Now campaign is here, I

By Chris Mustapha Nwaokobia Jnr.

In consonance with the timetable guiding the 2027 electoral process, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) scheduled August 19 as the commencement of campaigns across the nation. Interestingly, the fireworks are here.

The first week of the campaign was generally engaging, with Atiku throwing a lethal shot at the lead economic policy of the incumbent.

Yes, he threw a shot at the removal of the fuel subsidy and boldly said that he would reintroduce the subsidy regime.

He has struggled to explain how and why he would do so.

I hear he is now backing down on that, for reasons I do not know. I hope he isn’t.
I pray that all the candidates understand that 2027 is definitely going to be different—way different—from 2023. The people, we, shall and will interrogate every promise and policy programme that politicians throw at us. We aren’t going to suffer fools gladly, not anymore… No more!!!

Candidates must go beyond merely naming their campaign teams and councils; they must hire clear-headed consultants and ideologues on every serious issue of the state because we are going to drill down and interrogate them.

“The economy has come off the bend; I will save money; states are getting more money now; we are fighting terror; we shall grow the economy; I will fight corruption; I shall tackle wastage; I shall fix the energy/power problem; I shall improve our infrastructure; I shall attend to healthcare and education,” etc., are the common political promises of incumbents and their opponents.

But this time, the hows and the whys shall be hotly debated. We shall interrogate them without let or hindrance.

If you like, think say na 2023 we dey, una go stammer tire. The high office of the President is not a tea party, and no one will be allowed to gaslight Nigerians and, indeed, the electorate anymore.

I have been in the eye of the storm for the past six weeks, particularly with the Obidients, for demanding that all the candidates present a foolproof, watertight, workable and progressive manifesto as they head towards the 2027 General Elections.

I have criticised all the candidates, particularly the three frontline candidates, for not doing an awesome job of that in 2023, and I have stated without equivocation that, at present, the minimum expected is a comprehensive and workable manifesto.

Rather than address the issues, the Obidients chose to call me names. Supporters of the President took the parts of my recent media engagements that served their purpose. The Atiku camp did the same.

Whereas the supporters of Mr Peter Gregory Obi, who ironically came under the least of my fire, descended on me, some wrote horribly unresearched articles about my position, while some called me ignorant, not even knowing my correct name or spelling my surname correctly. That defines how intellectually lazy some supporters can be.

But 2027 will not be the same as 2023. If you can’t do your homework very well, and cannot get consultants to advise and teach you, then quit the race, because Nigerians aren’t listening to crap anymore. We go challenge una tire.

Saving money is not a campaign policy anywhere in the world. It is a lazy play in populism. Nations pride themselves on prudent spending to drive growth and progress. You don’t close shop because there are thieves in the hood. Else your children will die of hunger. There is no way the Nigerian economy will truly come off the bend without a form of subsidy for the singular product or commodity that affects the greatest number of people without security, almost every promise of the government is akin to the wait for Godot. So stop lying to the people. Fix national security, and the march to national survival would have begun

The above positions are rock-solid, ironclad and incontrovertible.

Those who have jumped into the fray defending the fuel subsidy removal by the incumbent are, at best, voodoo economists, and I am here challenging them to a debate—a no-holds-barred debate—on the issue.

And those like Peter Gregory Obi, who says he will retain the removal of the fuel subsidy but ensure accountability—he said that much at the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Conference in Port Harcourt—must tell us how the economy will grow when most small-scale businesses have closed shop because of the crazy cost of doing business, no thanks to the astronomical cost of power and fuel.

Those who have attempted to make saving money in the face of Olympic-sized infrastructural deficits, massive structural decay, the collapse of Medicare, mediocre educational facilities, utter joblessness and horrendous poverty a major solution to the Nigerian problem are being smart by half.

Nigeria needs a brave and responsible leader who will spend our resources wisely, NOT one who will lock them up in the bank while the people suffer.

We do not want a profligate king, nor do we want a stingy/frugal prince. We want a leader who can drive growth and progress through prudent spending—a leader with the temerity to massively, albeit prudently, fund growth and progress, while also saving for the rainy day.

Not one who will close shop because there are thieves in the hood.

And let no one deceive you: there shall be no hiding place for banal and blank political debauchery, deceit and delusional inveigling. Nigerians are woke.

Go and do your homework before you make us promises, because we go call una out. And for the want of a valid defence for the positions you avow, una go call us names tire!!!

But it certainly shall not deter us.

We shall brutally interrogate every position you trade on the soapbox.

I assure you, it is country first.

The Fuel Subsidy Debate
I repeat: no one can gaslight Nigerians anymore.

Has Atiku truly backpedalled on the debate over fuel subsidy should be returned, retained or redefined?

And whether the removal of the subsidy is the product of legislation, ditto the Petroleum Industry Act, should laws that engender hunger and poverty not be reviewed?
Has Atiku Abubakar chosen to play the ostrich on account of the largely spontaneous reaction from partisans and mob economists?
I hope not.

But if he has, Nigerians, the COUNTRYFIRST Movement, statesmen and patriots alike shall make the debate one of the linchpins of the 2027 campaigns.

We no go tire until the well-being of the masses becomes the summum bonum and the thrust of the campaigns.

Don’t think that you can tell us just anything or make us outlandish campaign promises this season.

You shall be sitting on a long thing if you try that.

Week two. Loading!!!

God Bless Nigeria.

Nwaokobia Jnr. Convener, COUNTRYFIRST MOVEMENT
A Good Governance Advocacy Group