The 2023 elections in Nigeria will represent yet another opportunity to halt the damage and division visited upon the country by past and present political and military leadership. It will not see the reversal of all harm done by the sheer scale of the corruption, indifference and incompetence that has marked national government to date. The capacity for leaders to work solely for themselves or not at all has been breathtaking. Thanks to the their singularly unpatriotic and sterling apathetic efforts what was once a thriving nation with great potential is now performing at below any standard baseline in almost all aspects of social mobility. The country is not even close to being in a position to achieve any of its Sustainable Development Goals.
Nigeria’s economy, political system, law enforcement and internal security are currently in a mess. The current government has floundered and watched things get progressively worse. Unfortunately the current crop of politicians are unlikely to have the will or integrity to get to grips with addressing all these problems. Peter Obi of the Labour Party of Nigeria is the one notable presidential candidate who is not completely tainted by the stench of ineptitude and corruption, however there are questions about the people he has surrounding him and his methods. Whether he will get the chance to prove his mettle remains to be seen.
In February Nigerians will have the opportunity to take a stand and send a message or deal a decisive blow against corrupt and self serving politicians. Whether that opportunity is seized or not may say all there needs to be said about the prospects of Nigeria as a country and a credible nation.
