Atiku + Saraki = The PDP’s Corrosive Suitcase Billionaires By Churchill Okonkwo

Galvanic corrosion can occur when two different metals are located together in a liquid electrolyte such as salt water. The type of metal and the PH of the electrolyte determines the form and rate of corrosion. While pure iron corrodes quickly, stainless steel, which combines iron and other alloys is slower to corrode. In Nigeria, the rate of social and moral corrosion is catalyzed by the conglomeration of pure-iron-like Atiku, Saraki, Ekweremadu, Akpabio, Dino, James Ibori etc., in the political electrolyte called the PDP. Regrettably, the PDP apologists will hurl abuse and threaten to kill anyone that dares to challenge these suitcase billionaires they see as mini-gods.

It is good that Nigerians are conscious of the failures of Buhari’s government over the last 3 years. The APC administration failed in its promise to fight corruption, but embracing the suitcase billionaires in PDP is tantamount to political a suicide. Pause for a moment, forget Buhari’s caricature of fighting corruption for a minute if you can and think, deeply, of where a combination of Atiku, Saraki, Ekweremadu, Akpabio, Ben Bruce, Dino, James Ibori, their political children and, grandchildren will take Nigerian.

However much the PDP apologists may wish to disguise their support for flawed candidates that have raped the country in the name of democracy, entrusting the affairs of the country into the hands of the corrosive combo that are reorganizing in PDP is retrogressive. Hyping suitcase billionaires as an alternative to Buhari in the 2019 election is already having a corrosive effect on the psyche of Nigerians. It breeds corruption, adds to cultural dislocation, invites more corruption, and, in a country like Nigeria, is morally corrosive with some dangerous consequences.

Like corrosion, corruption is dangerous and cancerous. Because of it, institutions and civility have collapsed in Nigeria. Multi-billion Naira refineries, National Airways, National theaters, schools, hospitals, etc. have been reduced to ruins. The corrosive nature of corruption flowing in the veins of these suitcase billionaires, Saraki and Atiku will further spell doom for the country if either is elected President. Not only will they restore corruption as our official way of governance, they will inflict harm on our common good. Atiku or Saraki will flood the Federal executive council with corrosive ministers that will bleed the nation to stupor.

Buhari may be the craw-craw of our time, but one should not use the fact that craw-craw itches and scratch himself to blindness. I agree with anyone pushing for not re-electing President Buhari in 2019. But the two-tailed lizards in the APC cannot be chased away and the door opened to the suitcase billionaires, the three-tailed lizards in the PDP. Rather than run to the suitcase billionaires in PDP, Nigerians should pitch their tent with a young, energetic presidential candidate, a real third force that will rescue the country just like the French electorate did with Emmanuel Macron.

He, who siphoned millions of dollars to the United States as a Vice President, will not waste time “burying” billions of dollars at the foot of Adamawa Highland as Nigerian president. If Atiku’s Intels Nigeria Limited is refusing to remit revenue to Nigerian Ports Authorities (NPA) today, it will be pocketing billions of Naira worth of revenue from NPA. Atiku will shut out competitors, and gain the advantage over smaller companies operating in Nigerian ports. Electing Atiku will mean pickpocketing the smaller oil services companies that his Intels is already terrorizing today.

He, who liquidated Societe Generale Bank of Nigeria (SGBN), will not have mercy on our national wealth. He will empty the Central bank and Foreign Reserve. Saraki that “hid” millions of dollars in safe heavens abroad and ran the most corrupt and opaque National Assembly will bankrupt Nigeria as a president. He who supervised a set of crooks that removed key projects meant to alleviate the suffering of the poor masses in lieu of pet projects meant to increase the size of the stomach of senators will “finish” us as a Nigerian President.

And what will a combination of the suitcase billionaires currently reassembling in the rotten tent of PDP do to Nigeria? They will spread the disease of corruption because they lack conscience. These suitcase billionaires have ambivalent personality traits, and they do not feel remorse or guilt for their corrosive corrupt acts. Essentially, they will cause damage to the poorest in their villages provided there is a personal gain in terms of political power, social recognition or financial resources that even their great grandchildren cannot lavishly waste.

Saraki under whose leadership, budgets were formulated for personal enrichment is sure to produce suitcase billionaires like himself in the National Assembly. Of course, bribery and corruption are betrayals of trust. The social injury already inflicted by Saraki, Atiku, Ekweremadu, as well as the suitcase billionaires in APC such as Tinubu, Uzor Kalu goes beyond any material measurement. These suitcase billionaires and government officials that acted to enrich themselves acted against the fabric on which they depend, for what else does government rest upon except the expectation that those chosen to act for the public welfare will serve that welfare?

The fact that the PDP is building its recovery and return to power around these corrosive-suitcase billionaires in an indication that they learned no lesson from the 2015 elections. The combination of these men will worsen a culture of arrogance and impunity among the ruling elite, worse than what we think is already terrible under Buhari. There is no doubt that these suitcase billionaires will protect their pals tainted with old and new corruption. The moral consequence is that the rank and file in the civil service will continue doing whatever petty corruption they can at their level.

The corrosive PDP now consists of an electrolyte where the right and good coexists with the bad and wrong; the false coexists with the truth, and the beautiful coexists with the ugly. What is more troubling is that the virus of corruption from the PDP suitcase billionaires has infected rational thinking of suffering Nigerians. The result is a degeneration of moral and ethical values in our society where the poor, enlightened and informed advocates of good governance are supporting corrosive suitcase billionaires. Shocking.

In virtually all situations, metal corrosion can be managed, slowed, or even stopped by removing the metal from, or changing, the type of environment. The corrosive suitcase billionaires in PDP and APC are like a sand. Its grit has completely rendered the machine of good governance obsolete and damaged the efficiency of the Nigerian economy permanently. Nigeria will truly prosper and stop the damaging effect of the corrosive suitcase billionaires by soundly rejecting them with our PVCs in 2019. Like the bad apple in the barrel of good ones, the suitcase billionaires have corroded the character of the society. But we can stop the rot if only we can stop beating the broken drums and stop clapping for these suitcase billionaires.

Together, we can.

You can email Churchill at Churchill.okonkwo@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @churchillnnobi