February Polls and the Possibility of Voting Candidacy, rather than party affiliations

The 1999 constitution which government and governance across the country for now is centred on makes independent candidacy unconstitutional and by implication no individual is qualified to contest unless he or she is a party flag bearer.

Laudable as the constitution might appear, the seeming lack of principle by our political gladiators and the near lack of ideological difference across our major political parties in Nigeria, coupled with the greed, desperation and ethnic/religious agenda by political office seekers may have given rise to the routine occurrence of cross-carpeting by political office seekers in the country.

And if events leading to the February 2015 polls are anything to be taken seriously, then indications are that the eligible and willing voting public across the country who will ignore the threat of insecurity are likely to vote candidates of their choice based on ethnic, regional and religious sentiment, rather than party affiliations.

Only few Nigerians will summon the courage to vote according to party ideology or credibility of candidates, a situation that will further promote mediocrity, corruption, the widening gulf in our religious and ethnic sentiment as well as bad governance.

These are perhaps some of the reasons why most House of Assembly, National Assembly and governorship candidates despite contesting under a particular party platform barely identify with their party presidential and governorship candidates in their bill boards and posters, let alone their rare campaign media advertorials.

In-fact, most of the politicians are guilty of “anti party activities” because why they may be supporting the Presidential or governorship candidate of their party, their allegiance to candidates vying for House of Assembly or National Assembly positions are different.

Evidences of the desperation and sentiment by some of our politicians, which will strongly influence the voting pattern abounds in strategic locations in Warri and other parts of Delta State.

A drive around or close observation will show the same campaign bill boards bearing the faces of candidates contesting for various positions with different party platforms.

The questions that continue to agitate discerning minds are: Is there anything like anti party activity? Or are our politicians simply telling us that they are desperate and Nigeria political parties lack ideology? Only time will tell.

Editor-In-Chief

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