By Njoku SaintJerry A.
“Peter Obi does not hide his disdain for abuse of public resources by men and women who should be probed for their shameful kleptomaniac tendencies.”
Politics of patronage in the Nigeria parlance is called “Chop I chop” politics. – a system of institutional graft and theft of public resources by a circle of favorite inmates, accomplices and men and women of common interests to satisfy the insatiable greedy appetite of that circle of opportunists like some of us.
In 2019, there were over 3,000 Support Groups for the PDP Atiku campaign alone.
In order to sieve the genuine supporters from the hawks and vultures, the campaign managers had to insist that all groups be officially registered at the Atiku Campaign Office in Abuja.
We heard that there was a lot to share from the Atiku chest of currencies and so the queue and circles of influencers and hanger-ons continue to enlarge day by day.
Many of us got immediate jobs from hanging around the office from morning till dusk, day by day hustling for everything even for a pat from one of the young men acclaimed to be a younger brother to Stephanie, one of the many wives of Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the Youngman even before the campaign began had already assumed the position of a ‘Honorable’ with everyone running around him for everything but patronage.
Until the business of the campaign was over, people just want to ‘chop’ anything because it was alleged with Atiku in the game – the circle of patronage will be huge, a lifestyle traced from his days in the customs. It appears, Nigerians just love this lifestyle or so it seems, “you rub my back, I rub yours, you chop, I chop and it keep the circles knitted in one bond of graft and larceny until the entire pack comes crumbling. Nigerians have been stealing from their own storehouse for as long as I can remember until today, the nation is holed up in debts, ruins, failures and confusion in virtually every aspect of life and the economy.
Back to Abuja, at the Atiku campaign office; as the swarm of bees continue to swell day by day, the organisers decided to test the loyalty of the leeches singing ‘Atiku forever!’ They flashed a red card, they screamed “No money!” this was Atiku’s second attempt at the Presidency, it appears he is wiser with his money this time.
As the day unfold, that over 3,000 Support Groups was weaned to about 1,200 or thereabout, some were advised to merge, some were advised to get to work immediately until funds is made available. Day by day, night after night as the funds were not flowing in as anticipated before you say ‘Praise dai Lord, there was nobody to shout “Halleluya!’ Half of the hawks and vultures has deserted singing another ‘Anthem’
Atiku’s loss in that election was really obvious – It was alleged, the ‘chopping’ would have been massive had his camp won, possibly creating a larger loophole of official larceny. Whether this is true or a mere imagination, you judge it yourself.
As we all get worked up for the forthcoming 2023 general election, I can’t say much if the business has changed, however, I can boldly declare that with a man like Peter Obi in the saddle of PDP judging from his antecedents, that madness will be over.
The vultures and hawks who sees government business as ‘a jungle Charity Organisation’ with no rules and lousy managers will have to rethink.
“A Peter Obi leadership will teach you and guide you away from this ‘political patronage of graft’ that has become so institutionalized among the 1% myopic elites holding entire nation hostage with their annual fake ‘campaign promises’
Peter Obi does not hide his disdain for abuse of public resources by men and women who should be probed for their shameful kleptomaniac tendencies.
As warm up to the party primaries gain momentum, some of us are back to the row but one thing makes me pleased with men and women forming support groups this time – There is no money to share! Because Peter Obi represents the change Nigeria so much desire.
While other politicians are getting prepped up to sing the usual chorus; “I will build roads and bridges from Lagos to London, pay every unborn Nigerian youth #5,000 Naira every month,” create employment even when there is virtually nothing to create any employment from other than lump active human beings in government offices and make them worse lazier under the guise of government employment. The Nigeria government do not produce anything and should cease from making this promises of 3 million jobs in government offices that are full of ‘chop I chop lazy staffs.’
A Peter Obi leadership will teach you and guide you away from this ‘political patronage of graft’ that has become so institutionalized among the 1% myopic elites holding entire nation hostage with their annual fake ‘campaign promises’ with a simple analysis of how to create and grow a business that will establish an industrious nation of people with ideas and brains that are connected to technology and innovation to grow the economy rather than this ‘money for hand, back for ground’ political system common among Nigeria politicians and their praise singing leeches.
Take for instance, a simple Peter Obi analysis;
Nigeria has 15 million vehicles on the roads at any time. That’s about 15 million plate numbers manufactured and imported from China! at an average of let’s say 30,000 Naira Naira per plate number, that is about 450 billionn Naira submitted to China coupled with about 1million jobs or more to the Chinese young people and about 30 factories. While average young Nigerians are crazy riding Okada up and down and waiting for a Free Helmet from one politician at the forthcoming 2023 campaign. Which sane leader of a 200 million strong population of active young people will allow that.
Following Mr. Peter Obi antecedents in governance, a tested system; laziness in governance among Nigeria politicians that has encouraged this ‘Chop I chop’ mentality will crash out because he is going to create a system of checks and balances that is bound to ask questions why Nigeria will be so gullible to continue to create employment for China with its increasing wealth status while Nigeria groan in debts, shameful unemployment and continuous underdevelopment.
No gainsaying that Nigeria is on its knees with a begging bowl for loans to be shared among the ‘Chop I chop senators, Ministers, governors and members of the political job men and women dressed in flowing parachutes across government offices in Nigeria, it requires drastic overhaul of entire system, from its myopic 1% elite entitlement mentality that has made Nigeria one of the most lawless region in Africa to that ubiquitous circle of patronage that has built a class of its own from Parachute dressing potbellied men, morally depraved youngsters struggling to join that 1% of lawless individuals that has no regard for any rule of law; they take delight in beating traffic laws even in the presence of traffic light, they take delight in brandishing their foolish bigman mentality despite they’re extremely poor and miserable in morals and ethics.
Recently at one of the Domestic Airports in the country, there was a mild drama, passengers have been kept waiting for hours over flight delays, Peter Obi arrived at the scene and the airline staff accustomed to this ‘Nigeria big man oppressor’ mentality decided to give Mr. Obi that special treatment people in his category are brewed in – while the ordinary passengers, the Nigeria masses suffers. The man Peter Obi objected to such misbehaviors, he stood his ground, put a call to the other ‘big men’ behind the scene whoever it was and immediately, all the erstwhile stranded passengers were boarded. You need to see the excitement! This is what Nigeria needs at the moment.
A man that will break the jinx and send all the political jobbers, leeches and sycophants out of the business of governance. A man who is so ordinary that he can stand by his own in confidence and provide a practical solution to your unending self-imposed socio-economic and political problems. A man who can flash the red card and compel all able-bodied Nigerians to work and earn other than hanging around one Baba, a certain Honorable or one Chairman with no morals and no respect for humanity other than this ‘scratch my back, I scratch yours’ political system.
Until Nigeria chose to break away from this circle of doom and turn away from this entitlement mentality they will soon create a worse monster of their politicians whose sole aim will be to take over the loot and share his turn without regard to anybody but his own circle of patronage.
