Too much money and other material resources are attached to political offices in Nigeria. This is the major reason contests to occupy the offices have become do-or-die battles, and political office holders in Nigeria prefer to die in office than resign like their counterparts in other countries, even after suffering damaging scandals or physical incapacitation.
It is true that some other base psychological needs like social recognition, ego satisfaction, and warped desire to wield crude power over fellow men may also be responsible for the sit-tight syndrome, the key driver in Nigeria is money.
The source of the too much money attached to political offices is not limited to salaries and emoluments which are small compared to the bogus allowances, security votes, budgetary allocations for all kinds of frivolities, and the monies they steal while in office.
Since this present administration came to office, a lot of dusts have been raised about the reckless expenses and humongous amount of money the presidency and members of the National Assembly are spending on non-critical areas in a country of over 133 million poor people and in an economy they claim has gone bankrupt.
First, N5 billion naira was budgeted for a presidential yacht and another N7 billion for the renovation of the President’s and Vice President’s official residences in Lagos. Then, the Senate defended purchase of 2023 model of the Toyota Land Cruiser Sports Utility Vehicles for 107 Senators at N160 million each. They also acquired bullet proof vehicles for the Senate President and his Deputy.
Similarly, in the 2024 budget, a total of N15.961 billion was scheduled to be spent by aides of the President and Vice President alone on trips!
Every Nigerian knows that much of these monies end up in the private pockets of political office holders in Nigeria and their accomplices. When these monies politicians hardly account for are added to their above-the-law status, one will begin to understand the reasons an average Nigerian politician would not bat an eyelid to kill or to be killed in office, or why they refuse to resign after being incapacitated or embroiled in embarrassing scandals.
It is unfortunate that the same sets of politicians who ought to design the rules aimed at stripping our political offices of these monies and make them less attractive are the same beneficiaries of the irresistible largesse.
The way out is to summon every available political will to disrobe our political offices a large chunk of the money and other material appurtenances that make the offices too attractive.
If the material benefits attached to political offices are reduced by law to the barest minimum, many people who see public offices as means of enriching themselves overnight will be dis-incentivized to run for the offices, thereby making room for those who are truly passionate to serve out of patriotism.
