's leader there are people who will say he is part and parcel of all the failure or successes of the current regime He has often defended himself by saying that as a VP he was limited. He is now viewed as one of the many that should forget ruling the country

The Vice President has also opened his campaign office to press home his ambition. But political watchers say he is only playing politics and that when the chips are down he will not run. They note that the VP as far as he was concerned has had his victory with the dead of third term.

Gen. Muhammadu Buhari

He enjoys a lot of good will from the masses especially in his beloved North. But having had a go at leadership as the nation's ruler, the thought in some quarters is that the General should also forget the presidential race in 2007.

A disciplinarian by temperament, the man is seen as the only one who could really sanitise the country and bring to a desired place. The only problem is that those who prefer the status quo will not hear of a Buhari presidency. Of the aforementioned political leaders, the Katsina-born General is said to be the most ambitious with a genuine sense of mission.

Millionaire owner of a grounded Airline company, Marwa resembles the face of freshness in the nation politics. But his various brushes with the EFCC and the VP have almost robbed him of the innocence and clarity of purpose needed in the crop of leaders. Some also say that he lacks the experience to handle a nation as diverse as Nigeria. And although he is said to have done a good job in Lagos state when he was MILAD there, it is still not seen as sufficient grounds for national duty.

Ahmed Sani

Apart from Zamfara state where he has experimented with the Sharia, the Yariman Bakura cannot be said to hold any other sterling credentials to rule Nigeria. Yet the former CBN staff is positive that he could rule the entire nation if given the chance. While he may not be in the old class, the two term governor is not a fresh face either.

Source: Daily Trust.