The anti-democratic behaviors, intolerance, extreme tribal politics, and forcing people to campaign or vote against their conscience, which I am seeing in our political horizon is concerning and discomforting.
From the look of things, extreme violence and killings are likely to occur before and during the 2023 elections. It could also negatively affect the Presidential hopefuls as they begin their campaigns next week.
First, it is unfair to forcefully impose a particular candidate’s stickers on tricycles and taxis at a cost. That will amount to extortion. The candidates should never allow that to happen. Any candidate endorsing such an illegality is not worthy to lead this country.
Besides, that candidate is likely to lose sympathy in other goe-political zones because the person’s posters will also be disallowed or ripped from bill boards in other states.
Second, it is morally and politically wrong for advertorial bill boards in any state to be reserved for a particular candidate. How does that person now expect other candidates to allow his own posters in their domains?
Thirdly, when preachers of faith-based organizations from the pulpit say, “anybody not voting for this or that aspirant will be chased out from our land,” such preachers are setting that particular candidate against other zones where he or she needs reciprocal votes. Other zones also have the law of reciprocity that their leaders can evoke. Have they forgotten the mantra of “do to others what you want them do to you.?
All the above anti-democratic principles shall be putting our Presidential candidates at risk when they commence their campaigns next week. The earlier we stop them the better for our polity.
Grace and peace!!!
