S.O.S ALIEME

It is no longer news that the governorship election in Osun State of Nigeria has come and gone.  In this case there is a victor and there is a vanquish.  Accord party candidate won the election against all odds from the 32 State Governors supporting APC, with National Assembly, with the federal might, with the support of the commander in chief of the armed forces. This is amazing. The outcome of the Osun state governorship election should serve as an important lesson to Nigerians ahead of future elections: when citizens come out in large numbers to exercise their democratic rights, their collective voice becomes difficult to ignore. ‎

The Osun election is more than a contest between political parties and candidates. It is another reminder that elections ultimately belong to the people. Political parties may campaign, politicians may make promises, and powerful individuals may attempt to influence the process, but the final decision should rest with the voters. This is why Nigerians must stop treating their votes as insignificant.
‎One of the strongest ways citizens can protect their electoral choice is by participating massively and peacefully. When a candidate wins with a clear and substantial margin, the result reflects a much stronger expression of the voters’ collective will. It becomes considerably more difficult for anyone to convincingly claim that the outcome does not represent the people’s choice.

The lesson from Osun should therefore not be limited to Osun State. Nigerians across the country should pay attention. Too many citizens stay away from elections because they believe their individual vote will not make a difference. Others become discouraged by political disappointments or assume that the outcome has already been decided. But democracy cannot work effectively when the majority surrender their voice to the minority who show up. Your vote may be only one among millions, but millions of individual votes are what produce an election result.

The responsibility, therefore, lies not only with politicians or electoral institutions. It also lies with ordinary citizens. Nigerians must register, obtain their Permanent Voter’s Cards where required, understand the voting process, come out on election day and cast their votes peacefully. The Osun experience should remind us that political power ultimately comes from the people. But that power can only be exercised when citizens participate. We should therefore enter future elections with a different mindset. Do not say, “My vote cannot change anything.” Do not stay at home and allow others to make decisions on your behalf. Come out and vote. Vote according to your conscience. Vote peacefully. Respect the choice of others. And, above all, understand that your vote counts.

If Nigerians truly want better leadership, accountability and a stronger democracy, then the journey begins at the polling unit. Osun has given Nigerians another reason to remember a simple democratic truth: when the people speak clearly through the ballot box, their voice carries weight.

Take a minute and ponder on these hard facts! Politicians have a way of buying your conscience with gifts.  Let me tell you that No face cap can cover your hunger for 4 years. No T-Shirt can protect you from insecurity for 4 years. 5kg rice cannot help your belly for 4 years. 1 litre of groundnut oil cannot sustain your kitchen for 4 years. 4 yards of Ankara cannot cover poverty for 4 years. If someone offers you 10k for campaign or voting, ask yourself this question. How much do they give to their children as pocket money per month? Remember, your 10k is for 4 years, and it is once and for all. Think about your value, think about your voice, think about your future. You are also human, you must not die on the crumbs table!!!

Politicians are not more Nigerian than you are.  The power is in your hands. If the best candidate does not have the chance to win, waste your vote on him without a second thought. It is better to live a fulfilled life, than voting for your own problems. It is the best thing to do. You have a chance to speak in the future. Remember you are not suffering as a Yoruba, Hausa, Igbo, Igala, Tiv or Jukun, but as a Nigerian. Reject all ethnical cards that are unfavourable to your future. They will visit you during campaign, but you will never see them again until the next campaign. Work for an accountable candidate. Election is local, but politics is international. The outcome of election will not only affect you, it affects also all Nigerians irrespective of where they are. Think about the character and integrity of your candidate. Don't submit yourself as campaign thug, the children of politicians are enjoying winter abroad. They don't go out with knife, gun, or charms. Their lives are very important to their parents.

Our politicians are at it again. They are in their element, doing what they know how to do best, politicking without any thought for good governance. It is about capturing power, not proving their worth or earning the trust of the electorate. Though the next general elections are still some distance away, Nigeria’s political landscape is already buzzling with familiar signals such as strategic defections, subtle declarations of interest, and an explosion of campaign posters in places where governance should be the priority.

Billboards are springing up in strategic locations, including across major highways. It is a season that seems to come earlier with each cycle, as politicians abandon the business of today for the ambitions of tomorrow. Yet beneath this growing noise lies a troubling pattern: a political culture driven less by service and more by the relentless pursuit of power, where promises are made with little intention of fulfilment, and the electorate is once again drawn into a well-rehearsed cycle of hope and disappointment. It is yet to be understood whether elections in Nigeria are about service or simply the recycling of power.

Do you know those who defeated APC in Osun state? Let me tell you this that: Those Who Defeated the APC in Osun State were those responsible for the hunger in the land. The Edo State Governor, whose ill-advised and insulting outbursts against the Governor of Osun State only provoked resentment and strengthened Adeleke’s support. Whoever authorised the freezing of the Osun State Government’s accounts. A Senator, who reportedly said that Accord Party members should be killed. An Honourable member, who went everywhere boasting about President’s name and power. Ero Arike, with her endless rants and curses. Former Governor of Osun state, who imposed an unpopular candidate and denied party members the freedom to choose their own flag-bearer. The governors and party leaders who invaded the state as though they had come to conquer its people. Governor Ademola Adeleke’s irrepressible dance steps. Davido and his crowd-pulling magic. Whoever advised the governor to commission numerous projects in the run-up to the election, thereby bringing traditional rulers onto the podium with him and giving his campaign greater visibility and legitimacy. The people of Osun are a determined and fearless people who courageously confronted thugs deployed to seize ballot boxes, even snatching guns and axes from them. The creativity of the people, expressed through their witty, biting and bile-laden campaign songs. Adeleke’s strategists, particularly those who coached and prepared him for the debate, where he exceeded the expectations of many. Adeleke’s top-notch media team. Give it to them. They did a good job.

God Bless Nigeria!!!