By Batos Nwadike
INEC, the administrative body empowered by the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria have announced and earmarked 28th of September 2022 as the date for the kick off for campaigns of the 2023 general elections. We shall all meet at the soap box! We will all meet at River Nworie, River Njaba, Imo river, River Nwangele, Oguta Lake, Lake Nwaebere, Orashi basin etc. There are no hills in Imo state. We will not miss to meet at the Dan Anyiam, Grasshoppers, Orlu and Okigwe stadiums. The system will jam itself at the various primary schools and church arenas. It will be full of activities; dance groups, fun makers, professional beggers, beautiful women and youths of all shades and then the big masquerades from Ijele to Okorosha. These are the confetti of glamour that flower political campaign rallies across Imo state and beyond. Very soon, sooner than later, in two weeks time, boisterous activities that herald every four years change of power or call it tenure will kick start.
In the wake of the campaigns in a forth-nite, political parties especially the big ones of APC, PDP and Labour: don’t ask me of APGA(her husband have since divorced her from the compound of political marital bliss), will roll out their time table of activities. The activities will be all encompassing from chapters to wards, Local governments, states and national. Loudspeakers will blare unceasingly, drums and gongs will sound, canopies will adorn fiels, long convoys will stretch, chairs, drinks, water satchels and bottles will flow, food and pastries will flower everywhere on nearly daily basis. What do you call this, a flurry of economic activities all over the country. Politicians, business tycoons, power and influence sponsors will roll out what Americans call slush money( un-named money, money hanging in the air and use it to scramble for power.
Why do people scramble for power? The answer is simple. People scramble for power to make easy money, fame, prestige and authority. In Nigeria and even abroad the scramble for power otherwise known as campaigns sometimes become dirty, fierce and violent. It is not supposed to be so. Political campaigns are supposed to be organised and civilised. It is an era and activity that is used to explain, convince and project the vision and mission of the party and candidate to the electorate to make the appropriate choice of whom or which party to vote for that will manage the activities of the people and society for a tenure. It is not violent war and should not been seen as such. It helps to accentuate the saying in local parlance of ” soldier go, soldier come”
In Nigeria, using Imo state as a case study, the incumbent APC will be doing a struggle of their political life against a raving new order known as Obedient represented by Peter Obi and the Labour Party. So it is for PDP. Don’t ask me of APGA; (she has since been divorced by the people from marital political bliss). The big parties have already made some concessions to the new order by agreeing to be Obedient in the presidential elections but saying in other elections they will be Obidient to their home party and candidates. Does it work like that? Will it work so? Has it ever worked?
In the coming days as the count down gets to the D- day, we shall see how the Come will Come to Become.
Dr. Batos Nwadike( Oyi of Igboland) is Chancellor of Leadership by Example League International( LELI) and President General of Orlu Senatorial Zone Political Consultative Assembly( OSCA) and writes from his residence off Prince Alex Mbata Road, near Protea Hotel, Owerri.
NIGERIA NEWSPOINT
