Buhari Executed My Father But I Will Still Vote For Him-Lawal Ojuolape's Son

I am not a card carrying member of the APC or PDP, and I
do not have a vote in this election cycle. I was also not
paid to write this and I am also sure this article will not
generate a nationwide traction to determine where the
pendulum swings in the February elections. The only
motivation is that I take pride in the unity and
development of Nigeria and I am nothing sitting on the
fence.
In addition to the aforementioned, my father was one the
three young men executed by General M Buhari (rtd), the
presidential candidate of the APC with a retroactive law
some 30years ago. Yet, I HOPE.
The forthcoming February Presidential election is
different from all other elections we have seen since the
advent of democracy in 1999. The Presidential election
has never been aggressively contested, but that has
changed in this cycle, thanks in large part to the leaders
that formed the APC and a more aware electorate. The
electioneering process has not changed much, with the
top two political parties relying solely on politicians. The
caliber of politician that makes up the Presidential
campaign council, for me, is often an indication of how
the candidate governs once (s) he becomes President.
Mediocre politicians are given the nod to occupy and lead
sensitive political and public institutions ahead of their
colleagues who understand and know what it takes to
govern and deliver social goods to the larger populace.
This traditional way of campaigning and electioneering is
partly responsible for the failure we have witnessed in the
last 12yrs (with focus on the presidency) but it seems
this is about to change.
For the first time in our 16years of democracy, the caliber
of politicians I see around the APC candidate, General
Mohammad Buhari, gives me hope that something might
actually change if he wins.
The chance of a Babatunde Fashola being the chief of
staff to a President Buhari excites me because the two
term serving governor of Lagos understands the issues
and he comes across as a policy wonk. His political
experience as Governor of Lagos state will also come in
handy in getting policies formulated, passed through the
National assembly and implemented to ensure a
utilitarian social good. The office of Chief of staff to the
President is a very important one because it serves as
‘the power behind the throne’, in saner climes, and the
slim chance of a BRF leading that office inspires hope.
I am almost certain that Oby Ezekwesili’s name would
pop up when the time comes to fill sensitive Ministerial
post in a Mohammadu Buhari presidency given her
closeness to Nasir elrufai (The next governor of Kaduna
State) and his closeness to a potential Presidential
Buhari. The slim chance that the woman Japheth
Omojuwa once proclaimed as the ‘Mother of the Nation’ –
for her lead role in the noble BBOG movement – leading a
sensitive Ministry as the Petroleum or Education Ministry
Inspires hope.
EKITI’s loss could be Nigeria’s gain in a Buhari
Presidency. I have not seen any Nigerian; military or
civilian dissect the problem and possible solution to the
boko haram insurgency as Kayode Fayemi did during the
interview he granted on 60 minutes with Angela. His
grasp and succinct explanation of the different strands of
boko haram shows that if given a chance he could make
a real impact and formulate a comprehensive policy that
can help tame these monsters that have ravaged parts of
the NE unabated. His understanding of civil – military
relations indicates he is capable of leading the Ministry of
Defense with gusto. The slim chance this might happen
also inspires hope.
In the words of Babatunde Fashola, President Jonathan
fired the hardworking and performing Bolaji Abdullahi as
sports minister for political expediency. The slim chance
that he could make a return to continue his good work in
that ministry in a Buhari Presidency inspires hope.
These individuals and many more I did not mention are
not saints but they inspire hope because of their track
records in public service and for some accidental reasons
majority of them are in the APC. They represent
examples of quality leaders Oby Ezekwesili refer to when
she wrote thus;
“For each of these countries, the stage was set for
commencement of their economic transformation from
Low Income Country (LIC) status to Upper Middle Income
Country (MIC), MIC or close to MIC respectively by the
advent of quality leadership at both their political and
public institutions that in turn resulted in high public
sector efficiency. At the epicenter of this efficiency was,
and remains, the investment in leadership of the kind that
drove a national vision which placed education, intellect,
values, reward for only strenuous effort and hard work at
the centre of their development strategy. Once the public
sector was set aright, it freed up the private sector and
the rest of society to aspire to perform at their maximum
possibilities.
You don’t have to agree with the aforementioned, but
empirical study proves it to be very true.
The very first sign of a potentially bad government is the
caliber of politicians that surrounds a candidate during
electioneering – pay-back time is inevitable and its
negates the utilitarian calculation that supports the
provision of social goods for millions of my compatriots
against the few PCC members and their cohorts and that
is what the PDP represented in 2011 and now. I am sure
there are quality leaders in the PDP but POTFRON has
shown nothing but a lack of will to put such a team
together. That in addition to an abysmal performance for
6yrs makes me see hope in the APC presidential ticket.
Political will is a necessary tool for the economic
prosperity of every country, democratic or otherwise. A
historical analysis of the Nigerian state has shown that
the political will that serves as a catalyst for economic
prosperity and development has been lacking. Our
problems – I won’t bore you by listing them, as well all
know what they are – are solvable, oh yes they are!!! To
solve them we have to commit and vote for the
potentially best team in February.
The majority voting bloc in Nigerian can neither read nor
write, hence, the onerous task of educating our brothers,
sisters, mothers, fathers, uncles, aunt and close friends
rest on the shoulders of those of us that are educated.
We have to inspire hope in them about this team and
convince them on the need to vote the Buhari/Osinbajo
ticket.
The Buhari/Osinbajo ticket and all the potential
‘technocratic politician’ that comes with them for me is
the best team this time around. They represent a recipe
that will take us from the brink, and lay a solid foundation
for a better and solid tomorrow. We need radical
monetary, economic, and political reforms and the
transformation agenda of the last six years is nothing but
a mirage and joke we must and should not continue with.
History is replicate of countries that are prosperous and
those that are beginning to prosper. The foundation of
such prosperity is laid on; Infrastructure – like the
interstate road system that Germany invented but which
the U.S have mastered; massive funding for science and
technology which has been manipulated as responsible
for India’s growth; a virile public-education system that
encourages the study of science and math. Borrowing
from the words of CNN’s Fareed Zakaria, we have to
download and modify the killer apps that have proved and
are still proving to be working for prosperous countries –
competition, modern science, the rule of law and private
property rights, modern medicine, the consumer society
and work ethic. These apps can be downloaded and
modified to suit the Nigerian experience and these lads –
Buhari/Osinbajo and their team – have the requisite
political will, experience and or knowledge to deliver. They
simply are the best team and we have to join hands with
them irrespective of our reservations to make their dream
a reality so that our dreams can be a reality.
The Presidency should be a great dynamo producing
fresh ideas; the force of those ideas as they resonate
across the nation is a pretty safe gauge of an
administration’s intention and vitality.