To begin with, we are all “onlookers” in the political parties’ primary elections for the general elections of 2023 at all levels. We have little or nor say on who becomes the candidates of all our major political parties. In the Nigerian politics of today the electorate do not have the “influence” on who wins the primary elections. Our opinions do not matter for now , but only that of the movers and shakers of ours politics. Ours as the “electorate” at least for now only matters in making the final choice in the general elections , but we look forward to a time when the electorate’s views will matter all through the electoral process.
In advanced democracies “opinion polls”on candidates’ “suitability” and “acceptability” are usually being conducted by several transparent Independent “opinion polls” organizations before parties’ primaries as well as the general elections. Opinion polls often serve as a guide in making political decisions. Opinion polls results in those democracies are capable of influencing political parties’ primary elections outcomes. In those democracies there are transparent avenue for measuring opinion polls. There are several Independent opinion polls bodies to guide a decision. It is apt to note that, “opinion poll” is not static it keeps on changing ups and downs for candidates, but it essentially plays a major role in decision making. Our democracy at least for now does not have the sophistication for a transparent “opinion poll” much less the ability to influence parties’ primaries.
We are now at the mercy of our powerful states governors in both the two major political parties because of their firm control of delegates. If you are not a delegate you are an onlooker in all the major political parties in determining who becomes a flag bear. In our present day democracy even “delegates” are often being teleguided . Even in a direct primary elections method for electing candidates it is only a card carrying member of a political party that partakes in primary elections not all electorate.
In my observation, from 1999 to date, states governors of the two major political parties with the national spread to win general elections are the movers and shakers of Nigerian politics. Any candidate that will emerge from the primaries of the two major political parties will definitely be a candidate who majority of governors of his political party will rally round. In our current situation the most popular “candidates” may lose at the primaries if majority of the governors go against him. The electorate will be left with a limited choice. May the Almighty God guide our powerful governors of the two major political parties to put the interest of our dear country beyond their personal interests in their respective political parties primary elections.
We look forward to a democracy where from primary elections of all the major political parties to the general elections the “opinion and or the “judgement” of the majority of the electorate will matter most in determining “who” is “who” and not the tiny minority we now have.
May God bless Nigeria!
