Card reader and the parable of change
The introduction of the card reader in 2015 general elections, a precursor to electronic voting come 2019, was “one small step” for INEC and “one giant leap” for Nigeria. When it became clear that, with the card reader, it wasn’t going to be business as usual, Goodluck Jonathan’s Peoples Democratic Party laboured to frustrate its deployment. But the then opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) realizing that the power of darkness is the absence of light, backed INEC to use the card reader as planned. And it came to pass the APC rose slowly above the horizon to Aso Rock. However, Nigeria may witness the eclipse of the ruling party if they cast a shadow on e-voting.
Nigeria is ours; Nigeria we serve. But while we serve with dedication and selflessness under the sun and in the rain between the reign of terror and free rein of evil, politicians and their cronies have since been eating stolen yam. Now they plant their children in the Central Bank and wish the children of the poor to go and plant yam.
President Muhammadu Buhari is determined to fight corruption, corrupt people will fight back. They start by crying “witch hunt” in advance. For your information, the devils we know have the credentials to frustrate Buhari’s anti-corruption fight. The battle line is drawn and the enemies have taken positions to fight dirty. All that is necessary for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. Let men and women of goodwill rally round the president, and let the Nigerian masses come together behind their president. Soon, very soon, the people deceiving people and all political crooks shall walk free scot free no more.
The fight against corruption requires the cooperation of the three arms of government. Left arm last term was diagnosed with clue deficiency syndrome but thumbs up with fingers crossed for one man army for executable body language. Long arm went into a coma after a protracted adjudicating miscarriage before marriage and is allergic to quick therapy. It’s a pity leprous arm with swollen legs won’t respond to treatment due to late cancer in its long throat.
Corruption must give way for Nigeria to move forward. However, fighting corruption is not an end in itself. Government should live up to expectations by providing potable water, universal healthcare, quality education, affordable housing, good roads, stable electricity, broadband Internet, decent jobs, social welfare and, above all, security for the citizenry.
