Godfatherism : A Curse Rather than Blessing in Nigeria Politics

This is not a PDP victory or an APC loss. This is a victory for the Edo people. Yes, godfatherism politics has indeed died in Edo to a large extent.

Edo election is a radical departure from Nigeria, Africa' s most populous nation with 190 million people , and  a long history of electoral violence, ballot-stuffing and voter intimidation,  attacks on or abduction of election officers and observers, alleged widespread violations of the Electoral Act and so forth.

Worst still,  results are rejected describing it as a ruse that would be challenged at the tribunal. The party, through its agent, refused to sign the final copy of the result as a protest against its outcome, which normally marred the integrity  of governorship election. 

In Edo state, governor Godwin Obaseki, the PDP candidate, has scored the highest number of votes to defeat APC’s candidate, Osagie Ize-Iyamu. Mr Obaseki polled 307, 955 votes while Osagie Ize-Iyamu  received 223, 619 votes.

 I am not from Edo state and certainly know little on the politics therein. But I cannot pass the opportunity to comment on how APC kicked Obaseki out of the party by disqualifying him on technicalities. This APC loss is also a low point for the former labour leader, APC chairman and godfather, Adam Oshiomole. 

A Godfather is a kingmaker, boss, mentor, and principal, while godson is beneficiary and recipient of the legacy of a godfather. It is the central point of political vandalism. Because he who pays the piper dictates the tune to kill, maim, steal and destroy in order to appease the guts and gods of godfatherism. 

Imagine, majority are unavoidably governed by elites replaced by another negligible few group of elites. Is this not a curse rather than blessing ?  

The primary motive of political Godfathers is to control the treasury of the state. The failure of of the godson to meet the demands of a god-fsther is often punished with impeachment or denial of re-election. Such attempted, attempts  failed in Edo. Because, it reduces the freedom and welfare of the people. 

Let's us join hands in solidarity with Edo people to say Capital "NO" to anything capable of depriving us from voting for the ideal applicants as our leaders. 

Let us celebrate the Edo people here for breaking the curse without assistance of any voodoo or rocket science but purely civilization. Forget the loser and winner; they are the same. However, watch out, Obaseki may be planning to return to APC while Ize-Iyamu makes it back to PDP for the next season. It is permanent interest for them, and only them.

-Attai Stephen Eyiene, Columnist, Koginfo