Opposition victory in Nigeria: Lessons for other African Ruling Parties

By Greenwell Nyirenda

The historical victory of Nigerian’s Opposition General Muhammed Buhari against incumbent Goodluck Jonathan should teach African rulling governments a lesson that power lies in the people.

Despite Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) advantage as the party in government, the defeat by the opposition All Progressive Congress has proved that Africa can indeed decide through a ballot.

African governments needs to take an introspective assessment in African’s biggest economies political hand change, it is sending a signal to all those who feel they can’t be removed in power that a time is coming when you shall all succumb to people’s wishes and aspirations.

This is has been the message we have been conveying even to the rulling Patriotic Front, right here in Zambia. Never underestimate the power of a voter. The same message we gave to MMD. Its time some one in government start listening to us. Going by the recent gap in Zambian bye elections results , they is no guarantee that the rulling will out rightly win the 2016 General Elections.

The inconstancy in PDP’s manifesto, especially its departure from initial revolutionary ideologies of 1999 of uniting Nigeria, regardless of tribe, creed and religion has costed them in this election. Goodluck Jonathan spend the last quarter of his term presiding over a broken nation with a militia organisation, Boko Haram, terrorising Nigerian citizens day and night. The PDP led government kept on sweeping corruption and abuse of its members under the carpet. The oil rich nation’s wealth is still unfairly distributed to only th elite and connected.

This is the same picture we seem to have in most African governments. Our politicians are drunk with power, they don’t think one day people may vote them out. As a saying goes ‘absolute powers corrupts absolutely’. APC’s victory is a lesson, governments need to learn. People can vote them out. That the power they hold is borrowed, the true owners is us the people.

Congratulations Mohammad Buhari! Congratulations APC.