THE NIGERIAN FRONT: A Government of All Talents By Olu O Ojedokun

THE NIGERIAN FRONT: A Government of All Talents By Olu O Ojedokun 

Today we of ‘The Nigerian Front’ wish to weigh in and join the cacophony of voices trying to catch the attention of Mr. President-Elect.   It is doubtful that this will get to him but we write in the hope that someone, somewhere close to the decision-making nexus of government may hear and catch a glimpse. 

Four years ago we trod down this same path when we issued paper after paper in quick succession to the incoming government of Goodluck Jonathan.  We wrote not for the sake of the pen we held, we spoke not because of the voice we possessed, but we were compelled by the love we have for our nation and our desire and will to make that government the most successful of our generation.  We failed at that time, but today we are presented with another opportunity to speak truth to power to the incoming government. Maybe this time we might succeed.

This government faces challenges on so many fronts, we therefore believe that patriotic Nigerians must remain engaged with the government at all levels to ensure that it succeeds where others have failed. While the chattering classes are pre-occupied with their own ambitions, inhibitions and anxieties, we wish to restate with uttermost confidence:

That we of ‘The Nigerian Front’ are bound together, not by filthily lucre, temporary political advantage, electoral opportunism or posturing but by deeply held ties, which were nurtured in our classrooms in our early youth, where we learnt to cherish chivalry and truth.  We have over the years learnt to pull together each one with the rest, playing up and striving each to do his best.  Therefore, whatever, the context that may be presented today, we are here to stay as a permanent fixture on the firmament and shall not fizzle out.

Therefore as the President-Elect considers the composition of his government, we urge him to flee from the usual inclination to interpret this prerogative simply as one of patronage, limited to rewarding personal loyalty, settling of political debts and accumulating political capital.   We urge Mr. President-Elect not to waste this opportunity to make a break with the past and chart a new course for our nation.  We cannot, as a serious nation, be seen to reward incompetence and mis-governance nor can we recycle failed politicians and persons of dubious pedigree all in the name of settling party debts or cementing party unity.  Mr. President and indeed the incoming National Assembly should insist that any politician or individual with questionable antecedents must render due account before being entrusted with public office again.  The discredited Senate ritual of ‘bow and leave’ must be consigned into the waste bin and proper scrutiny must be undertaken.

The President-Elect must use the goodwill he currently enjoys to forge a government that will make a difference in the lives of Nigerian citizens.  We urge him to choose only the most capable and honest Nigerians as ministers and advisers and his choice must not be limited by the membership of any political party but must take into account the fact that some of the best and brightest of our people now live beyond our shores.

The new cabinet must reflect the many patriotic technocrats and the quiet achievers who have remained at home, steadfast and committed, holding together the fraying fabrics of our society against all odds. 

Therefore the government constructed from this process must be built to deliver good governance over the next four years.  It must be composed of good men and women who are able to contribute their energies in a new spirit of public service to make our nation what it should be.

The President needs to be aware of the political reality that a government with a four-year term barely has a 24-month window of opportunity to make its mark.  The rest of the term would be used up political maneuvering and running for elections.

We also suggest that the President-Elect appoints and ensures that his Chief of Staff is capable of being trusted with enough clout and gravitas to control access to his office and knock heads together.  The office must be pivotal in ensuring actions of the Presidential staff are overseen, the President's schedule is managed and decisions upon access to the President are made efficiently and effectively, so that this term of office is focused on delivery from day one. 

This is not a time to reside on the sidelines or to adopt ‘siddon look’ posture, we urge the electorate to write directly to the President-Elect, through the social media or alternative means with names of men and women who you feel can be worthy of a government of all talents and also to petition to the National Assembly against any dubious appointments that may fall through the cracks.

Dr. Olu Ojedokun writes on behalf of The Nigerian Front.