OPINION: APC May Not Be Our Saviour, but… – by @AAABorode

OPINION: APC May Not Be Our Saviour, but…

Yesterday 7th February, 2013 we got news of the successful merger of the opposition parties (ACN, ANPP, APGA and CPC) which has been ongoing for quite a time now pending INEC’s ratification.  They came together to form the APC = All Progressives Congress. As expected, there will be supporters, skeptics and those who antagonize.

I have been waiting for this outcome for quite a long time, I believe it is the only realistic revolution we can have in Nigeria to effect change that won’t involve bloodshed (Well, minimal bloodshed). The reason for my belief is due to the poor condition and the sorry state the PDP led administration in the last 14 years has put Nigerians through. The APC as we know still parades PDP elements and those members who may have decamped for one reason or the other.

Our nascent democracy won’t survive in the hands of incompetent leaders for long, it will continue to cost us the future of our kids and the gradual death of the positive potentials our generation possesses. Now that we have another mega-party, I strongly believe it will keep the PDP on its toes. It will force them to act now in the interest of the general public or lose the next election. I am of the opinion that the PDP have taken Nigerians for granted so long because they haven’t faced a serious competition. Now that the APC is coming on board, they know they have an incredible competitor and they’ll do everything not to lose grip of power. That is if APC lives up to it’s billing.

Something is better than nothing! We can’t settle for just anything but we can’t also let that deter us from lighting the fire under PDP. The PDP’s grip on power needs to be loosened as soon as possible, for us to uphold our democracy and make it participatory. No party should be guaranteed a win as the case is presently. There is need to flash them the badge of “sit up or get out” and without a credible opposition or a good plan in place, we are just labouring in pain.

14 years is more than enough for a political party to build a strong foundation, it is enough to salvage certain ills in the society and it is enough time to convince the people that the movement is geared towards reasonable and beneficial one. The PDP led administration has failed in this respect, I urge us all to give the APC a try. Yes, I know leadership shouldn’t be a trial and error thing, but can we afford to dance to PDP’s horrible music over and over again?

This is the time for us to get down to work and do something. It is not the time for lazy or petty talks, surely no time to look for loopholes. It is the time to drill the APC and know what they have in stock for us. It is the time to let them know we will hold them accountable for everything promised. It is time for us to demand for their manifesto and study it. This is not the time to rubbish the party, this is not the time to be all pessimistic, and it is not the time to point fingers without providing realistic alternatives.

However, it is important to know that the APC are no saviours, we are the ultimate saviours because sovereignty lies in our hands, and it is time for us to decide which party we will support or join. We can only be hopeful that the APC brings the change we clamour for. Having great minds in both parties will be a huge plus for the country. It is high time Nigeria had two great parties and two great alternatives. That will do our nation a whole lot of good, no doubt.

The APC is still a work in progress and I’ll urge Nigerians not to ruin this opportunity with continuous and unnecessary skepticism. If you don’t support APC then you are in the hands of the PDP, there are NO saints in politics everywhere in the world. Morality without will to compromise is not a potent ingredient in politics, we need to understand this. Politics is a combination of the good and bad but the ‘bad’ must not overshadow the good. The outcome has to be positive, has the PDP given us this?

Democracy is all about viable alternatives, the APC could be that viable alternative which must be supported. It is time for us to be vigilant, it is time for us as a people to come together and ask for the very best from both parties. We still have 2 years to 2015, we can’t afford to wait till then before we act as citizens, let us put the heat on this current administration, the 2 years shouldn’t be a repeat of the wasted years.

We don’t have to necessarily join partisan politics to project progress. Some of us need to be on the look out to act as check for the actors, but being an ordinary critic without efficiently looking for ways to effect change is useless. Part of the efficient acts is educating the masses on need to vote and protect their votes. It is important to vote when the time comes and not say “They are all bad I’m not voting”.

The future of Nigeria is in our hands. Let’s give the APC a chance and for those keen on partisan politics, why not examine the manifesto of APC and see if you can align with it. Make haste before the bad eggs of PDP start decamping into the APC.

God Bless Nigeria!

By AAABORODE
Edited by Debo Adejugbe