By Daniel Kanu
The Director, Agribusiness Incubation Centre (ABIC), Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, MOUAU, Dr Phillips Nto, has said that efforts should be geared towards ensuring that Nigeria is restructured rather than the mere pursuit of coalition politics to unseat President Bola Tinubu.
He said coalition politics can only make sense when the pursuit is selfless, and for the general good rather than for selfish purposes.
The former World Bank consultant and former provost, Abia State College of Education, Technical Arochukwu, ASCETA, told journalists in Lagos that “coalition politics against the ruling party can only make sense if it’s purposeful and directed towards restructuring Nigeria rather than to just grab power, unseat President Tinubu and nothing changes.”
Nto said that the way the country is structured it would be difficult for even an angel to salvage the situation.
“If you bring an angel from heaven to be the president of this country, I don’t see any saving grace,” he noted.
Nto said if there was respect for the rule of law where all the institutions, the legislature, judiciary, executive and the electoral body, INEC, rise to the challenge of their responsibilities, it would be easier for good governance to emerge in the country.
Nto also a former Commissioner for Finance in Abia State said: “This idea of forming a coalition to unseat a sitting president is becoming a political culture and tradition in Nigeria. Most often it is anchored on a selfish agenda to service the personal ego and interest of the affected politicians.
‘”No coalition is formed for economic and institutional reforms; nobody is interested in a coalition to restructure the country towards growth and development.
“The CPC, newPDP, ACN, and a faction of APGA formed a coalition that removed President Jonathan, but where are we now?
“What we need are institutional reforms. Let INEC be properly structured to organise a free, fair, and credible election.
“Let the judiciary be structured to deliver on its core mandate of serving as the last hope of the common man. Let our constitution be amended to address ineffective sections that are not working.
“If the right people are elected by the people under the right constitution, with full separation of powers, the President will be controlled by various institutional checks.
“Take a look at the American presidential system, despite the autocratic tendencies of Donald Trump, the judiciary is still the hope of the common man.
“If it were in Nigeria all the immigrants would have been deported in line with what President Trump wanted.
“The coalition should be geared towards structural reforms before Nigeria can work.
“Those seeking a coalition were at various times in power. What did they offer?
“For me, let INEC be pressured to organise credible and acceptable elections so that the people can choose their leaders despite the so-called power of incumbency.”