Political campaigns in Nigeria always produce the most surreal promises from candidates and their spokespersons.
I remember growing up hearing jokes about a candidate that promised to “fire” and “water” his constituents (promising electricity and pipe-borne water).
Jokes apart, it was only 8 years ago that APC promised us ₦1 = $1, to pay every unemployed Nigerian youth ₦5,000 monthly, and create 10 million jobs.
Of course, today, the Dollar is pushing for ₦1,000 = $1, we never saw the ₦5,000, and as for the 10 million jobs…the less we speak, the better for our hearts.
Even now, the same party that delivered 3 recessions, and only one-time 3% GDP growth year for 7 years is back to promise us 10% GDP growth for the next 4 years.
So it is clear: politicians will say anything to win elections.
And nobody knows this more than the supporters of the 2 big political parties.
When you listen to them speak, you begin to think; if they’re so negative about what can be possible with a regime change, why do they fight so much to ensure their candidates win?
The zeal surely is not out of a desire to see a working country. Because if it were, they should be the loudest proponents of possibilities. But they instead focus on how difficult it is to change things. Which indicates that it’s all about winning for them.
Because let's tell ourselves the truth: the present government has performed abysmally. And drastic change is needed.
Yet, the runup to the 2023 general elections has revealed even more wonders.
For the first time, there is a leading candidate who has enjoyed the absolute-type powers of an executive office, yet whose detractors don’t have a corruption case against him.
Instead, they oppose him because his plans are “unassailable”. “Unrealistic”. “Impossible”.
“Governance is rocket science,” is the quip very often made on Twitter by senior public policy expert, Dr Joe Abah. It is important to note that he started saying this under the current APC government.
He has worked with at least 2 Nigerian presidents and many more governors to implement their policies. He’s experienced, so he must know more than me on the matter.
But then Mr Peter Obi comes along and makes promises that clearly translate to overhauling the political landscape. The man is promising new things, and speaking like they’re achievable.
So who do we believe?
The political experts who see good governance as normal for Western Nations, but “rocket science” for Nigeria?
Or the former governor, who has experience making executive decisions and implementing policy?
In this situation, the onus is on the man making promises to prove that he can fulfill them.
And no, we won’t take his words alone now. We’ll look at his past records, and juxtapose them with Nigeria’s present issues. So let’s take a look at some:
Issue 1: Nigeria has 20 million out-of-school children, and a poor educational system.
Record: Before Peter Obi became governor of Anambra state, Anambra state was 26th in National academic performance.
During campaign, he vowed to resign if he did not fix Anambra state education problem (November 26, 2002 All Africa News reports).
By the end of his tenure, he had successfully moved Anambra from 26th nationally to 1st for 3 years running in educational performance. Out of school children also became the lowest in the nation at 6.6%.
Verdict: Possible to correct
Issue 2: Nigeria is insecure and vulnerable to attacks in every zone from terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and armed militia.
Record: Before his emergence as governor, Anambra state used to be the kidnapping and bank robbery capital of Nigeria.
By the time he was leaving office, the Inspector General of Police reckoned that for Mr Peter Obi’s last 5 years in office, the state had been the safest in the country, with no attempted bank robberies (April 11, 2014; The Nation News report).
This means that he solved the security issue within 3 years.
Verdict: Possible to solve
Issue 3: We are in debt and have no money to develop unless we incur more loans (according to the present government).
Record: On assumption of office as governor, Anambra state was owing ₦35 billion in pension and salary debts. Development was slow or non-existent in all sectors, and contractors were not being paid.
He cut the cost of governance, streamlined budgets, and plugged the holes through which government money leaked.
By the time he was leaving office, Anambra was not owing any debts whatsoever, even to staff, suppliers and contactors.
He constructed 900km of roads and critical bridges (the equivalent of the road distance between Lagos to Abuja), renovated over all government schools and equipped them, funded farmers, security agencies, and many more.
He also left tens of Billions in cash and investsments. All without taking a kobo of loan.
Verdict: No better person to solve it than this man.
I could talk about how his campaign is uniting well-meaning Nigerians across all tribes and zones. And how there’s a rising wave of positive patriotism and newfound belief in the hearts of Nigerians as a result of his emergence.
Or how his record of setting up Anambra to be a place where industries can thrive shows that Nigeria can indeed move from “Consumption to Production" under him.
Look, the man has said it: he wants to retire the political system that has numbed Nigerians to hope and faith.
He has done it before in Anambra, where his reforms made Chief Chris Uba, a former political godfather and rogue who installed the previous 2 governors Mbadinuju and Ngige to become a renowned Town Crier – who went everywhere complaining about Mr Peter Obi’s “stinginess”.
And so dear Nigerians, if there’s anybody able to demystify rocket science (aka governance) in Nigeria, it is Mr Peter Obi.
And the time is now.