This season has witnessed unusual activities by the political class. Some have displayed some form of ‘philanthropy’ under the veneer of rice distribution.
Nothing is wrong with politicians showing love to their constituents.
But what is wrong is the publicity that accompany such distribution of rice and other gifts. By carrying the camera along, it removed any trace of charity. It is political grandstanding with the delusion that they are the benefactors of the people who gave them electoral mandate.
The money ,the politicians especially the legislators, are using in distributing the largesse actually belonged to the people. The elected officials are only lucky to be husbanding the electoral mandate of the masses.
In empowerment of people, peanuts should not be used as dividends of democracy. There are constituency vote. A member of House of Representatives gets one billion Naira as constituency vote yearly . A senator gets two billion Naira as constituency vote annually . Ranking and principal legislators get higher constituency vote.
It is against this backdrop that the insult of yearly rice distribution can be situated. It is time to hold our legislators accountable for the spending of the constituency funds. It is absurd, outlandish for legislators to treat the constituency votes as their personal entitlements.
The idle elite class of millionaires whose only source of wealth is politics should not be allowed to take the people for a ride. It is time, members of their constituency asked questions. Apart from law making and checking the excesses of the executive, they also have the mandate to attract development to their people.
Rice distribution by any stretch of political imagination is not empowerment. Bring social amenities and establish cottage industries so that the people can fend for themselves.
The insane idea that politics is the fastest means of getting rich must be resisted and condemned. Poverty should not be weaponized to oppress the people and that is what the annual ritual of rice distribution represents.
The Pond News advocates more vigilance on the part of the mass media. We must save our people from the slave mentality of rice distribution as empowerment. Politicians should stop pauperizing the masses, the owners of electoral sovereignty.