This is not "change"

It has been said that the only reason someone or people are voted out of power is because people found better person or persons. Have Nigerians made mistake? If the 8^th National Assembly members in the hallowed chambers receive N8.64b as wardrobe allowance, then the change we seek must be at best imaginary.

Few months ago, when we (some of us, who believe that Nigerians have been victims of mercenary politicians for long) defied the odds, endured “name callings” to cause and vote for a change of government, it was because we believed that change was due, not necessarily because the All Progressives Congress came with it as a campaign slogan. It has been a long way coming, many Nigerians have hoped for it. Nigerians did not just want a change of government. Not just, as some critiques called it, a “change of baton” between political parties. No, it was something more: government with a human face; one that recorgnises and identifies with the people and their many challenges. In a sense, we asked for a total departure from the old ways of corruption and impunity, polarised governance, and political, religious/ethnic bigotry. We wanted a government run by altruistic humans and not some materialistic and overzealous politicians. And so we joined, and made popular the change mantra. And it happened.

Thankfully, or is it fortunately, the people (not Buhari or APC) won and saw a former opposition party take charge of government. The new and traditional media have been agog ever since, celebrating our victory and congratulating the new governments. The new president, governors and legislators have since been sworn in and swung into action. And following the growing level of hope, anticipation and expectations, as raised by the APC during the campaign period, organisations and individuals have warned that the anticipated change may not come so easily and called for patience and prayer. President Buhari himself has said that he does not possess a magic wand to perform any magic. The crux of the matter is that time is needed if we must experience significant changes in the system. But president Burahi and the APC government would have to show us that they are willing to give us the change they promised. A body language, even, will suffice.

But the drama in the National Assembly that produced Senator Bukola Saraki and Hon. Yakubu Dogara as Senate President and Speaker of the House of Representatives respectively served a great concern as to the possibility of APC producing the expected change we expect. In any case, the fight for the soul of Senate and House of Representatives has been fought, won and lost. Senator Saraki is the senate president and Hon. Dogara is the speaker of the House of Representatives. The rest is history. But can we expect a credible representation in the 8^th National Assembly?

The 8^th Assembly is to receive N8.64b as wardrobe allowance. And this is where my hope is beginning to wane and my fears on acceleration mode. What kind of shoes, clothes … are they going to have? I actually thought it’s time to be show empathy with Nigerians, for the many years of hardship they have endured under our past leaders. But this development is practically disapproving. How can a government allocate nearly N9n as clothing allowance to a senator in a country where many states owe workers for months? And considering the fall in oil prices, our major earner, one would naturally think that the ideal thing is to cut down on government expenditure and save money for developmental projects. The National Assembly must reconsider and review their stand on this and many other issues if they must retain the confidence of the people. This, certainly, is not the change we asked for!