“The October 25th LGA Election in Delta State is a sure win for the PDP. The outcome of the election has already being decided and I can tell you that with or without your votes, the PDP has won the election. The election is just a formality, you should see your PDP flag bearers as your next Chairman and Councilors. It is a done deal” The above statement (paraphrased) was made by Peter Nwaoboshi, the Chairman of Delta State PDP Chapter and has been supported by other leaders in the state. While it is without doubt that there exist an unwritten law in Nigerian politics that forbids opposition parties from controlling LGAs controlled by a dominant party. For an acclaimed learned man like Peter Nwaoboshi to make such an utterance in Ndokwa East some weeks back is not only to expose our insanity and worthlessness as electorates but also to portray the shady democracy we practice in Delta State and Nigeria. For a man to tell a people of a local government that, with or without their votes and support, his party has already won the election (an election that is yet to be conducted) shows that we indeed live in in an insane country. I understand that Patience Jonathan has struck a deal with Emmanuel Uduaghan and other political figures to ensure that 30% of the elective positions in Delta State and Nigeria at large gets to the female folks by whatever means necessary. I like the ideology, however, what I do not like is the manner in which the women folks are playing their politics through the influence of their political ogas at the top. If you must play the local politics, you must be ready to get your feet wet, be ready to contest for primaries with your fellow contestants and be ready to accept the outcome. To use the ideology of ‘women 30% political participation’ as method of imposing candidates on the electorate might lead to the destruction of our beloved party PDP in Delta State. Equal opportunity does not guarantee equal outcomes so why are we scared of a fair play in the participation of women in politics. What we need in Delta State politics is equal opportunity. Anyway, that is by the way. Nkechi Chukura of PDP, Olisa Charles of APC, and Enus Victor of LP are doing a great campaign in the Local Government and I believe they will all be heartbroken and angered if the state government through DSIEC will not be giving them equal opportunities at the end. We have seen the outcome of such angers in the past, people killed, houses burnt, etc. We do not want to see such a thing occur again. I have had discussions with their campaign teams and I know their fears and aspirations. All they want is an open election, ‘ALLOW US TEST OUR POPULARITY UNENCUMBERED BY POLITICAL MANIPULATIONS’. That is what they want, what I want, what we all want. I have had few official and beer parlor discussions with grass root youths and leaders and if I am to report my observation from our discussions, I will describe majority of the political youths as being PSYCHOLOGICALLY DEMORALIZED by the political culture of the system. A youth at Kwale once said to me in a beer parlor discussion ‘did you think Peter Nwaoboshi was joking when he told you they already have a list of our next Chairmen/Councilors? Has it not happened before in the past, when we said no, we do not want this person, this is who we want, we came out with our strengths and supported our man. What happened? Our man won the election in the Local Government but their man’s name was declared winner in Asaba and throughout their man’s tenure, we were brutally victimized and sidelined simply because we were no longer seen as members of the ruling party who happens to be in charge of the local government. I will not make that mistake again, I will not be victimized and sidelined again.’ People should not be compelled to support a candidate simply because of what they fear. People should be happy to support any candidate of their choice knowing fully well that even when their candidate loses, they have no fear of being sidelined from the activities of the council. Allocation that comes to an LGA belongs to everybody irrespective of party affiliations. What kind of irrational country has Nigeria become? To all candidates, let us not forget that during electioneering we belong to a party but once we become elected, we represent a government and a government is supposed to be made up of everybody irrespective of party affiliations. We cannot continue to ‘empower’ only party members and polarize the others simply because they did not vote for us. What then is the beauty of democracy? Today marks the beginning of my sensitization campaign, my message is simply. The local government council is the closest government to the people, therefore they must be allowed to choose the leader that they think will be closest to them. A leader that will pick their calls before and after elections, a leader that will not allow the monthly allocations of over 200,000 people to be shared by few criminals who call themselves godfathers. A leader that will not award a 5 million naira contract for 30 million. A leader that will do all he can to ensure his local government farmers get fertilizers and soft loans when needed. A leader that will drag productive companies to the local government. A leader that will create jobs and send our upcoming brilliants students to higher institutions via scholarships/bursary. A leader that will see everybody as members of his/her government irrespective of party affiliations. My campaign is simple. You have read it. Ndokwa East LGA is rich, it is hosting one of the biggest Independent Power Plants in Africa, and it is rich in oil & gas. The people do not deserve to be this poor, the youths do not deserve to be this miserable and jobless. Irrespective of party affiliations, whoever wins the election must not allow the old habit to continue. Leaders, Goodluck Jonathan Olisa Metuh Olisa Imegwu Godwill ObielumPaul Odili, Iyke Oputah George Ugbomah Sunny Obi-ijomah, Hon Pascal Adigwe, et al. Please, let’s respect our peoples right to choose their next chairman/chairwoman. Senior Comrades Enudi Marcus, Tony Ndanenu, Ken Obi John-Pedro Osuya, Anthony Ajusah Pedro Chibuzo ObiPrince Emmanuel Ohai Emmanuel Emmannuel Opia Malik Shabbazz Andy Okolo Frank Ofili Anioma Voice Ndokwa VoiceFejiro Oliver Aboh Kingdom, Gimba Kakanda, Prince Saka Opute Stephen K. DieseruvweCadre Drake et al, Abeg how una see the matter? Tony Osborg
Posted on: Sat, 11 Oct 2014 09:10:41 +0000
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