Voters As Losers In Nigeria’s Variant Of Politics
The Oasis Reporters
November 11, 2018
The voter in other political climes after casting the vote has the privilege of sharing in any victory arising from the process but in Nigeria, the story is different because all votes for both the victorious as well as the losing candidate actually produce losers. This nation and Kaduna State in particular is heading towards a violent political storm in the 2019 general elections.
We were spectacularly dubbed in the 2015 general elections and unless we are discerning and circumspect we are well on the way to being dubbed once again come 2019. For emphasis it has not been this bad for us politically in Kaduna State since embarking on this democratic journey.
Our people have borne the trauma and humiliation of the El Rufai dictatorship for the past 3 years with equanimity given that the processes of removing this evil regime are so cumbersome to be contemplated.
We have therefore resolved that we shall together, remove El Rufai democratically when the opportunity comes in next year’s general elections. The democratic means of removing this evil government on the face of it, may look easy but it is not, therefore it will not be easy. The vote does have a value but in a sane democratic environment. The problem the vote has in our own environment is that some forces behind the scenes work to undermine its value before, during and after it has been cast.
Let us examine how the vote cannot have any value at all. Consider a situation in which a candidate who is ineligible to contest in any election for whatever reason/s but goes ahead to contest and wins. Such a victory could well turn out to be a fluke or even pyrrhic if such an outcome is challenged and proven in a court of law. That victory will simply go to another candidate who may not have worked hard enough to deserve it. Under this circumstance therefore, if there are patriots in the land, will such stand by and see what they have worked for evaporate in one fell swoop by the pronouncement of a competent judge?.
It would appear that we, in Kaduna State would in due time arrive that bus stop. We will not get there by accident but through a cocktail of high level conspiracy, treachery and betrayal. Regrettably, there are characters in the polity who are so gullible that they can sell their children for a few pennies.
Since the political space is not static, to the extent that in due time it puts in the open whatever may have been agreed in dark places . If what is already in the public domain is true, that there is this grand conspiracy against the people of Kaduna State politically, there is the likelihood that the people will be shortchanged. The conspiracy is being discussed openly in Kaduna on how a certain candidate was foisted on the people of Kaduna State as governorship candidate knowing full well that were such a candidate to emerge victorious in next year’s governorship election such a victory will be upturned on petition in a court of law.
How will this calamity be explained to the millions of our people who voted?.
Specifically, there is the mention of a former two time governor, senator, former caretaker Chairman of the PDP, failed presidential aspirant and a disappointed and frustrated senatorial aspirant in the vortex of the incoming storm. It has become common knowledge that this Character loves himself much more than the people of Kaduna State. He is always ready to trade away what could benefit the people preferring that it benefits him instead. This character has extended his personal enmity and hatred against another he sees as a political adversary from his own senatorial zone. We need not be reminded that this he has enjoyed the best of everything that our Kaduna State has had on offer yet like Oliver Twist, he wants MORE.
It is being rumoured that in league with other prominent members of the opposition PDP in the State, they are actually on the payroll of the dictator. Whilst they pretend to be passionate about the PDP, in truth they have actually sold out Sir Kashim Ibrahim House to the dictatorship. The arrangement is very simple if the conspiracy goes through the dictator will not even bother to organize any serious campaign. Let the candidate of the PDP as things currently stand win the election and the dictatorship will go to court to have it upturned. Should we in the circumstance fold our hands and wait until it is too late to make amends?
What this post is suggesting is for patriotic citizens of Kaduna State to interrogate the allegations and to take immediate action before it is too late. I cannot see this State surviving another 4 years of this brutal dictatorship. Leadership is about equity and fairness to all citizens without any discrimination.
It us well beyond the shadow of a doubt that El Rufai has not been fair to all of us as citizens of this State. By his pronouncements and body language he has proven himself a religious bigot of the extreme sect. While not wanting to be dragged into his Muslim/Muslim ticket for 2019 controversy, I should put it straight that my main concern is good and purposeful leadership that is beneficial to the entire population. Nobody can say exactly what point El Rufai desires to prove by most of his anti democratic and anti people policies. From what he is doing and saying of late, this man does not wish peace for this State.
The dubious change of nomenclature for Chiefdoms in the State is a typical incendiary device he is experimenting with which is doomed to failure with perhaps lots of consequences.
Does Malam Nasiru El Rufai care a hoot? Of course he does not as his focus is to reduce Kaduna to rubble. El Rufai does not believe that the people of Southern Kaduna and here I must be specific the Christian population of this part of the State deserve to share in what accrues to Kaduna through the political process. We therefore must be vigilant and be ready more than ever before to fight for what is rightly ours. Doing so, it is not enough to keep shouting PDP is set to win Sir Kashim Ibrahim House come 2019 without understanding the conspiracy theory which could actually inform giving victory back to El Rufai. We must consciously analyse this theory so that we can avert the possibility of tragedy. Until something is done while we still have the time, I am afraid that El Rufai will extend his tenancy in Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in 2019.
Written by Col Gora Dauda (rtd)
