HOW MUCH IS OUR SELF WORTH
RE: EKITI 2018
HOW MUCH IS OUR SELFWORTH?
I had a terrible night. I'm seriously troubled in spirit, and I'm afraid for my country. I have always known that Nigeria is a failing state but I never envisaged that we could sink this low. I watched helplessly as both APC and PDP supporters tried to outdo themselves on social media without recourse to the core values of honesty and dignity. I saw many for who they really are. I saw cyber warlords, young, educated and vibrant who I once thought are the hopes of this country, shamelessly defending their indefensible party positions. I know how difficult it is to choose between party loyalty and THE LOVE OF THE COUNTRY but with the way many put their party first, it is obvious we do not have a country.
The Inherent Danger
Years back, before electoral reforms, when there were no PVC and Card Readers, the dangers were ballot snatching, disruption through violence, ballot stuffing, and outright falsification of results. Losers were declared winners. The elections were usually followed by long legal battle at the tribunals which were usually compromised. But with the Jonathan electoral reforms, all the aforementioned maladies gradually disappeared but a new danger had emerged.
THE UGLY TREND
In the past, the electorates were largely victims of electoral manipulations, but today, they are willing accomplices. A shameful concept is gaining currency, a socio political cancer called SEE & BUY. I learnt it started in Ondo State, but was a major determinant in Ekiti. Votes became bazaars. It was a buyers market. "Cast your vote and show your ballot paper to an agent and pronto you got paid"
Evidently, there is HUNGER in the land.
Of what essence were the campaigns?
Throughput the campaigns, issues were not brought to the front burners. We did not see serious intellectual fireworks in a so called Fountain of Knowledge. The manifestoes were not visible. We learnt the two leading contenders were absent at the governorship debate. All we saw were political rallies full of forms without substance. Candidates were giving food to people as if they were socially displaced.
While all these were happening, many were in support in one way, or the other. A few reasonable people rose above the mundane but their voices were subdued by the spur of those moments. Kudos to the few Ekiti people who raised their voices against what happened, you gave me hope.
MY VERDICT
We are all losers. Whatever victory was accomplished was a pyrrhic one. Ekiti election was neither free nor fair. I refuse to congratulate the winner. That election failed the integrity test. It is below the minimum acceptable standard in any sane clime. It was a TRANSACTION and not an election. It was BAZAAR won by the highest bidder.
Ekiti was captured and never won.
You may not like my position, I'm not perturbed. You should sit down and think about your life and the future of your children.
Again, how much is our SELFWORTH?
Shalom. I remain me, myself and I