Majority of Nigerians still struggle to understand the political gimmick of the ruling All Progressives Party(APC) following the presidential aspirations bazaar with over 21 aspirants including Former President Goodluck Jonathan, Central Bank of Nigeria(CBN) Governor, Godwin Emefiele after different Groups picked the Party’s presidential tickets for the Duo on Monday.
This is coming as long fuel queues have resurfaced in Abuja with it accompanied pains, suffering on the part of Nigerians. It came after few weeks of short-lived respite, following more than three months of grueling petrol scarcity nationwide which the Nigerian National Petroleum Company attributed to off-spec fuel at one time, then Ukraine-Russian crisis at another time.
However, in the context of this recent resurfacing queues, NNPC in a statement blamed the last Muslim Sallah holiday for the situation.
Since the long lines begun on Friday, it has become overtly labourous for motorists to go about their activities in the City as the scar of traffic mars business activities.
While adequate solution is yet to be provided to the fuel situation which affect majority of Nigerians, the aspiration of Goodluck Jonathan has now moved from ‘mere speculation’ to actual reality yesterday when a group called Normadi Pastoralists and the Almajiri Communites led by one Ibrahim Abdullahi allegedly bought APC’s N100million presidential form for the former President.
Amid the confusion surrounding Jonathan’s presidential bid, his media Adviser, Ikechukwu Eze in a statement on Monday further compounded matter when he said, despite the purported purchase of form for his principal, “We wish to categorically state that Dr Jonathan was not aware of this bid and did not authorize it”.
When asked by Journalists to comment on Jonathan’s exit from PDP and he(Jonathan) was with the National Chairman of APC, Abdullahi Adamu on Monday, he said said “No comment”, with a lot left unsaid.
Outside Jonathan’s matter, the Governor of CBN, Emefiele aspiration has continued to raise so much dust, confusion within the political, economic environments.
Both economic experts, civil societies, lawyers have aulted Emefiele’s involvement in Politics, saying it is unhealthy for the Nigeria’s democracy and economy.
Executive Director of Yiaga Africa, Samson Itodo said Independent Electoral Commission(INEC)’s failure failure to review its partnership with CBN regarding warehousing sensitive electoral materials could jeopardise its credibility and public trust.
In a similar manner, National Publicity Secretary of the Nigeria Bar Association, Dr Rapulu Nduka also toed the line of Itodo.
Meanwhile, in reaction to the emerging development, the Chief Secretary to INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi in the statement stated that the Commission would take action concerning sensitive materials being keep in the custody of CBN during elections.
In all of this happening, INEC, stakeholders should take notice of emerging challenges and protect the Nigerian electoral system’s integrity if there is any. This is more important as the world at large watch with keen interest happenings leading to 2023 presidential elections.