We teach political science but Nigerian politicians practice Politricks – Don

Nigeria’s politics is different from the type of politics taught in the country’s higher institutions, according to Prof. Michael Oni, Professor of Political Science at Babcock University. Prof. Oni disclosed this while speaking on the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria on Channels Television on Monday. 2023: LP Guber candidate in Kaduna woos Shiites for Peter […]

Nigeria’s politics is different from the type of politics taught in the country’s higher institutions, according to Prof. Michael Oni, Professor of Political Science at Babcock University.

Prof. Oni disclosed this while speaking on the leadership recruitment process in Nigeria on Channels Television on Monday.

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He said Nigerian politics and what is being taught in school are poles apart, describing the Nigerian brand of politics as ‘politricks.’

“Let me just explain what happened to [Nyesom] Wike to you. By logical induction and political logic, [Aminu] Tambuwal was supposed to support Wike in their primary but Tambuwal came out to dissociate himself from him.

“That is not enough. Again, selecting Wike as the vice president, 14 voted for him, three voted for [Ifeanyi] Okowa and Okowa won. Is that a political science? So, we call that politricks, not politics.

“There is a difference between politics which we teach in political science with politricks which Nigerians are playing,” Prof. Oni said.

He said political science is the science of studying, discussing and predicting politics but said what operates in the Nigerian political environment is politricks which is not taught in the school.

Explaining further, he said Politricks is “saying one thing and doing another”.

“Political scientists will tell you that to win an election, you have to be acceptable, you have to be voted for by your people.”

He said the 2007 general election in Nigeria was the worst so far, stressing that “people were using palm kernels to vote multiple times. That is politricks.”

Prof. Oni said politicians now do everything possible to win elections because people are now equating power with wealth in Nigeria.

He added that religion and ethnic sentiments in electing people into positions also contributed to making the brand of politics in Nigeria unique.

The don said with time and a lot of sensitization, people will begin to vote for competence.

He said the current youth revolution, if successful, could help Nigeria out of ‘politricks.’