Social media is agog castigating politicians who purchased exhorbitant expression forms for millions of Naira. Many people have been asking where they got the money to purchase the forms from. For some people that have been in government since 1999, crisscrossing from one political party to the other or serving in juicy agencies, the millions would just have been a tip of the iceberg. Wait, the cock shall soon crow at dawn.
For the avoidance of doubts, those guys are not crazy to cough out the vast sums for free. To them, politics is not just a game but an investment. Rightly so. Only the ‘Eruobodos’ with guts can play the type of our politics because they know the masses cannot interrogate them on the field.
It does not matter how lettered we are. The entire population has fallen under a deep spell of hypnotism. When those who could ask questions wake, they are reengaged to take part in the singing and clapping events during political rallies.
Secondly, the political strategists used it to raise the bar so that only ‘Men’ and ‘Women’ would rub shoulders on the Presidential platforms. The not-too-young to run also have their levels and free channels.
Thirdly, it is an intelligent way of raising funds for political parties.
Fourthly, there is honor in losing the Presidential race because it would be added to the CV as a ‘former Presidential candidate’ In Nigeria, it is an appellation worthy of having.
Fifthly, many know so well that they cannot win their party primaries. They have smartly invested in the party to have the right of first refusal when considering other layers of investments within the parties. For example, some Presidential aspirants who purchased the N100m or N40m forms also hid to buy forms to contest the Senate or the House of Representatives’ seats.
In trying to reach a consensus to reduce the number of Presidential candidates to the barest minimum, the party would use each candidate’s investment portfolios to barter and trade-off.
Shortly before the Presidential primaries, many candidates shall step down because of barter arrangements and promises to be ambassadors, especially those that resigned their ministerial portfolios. Others who have not been ministers before now shall become one in the next dispensation.
Lastly, some can even step down to buy forgiveness of sinning no more when their preferred candidate wins. So, head or tail, they all end up winners.
The losers of the horse raising trade shall be the masses who will be denied the opportunity to willingly choose their candidates.
Is anyone still thinking it’s crazy to spend so much to purchase expression of interest forms?
Grace and peace!!!
