Desperado Politicians

As 2015 approaches, any observer will be greatly worried about what appears to be desperation on the part of politicians. Many have started “consultations” and “mobilizing” youths to do their bidding. The level of cash being thrown around leaves one wondering where the money is coming from and how the politician intends to re-coop the money if elected, or worse pay back any borrowed money if the election is lost.

What has also become telling is the “win at all cost” attitude of some political parties especially the newer ones or the newly merged ones. Is there a difference between desperately wrestling power from a ruling party and desperately trying to keep power at all cost? Some months ago, we mentioned the fact that several politicians were amassing a lot of money for elections. Those who were not as liquid were selling properties to add to the final arsenal. Talking about arsenal, some reports have it that guns and ammunitions were also being acquired and the ones hidden from past elections were re-surfacing, if newer or more advanced ones were difficult to acquire. Historically, armed robbery increases after elections, ostensibly because of the proliferation of small arms allegedly used in political thuggery.

The recent arrest of 486 suspected Boko Haram members in 33 hummer buses in the South East may not be unconnected with the upcoming 2015 general elections. The fact that they were found close to states with governors that are not amenable to a second tenure for President Goodluck Jonathan, should not be easily dismissed. We even read a commentary by an analyst denying whether there were actually any Boko Haram members arrested, implying that it may have been a made up story by the ruling party at the national level.

Now that Ekiti governorship election is over, we know it is not over with the drama surrounding private jets and helicopters that opposition governors claim are banned from taking off or landing by the federal government. Osun state governorship election is around the corner. The propaganda surrounding the aviation wahala is difficult to sometimes decipher.

Our fear is that desperate people do desperate things, but our prayer is that no weapon fashioned against Nigerians will prosper in 2015.

*Rev. (Prof.). A.O.A. Akpodiete is a public affairs analyst and writes from Asaba, Delta State. Contact him on 08138391661 or [email protected],

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Articles by Prof. Alex O. Atawa Akpodiete, Esq.