Since 1999, the PDP has had the majority at every level of governance, with precious little to show for it. It is tempting to declare them as the problem. They aren’t. Rather, what the PDP has become is inevitable in an arena with little competition: Stagnation. A lack of ideas. A decreasing desire to please the electorate.

For the last couple of years, Nigerians have called for a united opposition to the PDP, one that will be able to match the status of the PDP as the only truly national party. Well, we finally have that. Or at least, the beginnings of it.

It appears that Nigeria’s main opposition parties have finally realised they stand a better chance together than apart, and are willing to put their differences aside long enough to pose a real threat to the PDP. That is what makes the ruling party stand out, after all: the realisation that after all is said and done, they are willing to play on the same team. Even the prodigal sons, upset at losing out on one ticket or another, end up coming back under the umbrella, and are welcomed with open arms. It is, as they say, a family affair.

Whether the All Progressives Congress (APC) can re-create this ‘family atmosphere’, for want of a better phrase, remains to be seen, but just like the armoured personnel carrier that bears the same initials, they do seem ready to join the battle.

The roll call of leaders in the new opposition party reads like a group of people who must have made significant compromises to even think about working together. At the end of the day, this is what politics is about: compromise. It is messy, it is annoying but it has to be done. A lot of people remain oblivious to how change really happens. It is rarely by fiat. It is not as simple as saying ‘Let there be light’. Unless you are Superman, it is unlikely you can do anything substantial by yourself.

Anyone who has watched the movie ‘Lincoln’ (if you haven’t, you should) will come face to face with the reality of politics. Abraham Lincoln was probably the least corrupt man in America, but he couldn’t pass the Emancipation Act without the legislature’s assent. He promised one man the office of Postmaster General, in return for his support. For others, he had to resort to outright bribes. For still others, promises of re-election. In the final days before the vote, when his key advisers began to waver, he said: ‘I am the president of the United States of America, clothed in immense power! You will procure me these votes’.

This is the reality of politics. Every country has its reality. So does Nigeria. Since 1999, the PDP has had the majority at every level of governance, with precious little to show for it. It is tempting to declare them as the problem. They aren’t. Rather, what the PDP has become is inevitable in an arena with little competition: Stagnation. A lack of ideas. A decreasing desire to please the electorate.

Mark Twain said a long time ago, that politicians are like diapers, which should be changed often, and for the same reason. One political party is as good (or bad) as another. What makes them work is the consequences for non-performance, which they face at the ballot box in every election cycle. For this reason, the merger of opposition parties, should it get off the ground, will have a far more practical use than ‘change’. They introduce competition into the political space.

In many ways, they mirror the PDP. With no obvious ideology at the moment, most of their leading members were in the ruling party at one time or another. It may create the impression of being six and half a dozen, but that is to miss the point.

By having a political structure all over the country, the APC will give the ruling party a run for its money, and anyone not happy with the PDP will vote for their opponents in protest. That is the best way to put the fear of God into professional politicians. Take power away from them. The PDP has no strong incentive to fix Nigeria because there are no real consequences for not doing so.

Make no mistake, there are reformers in the PDP, but they are outnumbered by the multitude who have nothing to offer, yet continue to win elections almost by default. Our political landscape is in dire need of a shake up, and right now, we do not have the luxury of demanding a party that is ‘different’, but possesses no capacity to make an actual impact.

Democracy is all about the electorate getting the best possible deal it can from those they choose to serve them. It is a process that is constantly in operation, an eternal work in progress. The work that is Nigeria’s 4th republic has stalled precisely because a lack of alternatives. It is a similar case in South Africa as well. With no real threat to the ANC majority, stagnation has set in, and there is little urgency to reform. Ordinary South Africans are worse off as a result.

As imperfect as this merger is, Nigeria needs it to work. Our democracy cannot improve without it. Only competition for votes will push the best candidates forward on both sides, eventually leading to better governance outcomes. The journey to delivering true change in this country will take the majority of our lives.

The best we can hope for is to make this ‘geographical expression’ a better place for future generations to inhabit. Woe betide us if they say the same things about Nigeria that we say today. To get there, however, we have to start with what we have, warts and all, and not let the perfect become the enemy of the good.