Comrade Lekan Badmus is a columnist with Oduduwa News and a public opinion analyst.
Tentatively, INEC has fixed February as the date for the next general elections. Characteristics of Nigeria’s political culture, the voting pattern has always tilted towards two parties from 1960 till date. Although, the most pronounced was the era of SDP and NRC. Infact, the current system is a replica of that era. APC and PDP are the only recognized parties. As informed as yours sincerely is, I can’t mention more than ten parties currently on the radar of INEC. They are as numerous as sand. Alawada parties so to say !
“Amodun ko jinna” for any party to begin preparation for elections. In a sane nation, the best way for any party to remain relevant is to provide quality opposition and assume the status of a pressure group. Opposition party has a lot to do with regards to the principle of checks and balances.
Unfortunately, opposition in Nigeria is suffering from intellectual laziness.
The best way to play opposition is to think beyond the box. Be abreast over the ruling party, engage in rigorous researches, organize seminars to awaken the consciousness of the electorates on the maladministration of the ruling party, provide palliatives where necessary. However, all these though seem germane, they must be genuine.
Opposition transcends campaign of calumny, gutter politics and damaging remarks. It is wrong to raise fictitious alarm, divisive comments and incitement. Once the educated public realized the sinister motive, such opposition becomes a nuisance and whatever that emanated from their secretariat would be considered as the ranting of an ant.
In the history of Nigerian politics, the best opposition we ever had was the moribund UPN under the leadership of the late sage, Awolowo. The former minister of finance was an examplar of a good opposition. Awolowo upheld the principle of constructive criticism. He would criticise and offer solution. He was full of superior and convincing argument.
Presidential election has always been the most interesting in Nigeria. However, the political arena seems too cold and inactive. One expects serious politicking from the parties; taking cognisance of the February date.
National polity is a product of regional consensus. Charity begins at home. Ordinarily, any party or candidate that desires national respect needs to control his background. The background is the basis just like Cell which is the single unit of life. Home is essential.
From the body languages of the two domineering parties, southwest may be marching towards sole presidential candidacy.
How do I mean !
From the preparation witnessed so far, the only serious candidate for presidency has been Tinubu. He is the only candidate that has shown a superfluous energy towards the position and has transversed the four-cardinal points of the nation. Other rumoured candidates are still snoring from a deep sleep. The idiomatic expression of ” make hay while the sun shines” does not make any sense to them. As my father would say; if you failed to prepare, you must be prepared to fail.
Within the ruling party which claimed to parade array of stars, few politicians have shown interest on paper. From the vice president to the outgoing governor of Ekiti state and to Aregbesola, former governor of Osun state.
From PDP, despite the clamour for power shift, nobody has ever indicated intention from southwest thereby giving credence to my apprehension on the likelihood of a sole candidacy.
Sole candidacy is different from consensus candidate. Consensus candidate is an agreement within the party while sole candidacy is a case where all contending parties unanimously adopted an aspirant irrespective of his political inclination.
Due to his political sagacity and dexterity, Tinubu seems to have gotten over the local threats to his ambition. Antagonism to Asiwaju’s ambition was more visible and strong from his home background. Apparently, he is loved in the north. Ile l’Adie ko ti n’iyi. His political allies cuts cross northern hemisphere and southern region. It was reported recently that one of his allies who is of southern extraction donated two private jets to Tinubu’s campaign team and one again offered him his five – storey building as campaign office. Ironically, Asiwaju was hitherto confronting opposition from three groups of people at home. These are Afenifere, Bode George, PDP and Tinubu’s boys within APC.
Prior to the death of Yinka Odumakin, the spokesman of Yoruba social-cultural group, there was a strong vehemence against Tinubu’s candidacy by Afenifere who has always criticised and openly expressed their disdain. Tinubu was seen as a betrayal and an egoist. Only God knows how he did it, Tinubu seems to have win their hearts. Little or no dissident voice is roaring from within Afenifere again. One thing is cock sure, Jagaban enjoyed an unalloyed royal support. The traditional leaders may have prevailed on Afenifere to sheathe their swords and bury stomache their vendetta. ” Won ti jebure”! After all, ‘ Omo eni ko se idi bebere, Kaa f’ileke si idi elomi.
Aside Afenifere, one lone ranger opposition is chief Bode George. One man battalion. Chief George hated Tinubu with passion. Fierce, fluent and undaunted, Bode George has always threatened to go into self – exile if Tinubu won presidency. His grouse was that Tinubu orchestrated his incarceration. Despite his incessant vitriolic attacks, Tinubu never responded. This is s good virtue from Asiwaju and a lesson to all. Only God knows how Tinubu was able to control his adrenal gland which stimulates emotion and anger. Meanwhile, Chief George has subtly ceased to call Tinubu names. “Baba ti fi owo wo’nu”.
One great virtue of Tinubu is his ability to discover, nurture and offer intellectual people the opportunity to serve. He is a political Boys’ Scout. I stand to be corrected that all political juggernauts of Yoruba extraction who are making waves at the federal level are Tinubu’s boys. He is their benefolent. They all rode on his back to stardom. Osibajo, Fasola, Lai, Aregbesola, Sunday Dare, Gbajabiamila, Bamidele, Ojudu and a host of Senators and members of house of representatives.Asiwaju is not just a cosmetics accomplisher.
Hitherto, there was a crack within the family. Fayose, Aregbesola and Akeredolu were reported to had wanted to look straight into Tinubu’s eyes. Specifically, it was rumoured that Fayemi was planning to throw his cap into the ring against Tinubu. All these have since frozen.
PPD is the only visible party in south west. This is a party in control of Oyo state where Engineer Seyi Makinde is the governor. Alas, the governor is not interested in becoming the president. The coast seems to be cleared for Tinubu as a sole candidate from Southwest. With one united voice, it would be practically impossible for anyone to defeat uncle Ahmed.
This is about the second time we might be witnessing sole candidacy in Nigeria. The first was the political parties tutored by late despotic leader, Sanni Abacha. The dark-goggle head of state had nurtured five political parties which the late Cicero of Esa -Oke derogatorily labelled as “five leprosy fingers”. All the five parties that sprang up then had adopted Abacha as their sole candidate.
Sole candidacy is a situation where all parties adopted a particular candidate in an election. The system is a guarantee to victory in any election because such election is without opposition. Atimes, other parties may present paper candidate to provide nominal opposition.
Sole Candidacy somewhat looks like option A4.
It has its merits but also a risk to other parties because the inability to present candidate in an election may could lead to political suffocation and a premature extinction of other parties. Fielding a candidate in an election is a way to sustain relevance.
Let me conclude by quoting Dr. Tunji Abayomi, a renowned legal practitioner and activist.
“…I think we need to focus on the values in a man that may transform our depressing, uncertain present and future who seeks to be President instead of hitting the past with a disturbing hammer.
A holy man may just not be a great President in a clearly poluted world. Let us reflect deeply.” The submission of Dr. Abayomi aptly describes the maxim that; ” t”eni-n- teni.”
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