I have said it countless times, and I’ll say it again: in Nigeria, the political party you belong to is nothing but a reflection of your selfish interests.
Let’s not sugarcoat it — no politician, and I mean no politician, has your best interest at heart in this country. They are all working tirelessly, not for you, not for the people, but for themselves, their families, their mistresses, and their secret lovers. Politics in Nigeria has never been about the people; it has always been a personal business venture.
Any right-thinking Nigerian knows this bitter truth deep within their soul.
We all pretend as if new faces are emerging, as if coalitions are being formed to “save” Nigeria. But let’s be honest — those who are aspiring to “save” us now are the same men and women who have been around since the inception of our democracy. They had their chance. They had the power. They held the reins. And what did they do? Nothing but plunder, squander, and deceive.
If they couldn’t change Nigeria when they were young, full of energy and ideas, what miracle should we expect now that age is clearly no longer on their side? If anything, their desperation is even more dangerous now than ever before.
I say this not from a place of mere speculation but from firsthand experience. At different stages in my life, I was close to many of these so-called “leaders.” I sat in their offices. I heard their conversations behind closed doors. I saw the deals they struck in the dark. I witnessed their betrayals, their greed, and their disdain for the very people they now claim to want to “serve.”
Believe me when I tell you: if you are still putting your hopes in political coalitions in Nigeria, you are merely setting yourself up for heartbreak.
The sad reality is that many Nigerians continue to fall for the same tricks. They hear lofty promises and see flashy campaigns, and once again, they hope — foolishly — that change is around the corner. But history does not lie. It always repeats itself when lessons are ignored.
The coalitions forming today are no different from those formed yesterday. They are marriages of convenience, fueled by selfish ambition, greed, and a desperate thirst for relevance. Behind the curtains, there is no ideology, no vision, no patriotism — just the same recycled promises dressed in new robes.
Ask yourself: if they truly cared, why didn’t they fix the roads, the hospitals, the schools, when they had the chance? Why did they loot, deceive, and manipulate the system for decades?
And now, they return with their silver tongues, expecting us to dance to the same broken tune.
I am not fooled. Not today. Not ever.
Until we realize that change will not come from recycled politicians or hollow coalitions, Nigeria will continue to march in circles — bleeding, broken, and betrayed.
The hope we desperately seek will only come when we, the people, stop worshipping politicians and start holding them accountable.
Until then, these coalitions are nothing but old wine in cracked, filthy bottles.
They are the same people we called unprintable names yesterday. How they have become overnight heroes is only in the wasp minds of tribal bigots and people without memory.
Nasir El-Rufai was a former minister and an eight-year governor in Kaduna. Has Kaduna turned into Dubai? What were the statistics of killings and kidnappings during his regime in Kaduna?
Atiku Abubakar was a former Vice President for eight years. What was the rate of political assassinations during the Obasanjo/Atiku regime?
Peter Obi was the governor of Anambra State for eight years. How many hospitals or model schools did he build during his tenure?
Rotimi Amaechi was a former Speaker, former Governor, and former Minister — almost over two decades in power. What has he done to elevate the poor condition of the masses, other than lying repeatedly to massage his ego?
I may be forced to come out with brutal revelations about these people. But I know that the news will just pass like any other news.
Nigerians are not the type of people who stand and defend their future. They are as bad as their rulers.
All the bad leaders that have plunged Nigeria into this mess are Nigerians — none from neighboring countries.
I’m no exception; I’m one of them.
Although I may not have held any political post in my life, I know I have polished their images despite knowing that these people were only working for their families.
That’s the irony of life: everyone for themselves — it’s a matter of survival.
But to think that a miracle will come soon, I will borrow from my little daughter’s slang: dey play.
*Mogaji Wole Arisekola writes from Ibadan.
