Nigeria, party politics and culture of imposition!

Since the return to civilian rule in 1999, true democracy which entails the prevalence of majority determination in political and legal participation and administration, in social and economic activities, with individuals exercising their rights and privileges in line with the collective interest have been denied through impositions of favoured candidates with attendant negative result! Indeed, […]

Since the return to civilian rule in 1999, true democracy which entails the prevalence of majority determination in political and legal participation and administration, in social and economic activities, with individuals exercising their rights and privileges in line with the collective interest have been denied through impositions of favoured candidates with attendant negative result!
Indeed, political impunity in which actions are undertaken that are inimical to true democratic participations without fear of recriminations and dire consequences have become the order of the day in Nigerian political space. In fact, it assumes notoriety of its own as those who partake in it have refused to lean rudimentary lessons of history. They are above the law, and to them, the end, more often than not, justify the means.
Instead of allowing the people the chance to peacefully and voluntarily chooses who should represent them freely without coercion and undue meddlesomeness, such domineering and fascist individuals mostly resorts to forceful impositions of candidates, which in most of the cases results in woeful electoral defeat. 
In Edo State of recent, such attempts at imposing an unpopular candidates has back fired with the way PDP candidates was thoroughly defeated fairly and squarely. Exact scenario was enacted in Jigawa State in the 2015 gubernatorial elections in which the PDP candidates who was forcefully imposed against the wishes of the majority was beaten black and blue by the new ruling party-the APC!
Based on that, candidate usually scramble to gain favour and endorsements from the self-appointed political god fathers no matter how unpopular they happens to be among the electorates using the well anointed rigging machines to advance and possibly realize their political ambitions. Many dreams were shattered and potentially good candidates who hold greater promise to deliver on their mandates were wasted through this same process.
Consequently, the ability to be in the good book of the god fathers has become the beginning of wisdom as far as party politics and election in Nigeria is concern. And their ultimate albatross, because this has never been the end of the story, rather a means to an end which is certified electoral failure and wasted effort especially now that the new electoral guidelines emphasizes on the use of electronic voting system.
It is therefore imperative for all political stakeholders to allow free and fair participations by all candidates so as to guard against negative eventuality which normally follows such unpopular decisions without regards to due process and democratic ideals. A stich in time saves nine!

Kabir Tsakuwa, Kano-Nigeria, [email protected]