APC AND THE LESSONS OF EKITI POLL

LESSONS FROM THE EKITI POLLS

The recently concluded Ekiti Gubernatorial Poll has a few Lessons for us as Nigerians;

1) Elections can be free and fair. Despite pockets of disturbances and claims in some quarters about disenfranchisement, all three candidates and the Independent Observers attest to the fact that the Polls were relatively free and fair. INEC too congratulated themselves for a job well done.

2) Elections need not be a do-or-die affair. Dr. Kayode Fayemi was gracious in defeat; he conceded defeat and congratulated Mr. Ayodele Fayose immediately “Ekiti people have spoken.” He said, rather than seek to overturn the result via the Tribunals with endless court cases and thousands of Taxpayers money going down the drain but then again Lawyers must chop. As President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan said “Any ambition at anytime is not worth the Blood of Nigerians. Never ever expect a Nigerian to spill a drop of his Blood because Goodluck Jonathan has some ambitions. Nigerians should always preach Unity in all their engagements. This is the only way the Country will achieve greatness”

3) Elections need not be Violent: Going by utterances of some political Leaders from the self acclaimed opposition Party APC, security agents would have had an herculean task trying to keep the peace in Ekiti state now that Fayose had been declared the winner “………nobody serves you freedom a la carte, IT’S GOING TO BE RIG AND ROAST” ~ Sen. Bola Tinubu (emphasis mine) If we roast the people because we lost an election, who do we seek to Govern?

4) Ekiti Saw through the Veil: Ekiti people saw the deceit that is the APC as a group of people who are not only desperate for power for Power’s sake, but are so consumed with their quest for power that nothing else matters. They can form alliance with all sort of people so long as they get the power and use any means necessary including violence to get the it as a leading figure in the APC and one seen by some as the solution to the leadership equation says “the Dog and the Baboon will be soaked in Blood” and some Nigerians erroneously believe this APC is the answer. The question I keep asking is who is the APC leadership referring to as Dogs and Baboons? Ekiti people refused to be labeled Dogs and Baboons, so we saw Jubilations in the Streets. They realized like the outgoing Governor His Excellency Dr. Kayode Fayemi that “we are all Ekiti People”

It’s left for us all to tow the Ekiti way and refuse Violence in all forthcoming Elections; we must refuse the toga of Dogs and Baboons. No one should allow his or her Blood or be used to spill the blood of another for anyone’s ambition.