SIR: How millions are raining in Nigeria as though it is a few hundred naira bills is a pointer to the many things wrong with this country. In a country where the majority continues to struggle to eat a three square meal a day; that few upper class citizens are dolling out millions of naira as though it is a thousand naira shows that there is a problem.
When one of the political parties, the APC announced its expression of interest and nomination form fees, many of us came out to say that it is too outrageous and could encourage looting. Some critics pointed out that the form fee was to scare some aspirants and that it was going to be reviewed. How wrong they were. The latest development has confirmed our fears.
Election in Nigeria has been reduced to a game of gambling. Who would have thought that in a country where universities have been shut down for months, in a country where there is epileptic power supply, in a country where many rural settlers have been sacked from their communities, in a country where health workers embark on industrial actions every now and then, politicians have acquired so much money to be used for election purposes?
And to think that the list of these big spenders include serving state governors who barely pay workers regularly and not least the minister of education under whose watch our tertiary educational institutions have been shut down for months!
It is appalling to see some few individuals trusted with public funds openly flaunt questionable wealth in the face of other Nigerians. Whether we like it or not, the present security threat ravaging the country cannot be said to be unconnected with the poverty and unemployment that have plagued the lower class over the years.
If I may offer an advice to our political parties, there ought to be better ways of making money into their coffers. The outrageous costs of Expression of Interest and nomination forms assail citizens’ sensibilities.
How do the leaders of these parties think an average Nigerian citizen will feel seeing one aspirant who is, or had all along been a public office holder spending billions while the larger majority of citizens are wallowing in hunger and insecurity?
If we must fight crimes like kidnapping, banditry, rape and other social vices as a nation, we must review so many things to include how politicians spend during electioneering campaigns.
- Jiya Peter Idowu,
Ilorin, Kwara State