Now, that the 2023 general election is few months away from now, following the recent presidential assent to the amended Electoral bill 2022, which caused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to do re-fixing dates for the 2023 election, in line with the provisions of the new act. The usual intrigues of drama, deceits and blunders are gradually climbing to crescendo with many Nigerians awash with their antics waiting for the unfolding “Nwa-ekelebe” dancing steps and vapourative rhetoric movies and its eventual showdown.
In this coming politheatrical show, characters and roles will certainly change; for instance, some of the characters who played gubernatorial, Senatorial, National or State Assembly aspirant roles in the last general election may wish to change roles this time based on conviction, convenience or desperation.
Yes! the desperation drive of politicians to return for another tenure by all means enacts the gravest danger to the integrity and success elections.
Ironically, some Nigerian politicians see the game as a physical do-or-die contest and as such deploy all arsenals of warfare towards winning it at all cost, while some others believe, it is a spiritual battle and as such go-seeking the services of the gods via her agents yet their common faith revolves round the fact that politics is a game of number forcing the politicians to seek or lobby for voters acceptance causing them to engage in all manner of intrigues including dramatic and comic, fake and deceitful lifestyle in their campaign activities currently charging.
Some political folks utterly go crazy during campaigns and elections. The moment election season looms, it will seem like bolts are gaping inside their heads,; and they begin irregular behaviours accompanied by dangerously inflammatory statements or ridiculous comments capable of infuriating opponents or overheating the political turf, just like the present Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El Rufai, who is notoriously blunt and verbally pugnacious, throwing tantrums and drumbeat of war at perceived opponents without recurs to civility and the sensitivities of polite society or avoid actions and reactions that will win him enemies rather than friends.
El Rufai, is wrongly remembered for warning “foreign powers” who may have been engaged by some politicians to interfere with the 2019 general elections to jettison the idea because, “they would go back in body bags.” A statement he made, while speaking during an NTA Live programme on a Tuesday evening.
Apparently, his unrestricted, disorderly and unsavoury vituperations have, no doubt caused him, his hitherto jolly good relationship with many Nigerian compatriots who now, bitterly resent his abrasive style, insensitive utterances and controversial dispositions.
Some others absolutely go the deceitfully dramatic way; wearing the comedic garb just to craftily display fake and virtual lifestyles aimed at deceiving the poor masses into believing that if voted into power, they will not observe the social and economic class differences or gab between the government players and the ordinary people.
On the theatrical lounge are the likes of former governor of Imo State and the present Senator representing Imo West, Rochas Okorocha, had during his electioneering campaign in 2011 and 2015, roamed the streets of Owerri, roasting corn and eating Akara (Beans Fritters), carrying babies up and down as if he is a very passionate Baby Caregiver. At a point, he wooed the the civil servants especially the teachers with black & white uniform allowance of ten thousand naira (10,000) and another for the Christmas rice, which came only once in his 8 years in office.
And, when his Edo State counterpart Adams Oshiemole, discovered the drama worked the magic for Okorocha, he (Oshiemole) quickly deployed the method in his State to secure the governorship win for Obaseke, as they were both spotted severally enjoying their boiled corn food, publicly on the streets of Edo.
In a similar development, the former governor of River State and the present Minister of Transportation, Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, during one of his electioneering campaigns jumped into the street saloons to plait ladies hair as if he is down-to-earth, unassuming, classless, humane and most serviceable. Quite an intriguing comic display to deceive the gullible!
In like manner, the present Lagos State governor, Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, also during his campaigns then jumped into a saloon in Lagos then, to fix a woman’s hair. In one or two other occasions, his running mate, Dr Obafemi Hamzat, joined him feign learning class, on how to repair mobile phones at the computer village.
There are many more politicians within our political field who have engaged in one comic drama or the other; the wife of the nation’s President, Aisha Buhari, was during one her campaigns for her hubby return for second tenure spotted in a photograph that spread online, helping a roadside woman to fry akara. Former President Jonathan also had his picture printed on some packaged foods items that were distributed widely then,
Former Osun State Governor, Rauf Aregbesola, is also in the gauge, as he spotted in a picture that went viral, wearing the same school uniform with the students in one of the schools within the state, when he allegedly went to commission the school’s newly constructed building.
Very unfortunately, dating from 1999, we have had over 20 years of unbroken civilian rule that have continually produced what could be described as a “mournful democracy”
However, the permit for this unfolding show is the Permanent voters card (PVC). We are waiting for loading drama show.
