NIGERIAN POLITICIANS IN THE GAMBLING ARENA

The conduct of our politicians is simply baffling, writes

What kind of verdict will history pass on the present political class in Nigeria, especially about its conduct of the pre-2023 JHQHUDO HOHFWLRQ DͿDLUV" /LNH LQ SUHYLRXV dispensations, I doubt if the group is fully aware of its foibles and excesses enough to even bother about posterity. “All the world’s a stage/ And all the men and women merely players/ They have their exits and their entrances/ And one man in his time plays many parts/ His acts being seven ages…,” William Shakespeare wrote that long ago in KLV SOD\ $V

What makes the Nigerian situation unique is, each set of politicians that enters the scene appears to do so with its own SHFXOLDU WUDGHPDUNV DQG GLVFRPÀWXUH

All you need to be convinced that full commercialisation of Nigerian politics is underway is to simply take another look DW WKH DPRXQWV À[HG E\ WKH WZR OHDGLQJ political parties for the various elective R΀FHV 7KH UXOLQJ $OO 3URJUHVVLYHV &RQJUHVV

$3& 3UHVLGHQW PLOOLRQ QDLUD *RYHUQRUVKLS PLOOLRQ QDLUD 6HQDWH PLOOLRQ QDLUD +RXVH RI 5HSUHVHQWDWLYHV million naira and House of Assembly, two million naira. The main opposition party, 3HRSOHV 'HPRFUDWLF 3DUW\ 3'3 3UHVLGHQW

PLOOLRQ QDLUD *RYHUQRUVKLS PLOOLRQ QDLUD 6HQDWH PLOOLRQ QDLUD +RXVH RI 5HSUHVHQWDWLYHV PLOOLRQ QDLUD DQG +RXVH RI $VVHPEO\ PLOOLRQ QDLUD ,Q D ÁDVK both parties have become richer by tens of billions of naira via a scheme that is both unprecedented and daring in its design and execution. And more cash is still rolling in. With the primaries only about two weeks ahead, the drama surrounding the sale of these nomination and expression of interest forms further erodes whatever is left of the integrity of the exercise.

We are now faced with a bazaar, literally. Those who describe these transactions as obscene have cogent reasons. With the generality of the people succumbing to massive unemployment, stripped education, stark insecurity, biting hunger and penetrating penury, displaying such ZHDOWK ZKRVH VRXUFHV DUH GL΀FXOW WR H[SODLQ in many instances can connote, at best, insensitivity and, at worst, pure wickedness. Knowing that all these moves are geared towards acquiring power over the people and their common resources also aggravates the psychological pain therein.

Nigerians have been so dealt with by their SUHYLRXV H[SHULHQFHV WKDW WKH\ FDQQRW DͿRUG to jump into believing that all these aspirants are in the races for the good of the country. Among the prospectors are very few who are sure of clinching their parties’ tickets, some who are jostling for relevance that can HDUQ WKHP SRVLWLRQV DQG LQÁXHQFH LQ WKH coming government, and many others who are fronting for the heavyweights. The shock of the uninitiated public that initially greeted the parties’ announcements of the grades of fees quickly gave way to subdued anger as tens of millions of naira started appearing on the horizon with ease from all sorts of persons and groups. Truly, the parties’ hierarchies had done their homework.

Two practices have refused to leave my FRQVFLRXVQHVV LQ UHODWLRQ WR WKLV IUHQ]\ /DXQGHULQJ DQG JDPEOLQJ (YHQ ZLWK WKH LQFXPEHQF\ HGJH RQO\ WKH $3& FDQ explain the record-breaking attraction to its presidential primaries. Ordinarily, large and diverse participation should be good news in any democratic space but the calibre of prospective candidates and their DQWLFV GR QRW LQVSLUH FRQÀGHQFH DQG KRSH LQ WKH V\VWHP 7KH RWKHU GD\ WKH &KDLUPDQ RI WKH (FRQRPLF DQG )LQDQFLDO &ULPHV &RPPLVVLRQ ()&& $EGXOUDVKHHG %DZD assured everyone that his organisation would work closely with the Independent 1DWLRQDO (OHFWRUDO &RPPLVVLRQ ,1(& WR verify the origins of these funds. While not GRXEWLQJ WKH LQWHQWLRQV RI WKH ()&& WKH level of scepticism and cynicism especially WRZDUGV FXUUHQW DQG SDVW SROLWLFDO R΀FH holders in this nation today would require visible, practical measures to assuage. Mere promises are now as good as dead.

Gambling, according to Britannica, is “the betting or staking of something of value, with consciousness of risk and hope of gain, on the outcome of a game, a contest, or an uncertain event whose result may be determined by chance or accident or have an unexpected result by reason of the bettor’s miscalculation.” Broadly, many people participate in one type of speculation or the other. Most investments come under this category. The stock market where venture capital is traded and insurance where corporate and personal risks are spread present good examples.

What makes the ongoing deals at the party secretariats troubling, however, is WKDW WKH EXVLQHVV GHPRFUDF\ E\ LWV QREOH doctrines, ought not to be a vehicle for private acquisition of public resources. Any activity that casts shadows on that truism should, therefore, be condemned. Failure to do so would inadvertently open yet another shameful chapter in our already fouled SROLWLFDO DWPRVSKHUH &DQ ZH DV D SHRSOH DͿRUG WR OHDYH PRUH URRP IRU WKH VHOI FHQWUHG juggling of probabilities, possibilities and favourable or unfavourable outcomes to the detriment of a desperately needed national UHELUWK"

0RUH IURP %ULWDQQLFD ´$ERXW WKH ODWH WK &HQWXU\ WKHUH EHJDQ D JUDGXDO DOEHLW LUUHJXODU VKLIW LQ WKH R΀FLDO DWWLWXGH toward gambling, from considering it a sin to considering it a vice and a human ZHDNQHVV DQG ÀQDOO\ WR VHHLQJ LW DV D PRVWO\ harmless and even entertaining activity.… The swelling number of gamblers in the 20th century highlighted the personal and social problem of pathological gambling, in which individuals are unable to control or OLPLW WKHLU JDPEOLQJ 'XULQJ WKH V DQG · V SDWKRORJLFDO JDPEOLQJ ZDV UHFRJQL]HG by medical authorities in several countries as a cognitive Should we then hope that the politicians who are struggling to “serve” the people at all cost are not pushing the country WR WKH SUHFLSLFH" 2U ZLVK WKDW WKLV LV QRW D manifestation of conspiracy of the political HOLWH" &DVLQRV DQG ORWWHULHV FDQ EULQJ IRUWXQHV to the lucky. They can also ruin persons, families and institutions, in the same vein. Sadly, at the moment, the Nigerian populace appear to lack the capacity to withstand this rampaging lot and initiate real change. Notwithstanding this sad reality, they deserve genuine leaders who are mindful of true legacies, not a band of pampered pirates or boisterous buccaneers.

Can we, as a people, afford to leave more room for the self-centred juggling of probabilities, possibilities and favourable or unfavourable outcomes to the detriment of a desperately needed national rebirth?