Why Nigerian political leaders fail to manifest their manifestos
AFTER 62 years of independence, Nigeria still battles the shackles of leadership failure. Failure is visible in nearly all sectors. 62 years of crawling around the circle. Decades after independence, the same leaders, the same promise, no ideological difference, and no profit to the masses but for the elites.
Political actors are turning up for rendezvous with bundles of promises, agenda and manifestos written by experts for principals with no apprehension of their vows. In May 2023, a “familiar spirit” would get it and may jettison their manifesto, the Nigerian consensus for an already existing elite consensus that has kept Africa’s biggest and most populated economy in squalor, poverty and hardship. However, there are reasons why this runof-the-mill and unexceptional flourish every four years.
There is an elite consensus in Nigeria. A few made a consensus to benefit the few. One that is made to fail the majority and succeed the minority. This elite consensus has made the development of Nigeria challenging to come by. Political leaders use the Nigerian consensus for the campaign but do away with it after the election. The elite consensus ensures that the needs and personal desires of the political class are met. They achieve these desires through the yearly National Budget. The budget is tailored to spend more on the salaries of a few minorities than the common good of the masses.
A 2021 Report by the Budget Office of Nigeria revealed that the government spent 88.5 percent of revenue in the last decade on recurrent expenditure.
Also, recurrent expenditure has gulped 50.6 percent of the budgetary allocation within the same period.
According to the University of Oxford economist Stefan Dercon, Nigeria may not achieve development except her elite bargain to sacrifice and risk their needs for the country’s common good.
Nigeria’s political leaders are not held accountable. They are responsible to themselves and their fellow elites, not the masses. Nigerians retreat from governance issues after elections. They watch and allow events to take their natural course. No demand for leaders to abide by their promises. When they do, they are not daring enough to challenge authorities through protests, pressure groups, litigations, fierce negotiations, and picketing government offices to drive home the people’s will.
After elections, these leaders disconnect from the people. The people accept this good governance disconnect and wait for another election season to recycle and choose from a list of failed leaders. After the elections, Nigerians become “happy” in the face of bad governance as though nothing is wrong. Ethnicity and religion take greater priority to the masses. Ethnicity and religion have made Nigerians fail to speak the truth to power actors.
Nigerian leaders reflect the vast majority of Nigerians. A set of leaders befitting for their followers. Wrong choices, parochial ideologies with no real intent for change. Nigerians continue to elect the wrong leaders with no capacity and integrity. Leadership whose past and present manifest deceit, falsehood and failure. How they succeed in representing their parties remains a huge nonplus. More astonishing is how they end up emerging as winners during elections. When political leaders emerge surprisingly, they do surprising things. No regard for the will of the masses. No respect and compassion for the sufferings of the people. No fear of God and affection for the people.
In Nigeria, state institutions are weak. The rule of law lacks rules. The judiciary is struggling to be free from executive interference. The police lack the capacity to police themselves, let alone the people. Agencies meant to tackle corruption are selective, biased and toothless. These agencies are now occupied by cronies, relatives and associates of political leaders to act as their undercover.
The process of fighting corruption is corrupt. The state institutions meant to check abuse of power, justice, human rights, and security have faulty foundations and cannot effectively perform their duties. Justice is sold to the highest bidder. The state no longer has the temerity to compel political leaders to abide by the social contract agreement of good governance it entered with the people.
John Campbell, former ambassador of the United States of America to Nigeria, argued in his book What everyone needs to know that “Nigeria is a democracy where people are meant to demand accountability; however, it is also a kleptocracy”. A political system where those in political positions think of themselves rather than the common good of society. Nigeria must be wary of failure in leadership to avoid a mass revolt from the people. Political leaders must watch out for the outcome of their decisions and policies after the 2023 elections. The approach to leadership must change. The elited must do away with their consensus and allow the Nigerian consensus to strive henceforth.