Let Nigerian Politicians Fulfill Promises

We are in a new year and politicians as they are wont to do have been assuring people of a better year. It started with President Goodluck Jonathan making promises to make it a better year for Nigerians. He was quickly followed by the Senate President, Senator David Mark who also told the nation that the National Assembly will not tolerate religious extremism this year. He promised on behalf of his colleagues to support the president in putting a halt to the violence fuelled by religious extremism in the land.

Other politicians, including religious leaders, have been promising to provide succour to the people and make this year a better one for them.

But the pertinent question to ask here is: can we really trust these people to deliver on their promises? To us, making promises is not a bad thing but fulfilling promises should be made imperative.

Based on hindsight, Nigerian politicians are not known for fulfilling their promises. Many make promises that they actually have no intention of fulfilling. They get away with it because nobody challenges them. This time around, Nigerians must wake up from their slumber and demand the fulfilment of these promises.

The inability of the people to hold their leaders accountable for their promises had contributed in no small way to the rot in the country. If a leader knows that the people that put him in office will demand accountability at the end of his tenure, he will strive to fulfill his promises.

This is why we are calling on Nigerians to carefully note all the various promises being made now by their leaders and ensure that they fulfill them.

The people must demand account of stewardship from political office holders at every opportunity. Political office holders must be made to understand that they are at their various positions  at the behest of the people.

Nigerians have been docile and that is why politicians have been riding roughshod over them. It is because they have not been demanding accountability from their representatives that they (electorate) are held in contempt by those who are supposed to promote their welfare.

It is time Nigerians change their attitude towards their leaders and hold them responsible for their actions and inactions.

Change can only come when our leaders are made to fulfill their promises to us. This is the essence of democracy which is another name for  representative governance.