There is nothing more wicked than those you trust, wine, and dine with, going behind to kill you softly while smiling and telling you it is OK.
Presidential systems and campaigns are expensive. For example, the Obama Campaign Committee spent $775 million. The Democratic Party spent $75 million, and the Priorities USA Action super PAC spent $286 million. All the spending amounted to $14.96 per vote for President Barack Obama’s 65,899,660 votes, who won the 2012 election. If converted to the Naira, it means that each vote cost his campaign N8,542.16 (https://www.thoughtco.com/cost-of-the-obama-campaign-3367606).
But eight years later, the campaign spending had gone up into billions in USD. The difference between the US and Nigeria in spending is that the candidates spend the money on staff salaries, rent, travel, advertising, telephones, office supplies and equipment, fundraising, door-to-door campaigns, and not on buying gifts for voters nor cash sharing at polling booths.
Imagine giving entrusting campaign funds to those you think should help market your manifestos. They share your fliers and manifestos in the day. But at night, they enhance your manifestos for the use of opponents. So when you are sleeping, they are campaigning for your opponents. Shamelessly, they still come for breakfast after the night-out in the enemy camp to campaign with you.
Some give equal amounts of money to you and the same to each opponent. They call it balancing and investment for future social credits. Who can know the heart of man? All for the whiff of more money and the tomorrow they have no control over?
I may be naïve. But I think it is better to let people know where you stand on issues than monkeying or playing the hanky-panky game. I believe in always swimming or staying afloat with your convictions than the wayo, wayo, and Kuru, kere movements. Unfortunately, partisan politics is typical of the back-stabbing business. They put one leg in one party and another in other parties, and they call it playing smart.
During the twilight of GEJ’s tenure, many of those who wined and dined with him took his campaign funds to sponsor the opponent. They held meetings with GEJ in the day and flew to other parts of the country at night to perfect his downfall. They forgot that his loss would be a collective loss. GEJ is now everywhere globally, but those who perpetrated the evil are either dead, sick, or in oblivion. Many that spat on GEJ may have their last sweet moments because many shall be dumped after this tenure even if the APC wins.
The game should be about losing some and gaining some. When you lose with your friend today, that is not the end of the world. They may cripple your business. Never mind that the sun is setting now. It shall rise again.
Fastrack GEJ’s experience to 2022. I find it terrible and negative comments about from Tinubu from those he made. As much as I dislike godfathers playing God in people’s lives, I always counsel that if one could no longer tolerate their masters’ overbearing influence, they should not take them to the mud and openly. Biting the fingers that fed us have consequences beyond the now.
In my Union days, Late Mrs. Theodora Emamoke, Chief Obi, and Francis Olabode Johnson (FOJ) were examples of high integrity and very steadfast friends who stood by their friends irrespective of tribe or religion. In the process, they were vilified but didn’t stop them from reaching good heights in PENGASSAN. One thing that ran across the trio was never becoming an enemy with opponents because of elections. They understood that one cannot always win. God bless them eternally as they sleep peacefully with the Lord.
I also learned not to abuse elders. You may dislike what they do, but you can call attention to their drawbacks without using uncouth words in addressing them.
In 20214/2015, many turned against OBJ for his letters to PMB. That particular election saw the worst forms of abuse on OBJ by some people in present day government. They thought four years was for eternity. Many are gradually crawling back to ask him for forgiveness. When you live in glass houses, do not throw stones.
To the godfathers! The lesson they should learn from Comrade Oshiomhole’s time of Edo State is, when you make people, do not play God in their lives. We also saw the resistance during Obaseki’s second term. Up till now,, democracy in Edo State is the loser because of power from all the divide.. Rivers State is also not new in this renewal, where the children grew to dump their political godfathers. Godfathers’ overbearing influence could lead to a rebellion, and those they fed will soon look for new allies for support or begin to build their structures for the unknown future. The Adedibu Era saw a godson refusing to pay the agreed egunje to baba on a monthly basis. It tore them apart. Godfathers shouldn’t always expect those they made to be 100% loyal to them to the end. Some will become rebels.
They should learn to gloss over their sins after all, power is ephemeral, not long lasting and has an expiry date. Godfathers beware.
Happy Sunday. Grace and peace!!!
