Interrogating Kola Abiola’s presidential run

Though it has come and gone, the pungent soundbites gleaned from the 30-minute no-holds-barred interview with the heir of the legendary M.K.O. Abiola’s dynasty, Kola, contain some instruments of social re-engineering public service experts can deploy to recalibrate Nigeria into a more prosperous nation. The political outing of the Peoples Redemption Party’s presidential flagbearer, Kola Abiola, on Channels TV’s Politics Today, offered some glimmers of hope that the Nigerian state is blessed with people who understand the issues bedevilling the country and can hit the ground running with answers if given a chance. From security to economy, education to healthcare system, politics, national cohesion inter alia; Abiola proved to be a chip off the old block.

In addressing security challenges plaguing Nigeria, Abiola noted that, the Department of Security Services (DSS) is supposed to be to Nigeria what the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) is to the United States but many of its highly-skilled personnel are detailed to rich Nigerians and their expatriate cronies. All social barometers deployed have indicated that lack of accountability and fairness that cut across ethnic divides to entrench national interest is the bane of our retrogression among the comity of nations.     According to the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), no fewer than 133 million Nigerians, representing 63 per cent of the population are currently living in multi-dimensional poverty, which partly justifies the ‘japa’ phenomenon that makes Nigeria lose many of its skilled young demography to just any other country where they suppose the land is greener.

Abiola firmly holds the belief that much is still desired from economic diversification, especially with a focus on agriculture that is not just about crops. His value proposition if science and technology is introduced into the mix to match the country to her full calling is a stuff of genius and wittily derived from empirical data. He was unequivocal with his promise; “in my first year, 65 million Nigerians will be employed.” To further block economic leakages that fritter away our patrimony, Abiola had identified the poor management of oil subsidy, alleging that successive government keeps kicking the can down the road, but given the opportunity, he’d decisively right the wrongs done the ordinary people of Nigeria in the guise of oil subsidy. “If the government is serious about removing subsidy, it should do it today. What we would rather do is cut off the subsidy and go for cost-of-living adjustment. You do away with subsidy and that money can go into something else.” Even as the clock ticks closer to the February 25 general elections, running with Haro Haruna Zego, just like his father, and to the envy of many, Abiola’s belief in democracy remains unwavering. Hence his remark at his party’s primary; “I believe in positively disrupting the electoral process. Our party is fielding 711 candidates and is the oldest in Nigeria. We have representation.”

His fidelity to the tenets of democracy continues to endear him to more electorates across the geo-political zones; his age and those of his ideas are needed for a 21st century state that desires to rank top among comity of nations.

• Adesanya, a media practitioner, writes from Lagos.