By Yemi Ifegbuyi

Nigeria’s ruling party - Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) - risks losing its dominant status across the six geo-political regions of the country in the upcoming general election slated for April, latest gallop polls indicate.

Two different sampled polls conducted by SBG intelligence - a research unit of SBG Media - over the period of two months show that majority of Nigerians scored the PDP led national government below average on good governance and doubt the capabilities of the party to transform the country for good.

The polls confirm the prediction of political observers, who have said that the April election will be the toughest for the ruling party, which has dominated Nigeria’s political landscape since the country’s return to democratic rule in 1999.

In the first category of the twin gallop poll, there are indications that potential voters might turned against the PDP because of the party’s failure to improve upon accountability and transparency in government - among other national issues - over the past 11 years.

34 percent of respondents to the gallop poll singled out accountability and transparency as the biggest failure of the PDP government.

Over the past decade, local and international organizations have identified political corruption in Nigeria as the single most devastating threat to the country’s development and stability.

Although, government at the national level has promised on many occasions to fight corruption and misappropriation of the country’s wealth, however, various  monitoring groups, which include Transparency International had maintained that the embezzlement of public funds for personal use by political office holders remain pervasive.

In December 2010, a released of U.S diplomatic cables by Wikileaks, revealed and confirmed the suspicion of many Nigerians on how politicians at the highest level of government received bribes from individuals and companies in return for favours.

The last time Nigeria prosecute any major corrupt sitting government officials was during the regime of former President Olusegun Obasanjo - a crusade spearheaded by Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, former anti-corruption boss, now a presidential candidate for the main opposition party, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN).

In addition, 31 percent of respondents identify insecurity as another major failure of the PDP government.

Since 1999, hundreds of thousands of Nigerians have died as a result of ethno-religious violence that have at one time or the other ravaged all regions of the country. The most recents being the Jos crisis in central Nigeria and Islamist terrorism in parts of the North.

As oppose to differences in beliefs and cultural values, a major factor that continues to make peaceful co-existence of ethnic nationalities in Africa’s most diverse country unattainable, is high rate of unemployment.

Millions of working age youth - which constitute 55 percent of Nigeria’s population according the UNDP -  are jobless and are easily subjected to influence from  wealthy politicians and communal leaders, who use them to achieve personal gains.

Other issues identified by respondents as areas where the  PDP national government has failed includes ensuring true federalism and economic transformation -  with 17 percent of respondents respectively.

Although, political observers hold the view that the votes of dissatisfied Nigerians may not be strong enough to stop the ruling party from wining the presidential election come April, however, observers are convinced that the PDP strong hold on the law making arm of government is bound to be weakened.

To what extend the Nigerian voters will punish the PDP for years impasse in national growth and development is difficult to ascertain.

But considering the popularity and growth witnessed by major opposition parties in recent months, it is clear that post April political landscape in Nigeria will not be dominated by a single party.

Such foreseeable outcome, political analyst believed, will be healthy for democracy in Africa’s most populous nation.

Yemi Ifegbuyi is a senior editorialist and director of operations for SBG media, publisher of nigeriansbaroadlive.com. He is also a strategic communications consultant on politics and business development, with special interest in North-America, Asia and sub-Sahara Africa. Follow him on Twitter: @tweetyemi

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Potential voters give thumb down to Nigeria’s President Jonathan : Report on the second gallop poll will be publish on Friday, March 4 2011.

Excerpt: Less than a year ago, President Goodluck Jonathan enjoys significant popularity and solidarity from majority of Nigerians, especially those from southern part of the country, however, just two months to the country’s general election, the president popularity may have taken a deep plunge.

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