Ben Bruce Supports Change Mantra

Sen. Ben Murray-Bruce

SENATOR Ben Murray-Bruce, a business magnate and politician commendably released a video-clip advocating for change in governance which impliedly was similar to the present President Mohammadu Buhari concept on leadership.

However, there is wide speculation that the Senator is only playing politics of ‘telling the people what they want to hear’ in view of his alleged political ambition to contest as the Peoples Democratic Party’s candidate for the 2019 presidential election.

The allegation notwithstanding, his message deserves commendation, and should be seen as a desideratum. Perhaps, the message may have to be separated from the messenger knowing that a pair of the senator’s shoes for just an event can monetarily dress a US senator for a week.

           

Intensively, the position could be successfully contested knowing that Bruce is at the moment a serving senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and therefore needed not to disturb the suffering masses out there with his perception but his fellows at the legislative arm.
This is benchmarked on the premise that the Senator’s voice is rarely heard in the chambers of the Senate where laws are enacted and reviewed, and essentially where his theories can make a substantial impact.

Indeed, citizens need actions rather than myth. If the good messages the senator tried to send across can be effectively directed to the appropriate quarters, precisely his colleagues in the National Assembly, the major part of the problem of the country will be solved without stress as it is ridiculous to leave the chambers where such issues can be given attention for media.

As a patriot, one expected Bruce’s advocacy to push for legislative duties on part-time basis rather than the present situation where legislators milk the masses mercilessly with all kind of allowances and Sport Utility Vehicles (SUVs) in a society where average citizens find it difficult to have full day’s meal.

Alternatively, if Bruce has been advocating for chasing out all the old politicians out of political terrains, it would have made a good sense rather than insulting the masses by letting them know how those serving themselves in governments across the country including himself hardheartedly and determinedly drain the last blood out of the masses.

Emphatically, every democracy is measured by the strength of the legislative arm of government, and interestingly, the senator belongs to this group. If his position alongside other lawmakers could be constructively harnessed, dividends of democracy will have no option than to surrender itself.

The crux of the matter is that Bruce should lay those good ideas on the floor of the Senate by moving motions to that effect and not in the public domain. As representatives of the people, the duty to ensure that good governance subsists in the polity is vested in the legislature which enacts laws and also serves a watch-dog over the executive. Honestly, for a serving senator to leave the chamber of the National Assembly for public advocacy on good governance leaves much to be desired. The masses having elected them as their representatives expect service delivery and not video-clips of what and how a good government should be.

No doubt, Bruce is eligible to contest the 2019 presidential election as a citizen; however, he should be able to showcase his achievements as a federal lawmaker. This is because a senator that cannot make substantial contribution with his position will logically fail as a president if elected. Governance should be separated from entertainment. The chambers of the National Assembly are the appropriate platform to sell good ideas for the good of the people and not on the media. Besides, it is tantamount to negligence for a senator to face the people for good governance rather than his colleagues, and analogous to a physician complaining rather than attending to his patients.  Ben Bruce's video-clip on linear governance below.