In One Accord?

How we attempt to outmuscle ourselves daily on here because of politicians who'd care less of our opinions because of such trifling lack of a powerful single-voice with which to press for good governance and fiscal responsibility is utterly saddening. To say the least. These displays of affectation for parties and candidates rather than a united front for issues of governance only serve to inform these self-serving politicians that we - the governed - will remain divided along lines of mundane irrelevance giving them all the impetus they need to keep us divided.

What good will come from that but a glorious repetition of clueless governance, a vicious cycle leading us farther and further from realising the noble goals of our founding fathers. It is beyond shame that the youths, a category that I've been unfortunately stuffed into, are the most divided because of their self-righteous insistence on being more knowledgeable about this candidate or that party than anyone else. Hence, an insanely ridiculous amount of time is spent on researching more about their "heroes" and "heroines" to counter the accusations of their peers on the other lane.

If a fraction of that time is expended on issues of policy, of manifesto, of ideas, of strategies involved in a more robust electoral process, so as to be better prepared to ensure that those fielding themselves for electoral positions know that it's not gon be "Business As Usual" since the electorate will demand for true representation and good governance IN ONE ACCORD and WITH ONE VOICE, if only a fraction of our time (as youths) is devoted to this, what a difference it'd make.

But no. We'd rather argue amongst ourselves and divide our focus and opinions on the most mundane trivialities.

Elections, Political Parties and Credible Individuals

In response to an advice for Nigerians to desist from promoting political parties and rather vote for only those candidates whose capabilities to lead are evident.

It's rather unfortunate that these candidates yet have to belong to these non-ideological groupings called political parties in this side of the world. Were it possible to have independent candidates put themselves up for election, then your candid advice might be ultimately instructive. But as things currently stand, the politicians here are by-products, largely, of the political platforms upon which they emerge. And when they truly emerge, they have little space do much beyond the demands of these parties. So, in trying to do away with the support of one party or the other, the politician will himself be thrown with that bath water.

What this has resulted to is that those who should have been credible enough to be considered for votes irrespective of what parties they belong, as you're rightly canvassing, see the same rot you have identified in these political platforms masquerading as political parties. It is undesirable, for those averse to political arm-twisting, the high octane politicking that goes on behind the scenes; the horse trading not captured by cameras. And having noticed the putrefaction in these platforms will rather preserve their good names and hard earned integrity by avoiding politics entirely than throw all their dignity to the dogs in a bid to get elected to serve in different capacities in the truest sense of the word, based on elections that require the platform of political parties.

What that leaves the electorate is the dregs of residue, the remnants with sordid histories and with little to nothing of what it means to uphold the noble tenets of democratic principles and with a past that'll make some criminals in saner climes cringe. These are the characters, the dramatis personae that loom larger than life in the vacuous terra firma of our political landscape and enthrone themselves permanently on our political consciousness willfully vying for the toga of "Best Rigger" in any electioneering exercise.

And having won "convincingly", they set into process a strategy, nay they endeavour to leave a deeper hole in the common till, in the National Cake, that those who came before and those who will come after. Any surprises that there's a race to win in 2015 swifter than the race to free the Boko Haram abductees who may have actually become used to their situations now given how we have EBOLA-rised that struggle?

So, granted that we ought to see beyond the political parties to the individuals and vote for the right candidates, it is a struggle harder than trying to extract a dragon's tooth, finding those individuals today.