“Politics is dynamic.” ~ Godswill Akpabio
Unfolding events in the political sphere in Nigeria are clear
attestations to the dynamism of politics. Everyday we are confronted
with watershed moments filled with lessons that will certainly be
valuable to students of political history in the future.
Aside the electoral tsunami orchestrated by Chief Olusegun Obasanjo
which swept across the south-west in 2003; it seemed almost impossible
for an incumbent governor to lose elections in Nigeria,rare cases (like
that of Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Mohammed Alabi Lawal) also abound,were as
incumbent governors they wronged the powers at the centre and those
powers were determined to remove them by hook or crook. A sitting
governor was almost always assured of victory in the next election and
campaigning were oftentimes seen as a mere formality.
After the announcement of governorship election results in 2011,a lot
changed – due to so many factors but chief among them(to me) being
political awareness/enlightenment of Nigerians. At least three incumbent
governors had lost their seats,even when it seemed victory was assured –
feelers from those states showed that either the governors had
performed abysmally in the last four years,initiated projects that did
not have any direct impact on the people or out rightly were ‘sleeping
on duty’. It is even said that the only achievement of one of such
governors was the planting of grasses round the state capital and the
showing of same on international cable stations. Well the governors were
gone and the new ones settled into their new offices.
Then came the Ekiti election scheduled for 21/06/2014; with the
soaring reputation of the incumbent governor Kayode Fayemi and the hype
surrounding his performance(in the almost four years of his tenure) on
various social media platforms, one would believe the election was only
going to be a mere formality. JKF associates online made it seem like
the man had so performed that Ekiti people would not only be willing to
keep him in office for another four years but would also want to amend
the constitution and give him a third term – if it were possible. After a
select team of bloggers/writers/journalist visited the state,all we
were told were tales of how the man is loved by his people for
transforming a hitherto backward state and how his political opponents
were no match for him.
Alas came the election day;after all was said and done,the results
announced came as a shock to many people who followed the elections
without any particular interest and almost all of the governors
political associates. The incumbent was not only defeated, it was
surprising that he couldn’t win a single local government area including
his. Firstly,one wonders what happened to all the folk tales told
before election day. Secondly in the three years plus of Fayemi’s
administration whose interest was he serving,that no single local
government area could stand up for him when it mattered most.
Thirdly,all the projects he has embarked on,are they located in
neighbouring states whose citizens were not permitted to vote in Ekiti
state? In the end what the result showed is that either the man had been
‘sleeping on duty’ or that his people see his projects as meaningless
to them; whatever the case,one thing is certain JKF had lost touch with
the people at the grassroot(who are the majority that go out to vote on
election day) resulting in his ‘trashing’ at the polls.
As the 2015 election approaches,what happened in Ekiti state should
serve as a lesson to other political office holders – that when you lose
touch with the electorates,the resultant effect is always devastating.
This might be the beginning of the end to the incumbency factor during
elections; performance therefore will become the only guarantee for
electoral victory. This remains the only way the dividends of democracy
will trickle down to the common man and not just the elites who have
access to the resources. Every politician should readjust,the times are
changing and things are not the same as before.
Ekiti people have set a precedence by WHOLLY rejecting what they
believe is not good enough for them and I only hope the incoming
government will bring them all the good things they yearn for. Nigerians
are wiser now and surely won’t settle for less than they deserve.
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