By Abdullahi O Haruna Haruspice
In a nation where flames of unrest burn through Plateau, where Benue echoes with anguish, and where bandits hold dominion over the Northwest, it is a travesty that political actors are more concerned with succession than salvation. With two full years to the next elections, many in the political class have abandoned governance for politicking, setting their sights on 2027 instead of today’s tragedy. If your outcry is truly not born out of personal disappointment or exclusion from the corridors of power, then your energy should be channelled toward demanding accountability, not prematurely campaigning for regime change.
Nigeria’s political elite are united only by their hunger—not for justice or progress—but for relevance and access. The pattern is familiar and shameful: silence while the plates are full, and sudden activism when the banquet is cleared. It is why outrage often sounds hollow. The same mouths that cheer from within the palace walls become prophets of doom once the doors are shut to them. In this country, many only become critics when the “feeding tube” no longer reaches them.
Very intriguing to see Dr Hakeem Baba Ahmed suddenly up speaking in discordant gusto, same person that connived with Sen Bukola Saraki when he reigned as Senate president to frustrate and thwart the policy framework of former president Muhammadu Buhari. Real patriots offer solutions to governance, they don’t play against the wheel of governance. Dr Baba Ahmed denied Buhari his valuable intellect to move Nigeria to a progressive arena. His latest outburst should have come earlier,not now that certain political expectations for political actors seem not fulfilled.
Recently, 16 hunters from the North were murdered by blood thirsty vampires in Uromi Edo State, they were buried and forgotten – till date, no words that wears the canopy of succour has reached the family of the killed, no town hall meeting to address the heinous murder was convened by any northern leader – infact, no leader or interest has reached the family whatsoever to identify with them. How convinent it is that the only voices we hear are the ones that resonate around power change. What is power when the people are never the concerns?
In a similar gory realities, about 50 persons were killed in plateau, another 50 murdered in Benue – sadly, mute is the word from all the acclaimed people’s voices – almajiri menace is there , banditry increasing , all these not a concern but who becomes who in the next elections.
But the truth runs deeper than political hypocrisy. Nigeria is trapped in a governance model where leadership has been severed from responsibility. Those who ought to serve have crowned themselves kings. We, the people, lift them up on our backs through votes, rallies, and hope—only to be pressed down under the weight of their ambition. Like a father who competes with his children instead of elevating them, our leaders climb by stepping on those who carried them.
This inverted reality breeds a dangerous political culture: one where the led become invisible after elections, and the leaders rule not with vision, but with vengeance. It’s why so many come into office with no real plan. They lead without compass, rule without conscience, and govern without heart. The rot is so normalized that we now speak of “vicious greed” not as an aberration, but as the cost of doing power.
What is perhaps most tragic is our complicity. We, the people, have surrendered unity for tribalism, principle for partisanship. The lion does not rule the jungle because it is the strongest, but because the other animals are divided. When we tear each other apart like dogs in a pit, we make it easier for those at the top to reign without resistance. “Divide and rule” is not just a strategy—it has become our national operating system- apologies to my friend, Vincent Unogwu .
But what if we changed the formula? What if we decided that our loyalty would lie not with parties or personalities, but with principles and people? What if we demanded leaders who take roles with responsibility, who govern with intent, who promise with purpose? What if, just once, we refused to be stepping stones—and instead became the foundation of a new Nigeria?
The clamour for merger ,new coalition and realignment are not the truest quest for Nigeria ‘s good but to fill in, to fullfil and call out the personal missing gaps in personal fulfillments. All the vociferous ‘patriots’ are only united against the center, none is talking about governance at the state level. The searchlight is on the central leadership, sadly , no voice exists to speak and call for good governance at the state level. In Benue State for example, Mr Gabriel Suswam, Mr Samuel Ortom , Chief Audu Ogbe, David Mack are all formidable patriots with cognitive experiences in governance – sadly, they distant and mute from the ugly killings in Benue State. The same applies to other states with choking governance challenges. No one is interested in their home states,but everyone is interested in the central government.Forgetting that power, after all, does not belong to those who hold office. It belongs to those who refuse to be useful when it matters most.
Until then, we remain a country that many belong to, but few truly own. And that, perhaps, is the greatest tragedy of all.
Sadly musing
