Politics of issues and imperative of debates for Nigerian General Elections 2019
General Elections Nigeria 2019 will formally kick off on November 17, 2018, when the Independent National Electoral Commission allows the contending parties and individuals to start their campaigns. The commencement of campaigns will not solve the current challenges in the economy, the country’s security status, declining and inadequate infrastructure and the composition of the federation. It should, however, offer an opportunity for robust engagement on these and the many other issues of currency in the nation.
We call for a different politics than that practiced in the last two general elections. Nigeria deserves a politics of issues and a robust debate on its current state and envisaged future. The vision of the parties is what should animate the debate in the three months leading up to the February 2019 elections. In the last two electoral rounds, citizens fell for what seemed to be the well-intentioned disposition of the candidates. It resulted in serial disappointment. The people now agree that even the best of intentions devoid of competence and ability would matter very little.
This coming round of electioneering requires the following three as desiderata and code. First, parties and candidates must offer a robust vision for tackling the issues that confront the country, the states and the local governments. That vision must have what, in standard Requests for Proposals, are known as Technical and Financial components of the proposal. In other words, a vision and implementation modalities. They should present it to citizens in town halls, via the media and in properly organised debates and platforms that allow articulation and subsequent interrogation of the ideas.
There are many issues. Foremost is the economy. The economic conditions of man affect all of his other conditions, political, sociological, psychological. The health of the economy is the number one indicator of health or sickness of a country and its people.
Nigeria requires and BusinessDay calls on all parties and candidates to proffer a vision for the economy. The Presidential candidates must of necessity bring to the table a Technical and Financial proposal in tabling their response to the RFP that citizens have placed on the table.
Requests for proposal for the management of Nigeria 2019 – 2023
The purpose of this solicitation is to select a competent person to serve as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria with concurrent responsibility for the headship of its armed forces and leadership of the Executive Branch in a government that includes a two-tier legislature and the judiciary and other arms.
The selected person will function under the direction of the 1999 Nigerian Federal Constitution. In particular, he shall strive to ensure adherence to Chapter 2, Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy, Chapter 4 on Fundamental Human Rights and other sections on the duties of the president.
Nigeria has an estimated population (2017) of 195million people, a population ranking of 7 in the world and a land area of 923,768 Sq Km. A vast and growing population has put pressures on the economy, and Nigeria will end 2018 with $4billion deficit as well as growing external and internal debts, inadequate infrastructure and low scores in the provision of social services of health and education.
Nigeria needs a CEO with a vision to grow the economy, heal the rifts among the constituent groups that have widened in the last three years due to divisive actions that run contrary to Chapter Two of the constitution aforesaid. The economy is the Number One issue.
Candidates must submit clear plans that would tackle the challenges in no fewer than ten areas, with a concentration on at least five principal deliverables. The areas are the economy, the future through education, health and social services, the structure of the federation and the relationship among the constituent units, security, and healing the land.
While the economy is primary, there are linkages among the areas. For instance, the structure of the economy is a function of the preferred philosophy or ideology of government. Should Government continue to hold on to large sections or open up and allow greater participation of the private sector? What role should states play in the management of natural resources within their territory, particularly the hydrocarbons that have propelled the economy since the 1960s? In the face of growing volatility, what is the plan for growing other sectors of the economy such as agriculture, mining, manufacturing and knowledge work?
Responses to this RFP should come in various formats for the download and comprehension of citizens in their various capacities. We expect candidates to present them first as a comprehensive policy document. They would then break this document in byte sizes addressing specific areas such as the economy, within which Management of the Key Rates, Agriculture, Manufacturing, Water Resources, Infrastructure provision. It will address Education and new models to jumpstart contribution, value and relevance; Health, and improving Nigeria’s poor ratios; Works,Transportation, Infrastructure; and Internal dynamics including the nature and cost of the country’s democracy.
Apart from campaigning on the issues directly to the electorate, candidates must accept to participate in three rounds of debates that the broadcast organs would air nationwide. They would answer questions on their Vision and the Technical and Financial components as well as expected deliverables. Let’s do it right this time.