The body language of the ruling class of politicians in Nigeria today shows the prediction by World Bank that the country will experience rising poverty is not a worthy of concern to those in power. What is reigning across the nation these days is how to scheme ahead of the 2027 general election in order to either ascend to power or stay in power.
It is no longer news that political and non political office holders have started defecting from their party to the ruling APC where they think can guaranty them election victory. Some politicians who think their relevance deserves to earn them political attention from the federal government have pushed for coalition in a bid to wrestle power from the ruling parties both at the federal and state levels.
While other politicians and associate groups are busy endorsing President Bola Tinubu for second term amidst incessant killings of innocent Nigerians in some parts of the North, rising inflation and biting economic hardship.The 1999 Nigerian Constitution mandates that the security and welfare of the people are the primary purpose of government.
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This duty extends to all levels of government, including the President. In fact, section 14(2)(b) of the constitution explicitly states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government. It is upon the economic and security score cards of a sitting president or governor that he or she is supposed to be endorsed for next election or not but in Nigeria; politicians are endorsed to serve the interest of few highly placed individuals in the country at the expense of the masses.
Rather than focusing on providing security and economic growth to win the hearts of the electorate, politicians now weaponize poverty by keeping the citizens hungry with the aim of using stomach infrastructure palliatives to win their votes. If keeping the masses poor can easily make the power thirsty Nigerian politicians to remain in power, why would they pay attention to World Bank prediction of rising poverty rate in the country?
It is obvious that Nigeria started deteriorating when patriotic nationalists left the political scene for politicians who are only interested in power grabbing in order to keep controlling the resources of the country.The earlier the citizens realise that power resides in them not the political class, the better because until the masses decide the fate of the nation, allowing the ruling class to decide it will plunge the country further into extreme poverty.
