By Adefolarin A. Olamilekan
Democracy and politics are interconnected and interwoving interesting processes.That in no small measures afford humanity. The opportunity to ensure aggregate and agreeable development. Meanwhile democracy is the vehicle,politics on the other hand is the road.
Therefore,through democracy we are on the move to select out off several options.At the same time,the road is not always smooth toward our agreement, disagreement and compromise to sustain our interests.
In this respect that is why an open minds to politics as demostrate that politics to a great extent is local, but democracy is universal.
Interestingly, at the international political arena actors that have mastered local politics dominate the scene. Marshalling resources to prosecutes the goal of their interests. And this trends over the years facilitates global democratic and political development,shaping and reshaping our world.
This as equally, informed democracy and politics in sub sahara Africa.A situation that desire objectives for growth and development live much to be achieved.
For instance,with democracy, political party system supposed to create opportunity to articulate development through idealogy that foster collective interest.Alas, this not what is obtainable right now.
It over 65 years since Nigeria attained independence.Democracy and politics has being around since 1960s. Regreatably, as a nation our political parties had no national ideology that can propel desire development.
Chiefly, this should not surprise us. After all both earliest and current political parties were equally devoid of ideology,but only emerged on the basis of ruling class and elites interests agreement.
This take us to the title of this piece properly.As we are barely counting hours to the gubernatorial election in Ekiti state.
The moment the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) signal for the democratic electioneering to start.
From the ruling party to leading opposition party alongsides others will be parties in the race.
Fireworks of electioneering campaigns from aspiring candidates justling to be Governor Kayode Fayemi’s successor.
Characterized by intense horse trading,
politiking,rumore and fake news. Envelopes and was the focal point of politicians in Ekiti state.
Interestingly. the candidates that are going to be on the ballot come Saturday June 18 2022 are Biodun Oyebanji (APC), Reuben Famuyibo, Accord; Wole Oluyede (African Democratic Congress (ADC); Debo Ajayi, Young Progressives Party (YPP); Kemi Elebute-Halle, Action Democratic Party (ADP); Moses Olajide, African Action Congress (AAC), Olufemi Obidoyin, All Progressives Congress (APGA) and Peter Adegbenro, Allied Peoples Movement (APM).
Others are Segun Oni, Social Democratic Party (SDP); Bisi Kolawole, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP); Modupe Olatawura, All People’s Party (APP); Daramola Roland, Labour Party (LP); Oladosu Fatomilola, New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP); Tope Iyaniwura, National Rescue Movement (NRM); Olaniyi Agboola, People’s Redemption Party (PRP) and Kolade Akinyemi, Zenith Labour Party (ZLP).
Aforementioned political parties governorship candidates will have to earn Ekiti state electorate votes.
I mean valid votes in a transparent process to inform an electoral decision binding on them for the next 4 years.
Understandably, signing peace pact doing election in Nigeria today cannot be overemphasizes. The Ekiti pact was organised by the Justice Development and Peace Initiative (JDPI) of the Catholic Mission, in partnership with the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and the Ekiti Council of Elders.
Meanwhile, the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bisi Kolawole, was not not on ground to sign the peace pact.
Instructively, what is however critical is the campaign focus of all the candidates.That is not different from the usual themes of insecurity,pension payment,civil servant welfare,roads infrastructure, electricity problems,health.job creation,education and agriculture amongst others.
Succinty, also the media handlers of major contenders in the election have being filling in with statement to influence there popularity and acceptance by voters.
For instance, Jackson Adebayo, the Director of Media and Publicity of Segun Oni Campaign Organisation, (SOCO), Assert that “SDP would win the election given the popularity and acceptance of its candidate, Oni. He boosted that “the PDP is not on ground again in the state because of the defections of majority of its members to the SDP”. Adding that the election would be between the party and the APC because the PDP has been depleted”.
In what look like a bombing reply Lere Olayinka the spokesman for the PDP Campaign Organisation, “the SDP is not in this race.The PDP is going to win. All the indices are there. You can see the failure of the party in government, the APC everywhere. You can see insecurity; you can see decaying infrastructure, non-payment of salaries and not paying deductions. He further lament the government insincerity to owes about eight months’ deductions.
Asserting that the people are with us, they want to go back to a government that they can feel; they want a situation whereby they can see their governor and they can discuss with their governor, unlike a governor who in a month spends only two days in Ekiti and the remaining in Abuja. People are tired of that kind of situation.In his words, the indicators are there that the people have rejected the APC at the state and the federal level”
On the other hand, Segun Dipe APC publicity secretary what everybody to know that the election ” is not a keen contest”. According to Dipe “The APC will win with a reasonable margin. It is not going to be keen at all.He added that” The PDP is fake; and Ekiti people have realised that and rejected it already. We know the fake projects that the PDP did during its administration, roads that were worn out within six months.He also lambast “The SDP is about noise, blackmail and propaganda. No structure, no backbone. There is a difference between ‘we have done this, we are doing this and we are going to do this.’ The SDP thinks that by de-marketing the APC, they can market themselves.”
He boasted that the governing party and its candidate, Biodun Oyebanji, were unbeatable since Ekiti people knew they could be trusted to deliver on promises.
From the foregoing we can appreciate the dynamic of the forthcoming Ekiti gubertorial election.
For us,considering the political bulwark of campaigns and ambition of all the candidates.What Ekiti state indigenes and residence look forward to is a peaceful poll. Even though the election is unpredictably, what must not be rule out. The right capable winner emerging that would ensure the state’s potential. Are turned into wealth that can be equaltably distributed.Critically, this is what democracy and politics suppose to afford Ekiti people.Nonetheless,the dynamics of election can be unassuming.
