As 2019 general election is getting closer, many matters and unforeseen news are surfacing the media day by day as this issue becomes public discourse thereby setting agenda to the masses. Every citizen tends to be feeling the heat one way or the other, crisis arising in different institutions, organization and parastatals because of the kind of political aura we find ourselves in the country where all attention is now being drawn to political parties, as aspirants seek to secure party tickets for various governmental offices, which has rendered our economy and several other activities useless. Since virtually all our politicians currently occupying a post has one political office or a re-run he/she is looking up to. Thus, accounting for their inability to perform their responsibility in the positions they currently occupy. At some points I was confused if this tenure is over or not, because for the past few weeks all attention have been centered around 2019 general election.
This accusation does not exclude any political party, the most amazing is the ruling party, which also happens to be taking the lead of this kwashiorkor democratic way of government. Almost all states led by the All Progressive Congress are in crisis. The crisis of this political toggle escalated during the Osun gubernatorial election held on the 22nd of September, 2018, where all games were played and matters started arising. It all look like the candidate for Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the dancing Senator Adeleke who happens to be the uncle of the Hip Hop singer Davido, who was taking the lead after people turned up to vote against the current government of the state that has deprived them of several rights, turning the state into anarchy.
However, everything turned around after INEC declared the result inconclusive, which shows vividly the vested and forced power of APC as the ruling government, and subsequently makes them the winner turning Adeleke’s counterpart, Oyetola to be the governor – elect. With this act of APC many have concluded that 2019 general election will be in favour of the ruling party thereby forcing candidate on citizens against their choice which shows to be an abuse on the right of the citizens.
Some have even concluded that the opinion and choice of the people are no more considered and relevant but are merely needed for formality sake. On primary elections within political parties, different candidates have emerge leading to different atrocities among them. Starting with the Centre of Excellence, where everything seems to be excelling until the incumbent Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode was denied a second term ticket into the office in what they called direct primary.
This was as result of rough relationship between Akinwumi Ambode and Bola Tinubu an issue that eventually brought in Sanwo Olu who emerged as the APC gubernatorial candidate for Lagos state, after the primary was concluded which shows that Godfatherism is what rules the nation and not what is better for the country. It is the opinion of few that count and not of masses. They tend to use masses has the frontier but deep inside, it is a strategy of political game. This crisis almost looks as if the Power and Godfatherism of Bola Tinubu will be broken but to no avails after Ambode conceded defeat.
Meanwhile, in Ogun state where public holiday was declared in schools because of APC’s primary election in the state. The crisis began when the incumbent governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosun wanted his candidate to emerge as the flag bearer, which some party members kicked against, thereby causing havoc within Ogun APC household. The diplomatic intervention of the Leadership to include Ogun state as part of the state for primary was the best that could save the party from losing out rightly the race to another party in the state. NWC announced Dapo Biodun to be the winner for the primary conducted.
Furthermore, it seems the wind of political games is ranging under the umbrella of the Peoples’ Democratic Party, especially among the presidential aspirants which include; Bukola Saraki, Atiku Abubakar, David Mark among many others. Let’s not forget an election can only hold in a conducive environment or else it might lead to a bloody process. The scenarios in the Primaries should be a warning to every individuals and that should help the forces to strategize and re-strategize for the success of free and fair election in the country.
SEUN APHOR
