In this country it is pretty easy to predict the mood or reactions of the people on the disposition of their elected leaders. That’s why the regular and social media are replete with postings about how renowned politicians are pushing themselves gradually and cunningly onto the launching pads for snatching the presidency.
In fact, Nigerian politicians are an interesting lot, always doing the unexpected, uttering uncomplimentary remarks about their compatriots or contemplating the impossible. Otherwise, how else could they be deliberating on sweeping issues or impending events whose outcome could be overwhelmingly unrealistic or disappointing? The year 2019, is a magical one which holds so many promises and expected goodwill, but it is still far away from now, and no accurate soothsayer or truthful oracle could precisely predict what it holds in store for overzealous and over ambitious politicians eager for its prospects.
Already, some politicians are obsessed with that enchanted year which they rightly or wrongly believe will effectively affect their destinies and bring about abundant luck in their careers. These people may not be empty vessels, but are already making loud noise, which is not only surprising but irritating about their inordinate ambitions and their strong desire for success in that distinctive year.
They are eager to deploy their illicit wealth, flex their political muscles, and bare their canine-like fangs to infect any opposition or adversary with lethal poison. This is because they are obsessed with, and extremely worried and apprehensive about the possibility or impossibility of a presidential contest by the incumbent. In other words, they are unable to think clearly or reason sensibly and accurately about President Muhammadu Buhari’s state of mind especially with regards to vying for a second term in 2019.
In the actual fact, it is premature for any potential presidential aspirant to overtly demonstrate his unbridled interest in the plump office when the incumbent did not signify his intention to terminate his second term bid which he may not even be contemplating. In that case such vociferous and bigheaded people should come down their high horses and learn to be patient and humble. The present administration is barely eighteen months in office with just about two more years to go. It should, therefore, not be harried or stampeded into taking rash and unnecessary actions towards actualizing or thwarting its perceived or imaginary intention.
The precipitate actions of these impatient politicians, eager to actualize their ambitions, and quite unwilling to wait for an appropriate time, is really overheating the Nigerian polity even as the majority of the people cry out under traumatic recession. This unpleasant occasion is from all intents and purposes diversionary and distractive apart from heating the polity unnecessarily.
Ambitious politicians should allow the government pursues its goals with a clear intention of delivering the goodies of democracy to its expectant people. Already, there are some ill-intentioned politicians that are hell-bent on besmearing the reputation of this administration by buttressing the belief of some people that it was deficient in so many ways and could not adequately discharge its responsibilities, let alone guarantee their wellbeing.
From the looks of events happening on the political scene and elsewhere, one can easily marvel at how Nigerians could be so mean and vain, particularly in evaluating the peculiar political situation in the country.
There are those that rise up at all occasions to call for a change in the way the government is running the show, while others were simply contented with what was obtainable or done by those entrusted with the task of governance. In between these two differing scenarios exists an uncharacteristic set of anti-government campaigners who respond to remarks about the government in sharp and bitter criticism, often disapprovingly.
Against that backdrop, therefore, it was not unusual to hear people willingly criticizing the leadership style of the incumbent government, harboring sentimental recollections of yesteryear, accompanied by mixed feelings of happiness, sadness and yearnings as they remember peoples and events from the past. That has given rise to so much speculations on the social media about the prospects of some distinguished politicians aspiring to contest the presidency in 2019 even if to provide proof of ineptness and unskillfulness on the part of the incumbent leadership.
Already, old political war horses have been warming up, sending strong signals about their intention to throw in their hats in the arena for presidential contest with the support of the already dejected and despondent electorates.
Could that be the best thing the people of this country have been waiting for, since it was being bandied around that the incumbent government was apparently deficient and could not discharge its responsibilities creditably? On the other hand, it may turn out to be handwriting on wall, or a wake-up call to the government to shake off its weariness, overcome emptiness and neutralize inactiveness.
Although it is pretty early to adjudge the performance of the incumbent president and come up with rational verdict, Nigerian politicians are presently restive, impatient and uneasy, almost on the verge of coming out in full force to demonstrate their intention whether or not it is time for such activism.
