-Blank NEWS Online (NIGERIA) –By Austen AKHAGBEME:

THERE is no denying the fact that Prof Pat Utomi is an interesting fellow; so is his friend and the former INEC Chairman, Prof Attahiru Jega.

Prof Utomi is not new to the murky waters of Nigerian politics. He has had his eloquent voice heard in the past and probably, his lush fingers burnt. On one occasion, while he was still driving around the city of Asaba, the Delta state capital, trying to locate the venue of the party primaries for which he was a candidate, the results were also being simultaneously announced to his utmost chagrin.

So, the erudite political economist is neither a novice nor a neophyte in this chess game of politics. Suffice it to say that intellectualism has always been his greatest selling point; but his inability to get this translated into physical votes, is his greatest undoing.

Prof Attahiru Jega is quite a different brand of a unique specie. Apart from his intellectual candour, he is a forgotten unionist of the ASUU genre who accepted to dance, between the crossfire of politicians and elections, as an umpire of no mean repute. Only posterity can judge if he did well.

These are the calibre of people, leading the pack, who dare to give Nigeria hope and straw to hang on to, especially in these days of ethnic politics of hate, avarice, brigandage and prebendalism. But are they not coming too late?

This “Third Force” doesn’t seems to be formidable and forceful enough to make such a remarkable impact as they are gearing for, despite the audacious move, giving the time left for massive preparation and mass mobilisation before 2023.

Could this be the reason why the Senate Spokesman, Sen Ajibola Bashiru described them as unserious and “an assemblage of failed politicians”? Even though Senator Bashiru’s description was rather too far to the extreme, to unseat the APC and PDP sure needs some level of preparation, time and a financial war chest, as it were.

These two Parties, APC and PDP, for now, stands between Nigeria and her Destiny. We sure need a much more audacious, credible, politically formidable, strategic early starters to “Rescue” Nigeria than the present Utomi gang. Kudos to the Professors, nonetheless.

• Austen AKHAGBEME is a Columnist with Blank NEWS Online

-…Read Blank NEWS Online … Always!