Usually, the definition of democracy is government by the people and for the people. But in Nigeria it appears; it has been changed to mean government of our turn and of your turn. Hence, turn by turn democracy.
Thus, the Muslim elites of Northern Nigeria, mainly the Hausa/Fulani ethnic group, believe that it is their turn to produce the next president of Nigeria in 2015.
To achieve this belief, some of the presidential hopefuls left the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress (APC). As they hope; joining APC will give them a better chance to contest against President Jonathan who will certainly be the PDP nominee.
The APC main contestants are Messrs Muhammadu Buhari, Atiku Abubakar and Rabiu Kwankwaso. It is going to be a brutal party primaries considering that kettle is already calling pot black.
Atiku is propagating himself as detribalised Nigerian while insinuating that Buhari is not. Conversely, Buhari is touting his integrity whereas Kwankwaso has vowed not to step down for anyone.
But the relevant question is: if it is the turn of the north; why wouldn't these aspirants adopt one candidate to represent the north? Why go into party primaries that will polarise the people and reduce their chances of victory at the 2015 presidential poll?
Perhaps, the answer is: a politician doesn't mean it when he says it is ‘our’ turn. He probably wanted to say; it is his turn to become the president of Nigeria. Nigerian political class use ethnicity and religion to perpetuate themselves in authority and further impoverish the people.
Politicians only remember the poor when things aren't working well for them in Abuja, capital of Nigeria. They will then start crying; my people are marginalised or it’s our turn to produce the next president.
What is the guarantee that any of these men will better the lives of his ‘people’ if he becomes the president? For instance, the Northerns have ruled Nigeria for close to 40 years since independence. Yet, that region remains the poorest part of Nigeria till today.
What did President Obasanjo do for his Yoruba ethnic group throughout his 8 years of being the president of Nigeria? He didn’t even repair the federal roads leading to his Ota farm from Lagos. And when he realised that he has failed, he began his wild goose chase of 3rd term project.
Currently, Nigeria has a president that went to school without shoes, well, according to him. What really has Ijaw people benefited from President Jonathan now that it is their ‘turn’ to rule Nigeria?
Has President Jonathan alleviated the sufferings of those poor kids in the creeks who he was once like? The construction of the East/West road that would link the entire Niger Delta region is becoming a mirage.
Nigerian politicians don’t care about the country and her people but themselves and their immediate families. They are only interested in what is in there for them. Therefore, the people of Nigeria should unite against these politicians and take their future into their own hands.
Overall, if Nigeria democracy is turn by turn then it is the turn of the people to rule Nigeria. This will enable the people to choose who will lead them and in turn create a government by the people. This is the only way out for this charade called Nigeria.