A Nigerian scholar known for lampooning the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) seems to have equally lost faith in the main opposition party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), saying that he no longer sees it as a viable alternative.

Writing on his Facebook wall, Canada-based Prof. Pius Adesanmi launched a scathing attack on APC, accusing it of mimicking PDP.

He wrote: “I am beginning to get tired of these mimic men in APC. Opportunity met readiness and preparedness for change on the part of the Nigerian people and beckoned to APC to midwife an historical moment of delivery from the nightmare that is PDP. Yet, every opportunity to demonstrate a clear difference in philosophy, style, and substance has been bungled thus far by APC. For now, I see conjoined twins sharing one heart but separate digestive tract systems with the bulk of the food and nutrients going to one of the pair, the second making a horrible show of its efforts to be just like his well-fed sibling.”

The Professor of English Literature is incensed by the outrageous sum APC has required its presidential aspirants to pay for its nomination form.

“Now, they have asked their presidential aspirants to shell out 27 million naira for nomination forms. That is absolutely irresponsible. I’ve been looking at some of the genuine democracies around the world. Where there is a nomination or filing form, things can even be as low as 500 dollars in some cases. APC is asking for more than 150,000 dollars just to pick up its nomination form. What for? Why? Another opportunity to say we are not commercializers of the aspiration to be president like the PDP is lost,” Adesanmi wrote.

He, however, believes APC can make a positive statement in the minds of the electorate if it takes some certain steps on the issue of picking its presidential candidate. His words: “Anyway, something positive can be saved from this latest attempt to outdo the PDP in its natural habitat of financial debauchery.

“1) When folks begin to pick up the forms, make open declaration of source a compulsory IMF

‘conditionality’ for filing. I join Nigerians in being extremely curious about where three of your

aspirants will find 27 million naira: General Muhammadu Buhari, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, and Mr Sam Nda Isaiah. Atiku and Saraki we know will find theirs extremely easily from years of accumulated grand corruption dating back to Customs for one and Societe Generale Bank for the other and political offices for both. I do not know how Okorocha built his own wealth but I am assuming that his is new money built in the context of Nigeria’s business and political circuits – hence, rotten. Buhari, Oshiomhole, and Nda Isaiah are your only prospects for showing a difference. Once they pay up, the source of the money must be declared. That would be a refreshing change from the style and substance of our environment.

“2) Make an open declaration of the tax history of your aspirants a condition for picking up a

nomination form. The last five years of taxes would do. Nigerian big men are the most

notorious tax criminals on earth. They and their businesses hardly ever pay anything, always

lobbying the government of the day for perpetual tax holidays when not criminally ignoring to pay taxes outright. If you could showcase Buhari, Oshiomhole, and Nda Isaiah as credible exceptions to this rot, that would be a refreshing departure. Your aspirants must release a five-year tax history: credible and independently verifiable.”

•Photo shows Prof. Adesanmi.

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