The heat after the charade called All Progressives Congress, APC, primary election of April 20 seems to have simmered with the public display of the list of 16 contesting political parties’ candidates and their deputies by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, on Saturday. But political gladiators in Ondo State are now having more sleepless nights like never before. Like the proverbial cat with nine lives, the shambolic election has taken a life of its own as the ghost of that travesty of justice on that black Saturday has continued to hunt the perpetrators.
To say the list, it has become a case of a fowl that perches on a tenuous rope. No peace for the rope and neither is the fowl as the primary has caused serious crack on the wall of APC.
What is very obvious since April 20 is that APC is being faced with commotion as a house divided against itself can’t stand. The rumbles have since snowballed into open conflicts amongst the leadership of the party and the opposition parties are watching with unabated interest .They are waiting to feast on the crisis that will continue to engulf the APC from now till the November 16 day of decision in Ondo State. This infraction appears to have polarized the party almost beyond redemption.
APC is brutally divided in the state and the unending reconciliation efforts may end in futility as the matter might have become a rather bad case. As we speak, the stage is set for the crisis to move on the next gear as it will move to the court room on May 29 (incidentally Democracy Day before President Bola Tinubu moved it to June 12) for adjudication even as Senator Jimoh Ibrahim remains adamant on politic settlement insisting that the party must do the right thing and live as the coming together of the progressive minded people and not a circuit of jesters arrogantly parading themselves as democrats.
The other 15 parties are awfully jittery wondering what’s hidden in the womb of November 16 by APC for the other parties at the election if its primary was brazenly manipulated in such a disgraceful manner.
If I may ask, who were the script writers and who schemed Kogi Governor Ododo and his gang as the choreographers? Who were the directors of the nollywood primary election? Could this plot or conspiracy be designed and targeted at the political colossus such as Senator Jimoh Ibrahim, Chief Olusola Oke and Wale Akinterinwa who are all political juggernauts from Ondo South with a sinister motives to demystify their political relevance in Ondo State?
These daylight coup plotters against democracy have been masquerading all these while as democrats. Have we forgotten that democracy is likely to be the best form of government ever invented by man on this planet earth? Have we forgotten that free and fair elections are strong pillars of democracy? Have we forgotten that the election is about popularity contest? Have we forgotten that there is no way we can pretend to have democracy if our laws are being subjugated at will by certain elements in society? Are we not aware that injustice will continue to fuel conflicts in any society? Why should certain people apply double standards and expect peace to reign in our society? Are we too young to forget the consequences of the 1983 election massively rigged by the National Party of Nigeria, NPN, in Ondo State. How soon do we forget great citizens of the state such as Agbayewa, Ebun-Ogunyinka and others who never lived to tell the story of the 1983 rigging in Ondo State?
Why is the APC which Nigerians thought has come to rescue them from poor governance and the recklessness of PDP administration is now worse off because of the lack of internal democracy in the party? We have seen all attempts to legalise an election that was concocted by people we thought believed in all decency but we are disappointed that these conspirators who scripted the nollywood-like primary election are everywhere trying to justify the ignoble show of shame. Why should those faces that we cherished as our pride and symbol of democracy in Nigeria be involved in such abracadabra erroneously called primary election?
Distinguished Senator Jimoh Ibrahim has since approached the court to seek redress against the infringement of his right at the federal High Court, Abuja. While Dr Jimoh Ibrahim has continued to earn accolades for this struggle against injustice, the Araba of Ondo politics can’t be taken for a ride. We are aware of the barrage of attacks he is being subjected to just because he is fighting against injustice. We also saw the clandestine move to suspend him in his ward at Igbotako by the script writers just because he was fighting for his right. We are also aware of the pressure from the high and mighty quarters. I am flabbergasted that those who scripted the primary election who should naturally know better are the ones embarking on nocturnal visits to Dr Jimoh Ibrahim and others. asking them to bury this matter so that they can share their loots? This is a matter of injustice, and I doubt if there is any degree of conspiracy that can extinguish the flame of this struggle.
At this juncture, I doubt if this matter hasn’t gone beyond Dr Jimoh Ibrahim. He has become the symbol against injustice in Nigeria and everywhere. We know where the names of people who fought similar battles are domiciled in history across the world. They have a police report in their favour. They have a DSS report in their favour. They also have a last-minute double standard INEC report that is presently entangled in their cobweb of criminality. Senator Jimoh Ibrahim and others only have the support of the oppressed Ondo people and the Electoral Act of 2022 as amended. I doubt if Dr. Jimoh Ibrahim could pull a hold on this matter anymore because it’s a matter of injustice and history may not be kind to him eventually if he pulls out at this eleventh hour. I insist that if I were Dr Jimoh Ibrahim, it would be better for me to be on the side of history and see this case being decided by the Supreme Court.
.Otunba Sola Olatunji, Chairman , Ondo South Citizen’s Forum writes from Lagos.
