This reveals the crisis of APC. But it also reveals the arrogance of the bourgeoisie and their contempt for the working masses. ... In dismissing a forward-thinker, the voters sent out a loud message. After coming to power in 2010, Mr Fayemi laid new roads, improved the university system, presented a plan to get more young people into jobs, created a social-security scheme for the elderly, and cut corrupt wage payments to government workers. But such reforms upset people with a vested interest in the old political system. Unqualified teachers who have been told to take tests as part of Mr Fayemi’s education reforms probably voted against him. So did civil servants upset by his more meritocratic hiring practices. Such people plainly prefer the old “politics of the belly”, which keeps them comfortably on the state payroll and hands out cash in return for their votes. “We felt we had the people on our side, but the people themselves made this decision,” an aide to Mr Fayemi mournfully admits. “It is worrisome just how much enlightenment the electorate needs.” Indeed, the election was a clash between appeals to good governance on the one hand and the lure of old- school clientelism and populism on the other. Despite Ekiti having a relatively well-educated electorate, the old ways prevailed. This does not bode well for political reform across the country.
Posted on: Sat, 28 Jun 2014 06:43:50 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015