GOVERNANCE: REDUCED TO A “ONE CHANCE GAME” BY POLITICAL OFFICE HOLDERS - NIGERIANS

By Nnabugwu Chizoba

As Nigerian political office holders and their co-travelers insist on playing hide and seek with the fate of the unsuspecting Nigerian masses, Nigerians are beginning to understand that the pact they entered into with their elected political office holders has become a “one chance” event.

With the first quarter of the year 2016, already spent, the Executive and Legislative arms of government at the federal level are yet to feel the urgent need to pass and sign into law, the 2016 budget, a fundamental instrument of governance, for the year.

First, it was major news headlines, a breaking news sort of, that, “the budget proposal has been transmitted to the National Legislative chambers of the Senate and the House of Representatives”. 

The events that heralded the transmission of the budget proposal from the Presidency to the National Assembly, was an indication that such was a landmark achievement by the political office holders, holding sway in the country at that moment. 

As if to assuage the unquenchable taste for cheap popularity, by the average politician in the country, Nigerians for what they are “the happiest people in the world”, obliged them (the political office holders) their heart desires and celebrated the transmission of the budget proposal as unparalleled achievement. The idea, most likely, being to use such as a bargain for timely, meaningful and quality deliberations, by the men and women of the hallowed chambers, on all matters relating to the budget and the discharge of their duties at the legislative arm of governance at the federal level.

Our correspondent, who went round then, to feel the purse of the masses came back with the report that Nigerians gave a sigh of relieve, on hearing that the budget was sent to the legislatures for deliberations and subsequent passage.

According to investigations conducted by this medium, the expectations of Nigerians, were high and in tandem with what obtains elsewhere in the world, where democratic norms apply. It was the belief of the masses that immediate attention would be given to the proposed budget considering how important the document is to governance and the economy of the nation and considering also that the document was not sent early to the members of the hallowed chambers. 

investigation equally revealed that Nigerians expected that a thorough job will be done by the Legislators, in terms of scrutiny, analysis and input into the proposed budget and in doing so, raise observations that will contribute significantly towards the passage into law, a deserving working document capable of aiding an accelerated and sustainable development of the nation. 

As Men and Women whose opinions and views without mincing words are supposed to be “revered” considering that they are the elected representatives of the masses from different Senatorial Zones and Constituencies, in the country, whose life and well-being the proposed budget, the Executive and the Legislators are structurally designed to cater for and impact positively. So, the masses hoped earnestly that soon the budget will be passed into law.

A welcome development many thought but, this was not to be. The hopes and earnest expectation of the masses lasted for a very brief moment, before discordant tunes played out, revealing a major gap in process, procedure and pattern of relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. The politicians and their cohort were not yet done with their game of deceit, the type Nigerians refer to as “the more you look the less you see”. As usual the victims are the Nigerian populace. 

In accordance with the saying “when a Man dances badly in the presence of observers, his relations scratch their eyes in shame”, party supporters once again got divided by greed but, united by shame and disgrace because of their inability to embrace truth and caution party men and women holding political offices to desist from the old game of deceit and shame that has never and will never yield anything productive. 

In the midst of the unfolding drama, Nigerians woke up to hear that the budget proposal presented to the National Assembly by the President was missing. In the face of the confusion generated by this ugly development, news had it that the budget proposal was secretly replaced, of course with a new one. Whatever that means, the belief of many Nigerians today is that two budget proposals were before the Legislatures for deliberation.

This development as it were, provided Nigerians, with a wonderful gift and a memorable companion, which led to the emergence of a strange word, the introduction of a new vocabulary into the lexicon of Nigerians “Padded” budget. Before then, Nigerians were very familiar with padded vehicles, popularly known as “full option”.

As one argument upon the other trailed the budget proposal, a suddenly twist occurred, this time, a good news of sort, which is that the budget has been passed. However, before the awe stricken Nigerians could settle down with the news, they were confronted with another round of argument that the National Assembly did not forward along with the approved budget, the breakdown of the budget for the consideration of the President before his approval and appendage of signature.

When finally the budget breakdown was sent, the people are now confronted with another argument about what was included and what was removed in or from the budget proposal. 

Probably to maintain her much cherished record as the happiest people in the world, the masses are likely to do nothing, other than playing the waiting game and pretending that there is nothing they can do, meanwhile the Constitution graciously handed them the power of recalling any Legislator considered ineffective and not representing the interest and wishes of their Constituencies. Similarly too, the same Constitution made provision for the impeachment of the President if the Legislatures and the masses consider him a low performer.

As the argument rages, and events unfold concerning the  year 2016 budget and other matters in Nigeria, the land of abundant human and natural resources, whatever that really means, promises to keep you posted and updated.