by Abdullahi Aborode

Since the commencement of the 4th republic in 1999 we have been “ruled” by the PDP in most parts of Nigeria and at the Federal level. I chose to use “rule” because they haven’t been leading but ruling. Now taking a closer look at the people in their government, are/were they all PDP members? Certainly not! We’ve been taking too much time concentrating on the PDP and claiming they are the manufacturers of our problems.

So many members of the PDP have decamped to the “opposition” parties and they are celebrated there, some of them even come out boldly claiming to be messiahs, some have been used as presidential candidates, some now criticize the PDP to win our hearts.

Is this not a method of recycling by the PDP? Are these people not by-products of the “accursed” PDP? Did they really skedaddle the PDP because they wanted the best for us or because they couldn’t get a ticket in the PDP? What efforts did they make to solve our problems while in the PDP? If they couldn’t solve the problem there why should we trust them to solve our problems outside the PDP? (I know not all are liars.)

Before the election in 2011, our hopes were high; we thought we could finally egress the death claws of the PDP, all opposition parties campaigned against PDP, and they all tagged the PDP to be the cancer encumbering Nigeria’s growth. They won our hearts with this because we were “all” ready for change, but there was an obstacle to overcome, an alliance was needed, the PDP seems to be so perfect in fraud, so to break them, we need to be organized and gather everyone under one tent.

Unfortunately our “opposition” parties had their egos more important than our extrication, the alliance was dealt a heavy hurricane, and so our hopes were again chattered. If the said “progressives” can’t come together, I’m afraid there’ll be a repeat of what happened in Adamawa last week on and on.

The 2011 election was the fairest of elections since 1999, and so a lot of opposition members are in this present government, so if this government fails, they all failed! What motions have the opposition senators moved in cutting government waste? What motions have they moved in combating corruption? What motions have they moved on prudency? What motions have they moved in implementing the laws that have been passed? These are few questions we need to start asking them before they claim to be anti-PDP.

Just recently, senators are reported to be acquiring N1.8bn jeeps are members of the “opposition” parties going to be dashing theirs to charity? On the illegal but “legalized” security votes; are governors of the “opposition” parties conferring it to motherless baby’s homes? HELL NO! So they are a party to this persistent looting and I’ll say they are a PDP in another dimension. We’ll be shallow to think PDP is the only problem.

We youths should now see that these people only run mouths but don’t act in our interests but to fill their pockets. We should be ready to harmonize, strategize and mobilize in reclaiming our nation. We can’t be going from class A looters to class A* looters, we have to be in control of our country. We have to hold our leaders accountable. Before 2015 we need to keep the tempo as we did during the protests, it’s not over! Come 2015 we the youths should screen and vote for the best leaders in different regions from the local government up to the federal level.

We should educate people around us and let them realize the time for change is now! I think it’s time for us to have a civil society organization that will cut across all parts of the country not just a regional one. Nigeria shall be great! Together we’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel.

“I am not a liberator. Liberators do not exist. The people liberate themselves.” – Ernesto “Che” Guevara

I STAND TO BE CORRECTED!!!