Voter apathy, weakened opposition, economic hardship and lack of necessary awareness may define today’s council poll in Oyo State, MOYOSORE
SALAMI reports.
No fewer than 2,305,903 people in Oyo state registered to participate in today’s council election in the state. The voters are drawn from the 6390 polling units spread across the 33 local councils of the state.
While preparations for the exercise have reached its crescendo with a contest expected between the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the main opposition, All Progressives Congress (APC), and despite assurances by the Chairman, State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), IsiakaOlagunju (SAN) of a free and fair contest, there is nothing on ground however, to show that the electorate are excited in the process.
At first, only two political parties are seen to be doing something of the 18 registered political parties the OYSIEC showcased for the election.
The lukewarm attitude may not be unconnected with the notion that rarely has a ruling party lost in a process of this nature no matter how hard her opponents may try and they believe that their votes may not count.
Investigations conducted by The Guardian indicated that the frenzy that normally follows the process is in short supply. At some motor parks, markets and even in the secretariats of some political parties where political activities ordinarily should be in full swing, the morale is low. Only the PDP and APC are showing semblance of preparations for the exercise.
Aside from the alleged belief in some quarters that the votes will not count, others are blaming the current economic hardship for their inability to participate in the process, stressing that their votes so far have not been able to improve their conditions of living.
A trader at the Ogbomoso market, who spoke to The Guardian on condition of anonymity, stated that she was more “concerned about how to keep food on the table of her family, than going out in the sun to queue up for votes that will not change my fortunes.”She added: “Whether I am around or not, the election will produce a result. That is the way it is.”
At Ojoo, Iwo Road, Mokola, Challenge, Olodo and many other markets, the traders simply waved off the exercise, stressing that it was for politicians and their interests. There is also the suspicion that the exercise may not be conducted with the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) machines as the Oyo Electoral Commission has not been forthcoming about its use.
Although the OYSIEC chairman, Olagunju, had earlier shown determination to ensure that votes count and that no party would be favoured against the other, it is not known if the use of the BVAS will be among the strategies he would employ to make the exercise credible.
A source in the commission, however, stated that the Chairman had earlier requested assistance of the INEC REC in the deployment of BVAS, a request that was allegedly turned down following certain reasons that had to do with the certainty of sensitive information contained in the facility. The development, if confirmed to be true would have dispelled earlier rumours by opposition parties against OYSIEC of wanting to favour the ruling PDP and its candidates by the non-use of the BVAS for the exercise. The use of BVAS became contentious, especially from opposition APC who had threatened that its members would not participate in the process without it. The realization that OYSIEC was not against its use may have made the party change its earlier position.
Weak opposition of political parties in the state may seriously impact negatively the turnout today. Except the PDP candidates who are showing enthusiasm in the process, others are not. The implication is that only those likely to vote for the ruling party will be at the venues to cast their votes.
Since the conclusion of the 2023 general elections, many opposition political parties that did not win any seat have gone to sleep. They neither hold meetings nor fund activities anywhere in the state. Even with the council election in place, they were not seen anywhere campaigning for votes. The PDP on the other hand has mustered enough resources for the exercise and not pretending about the ability of their candidates to match their opponents in the election.
Although OYSIEC had announced that 18 political parties would participate in the contest, a critical look at events shows only three parties – PDP, APC and probably the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), are showing interest. Many of the aspirants who indicated interest in the process have dropped their ambition for want of resources.
But if the outcome of the last gubernatorial election of March 18, 2023, where the incumbent governor, SeyiMakinde, won in the 31 local councils leaving the APC candidate, Teslim Folarin, who won in only two councils is anything to go by, then the dynamics will remain unchanged.PDP may end up winning in the 33 local councils.
There are rumours of a perceived rivalry between the incumbent Minister of Power, Adebayo Adelabu, who defected from APC to contest for the 2023 governorship election on the platform of Accord Party but later returned in December last year, and Folarin, may add to the problem of the APC in the election today. The fear is that there are already divisions among the members on whose camp of the APC to join and this is very much going to impact on the election.
The NNPP on the other hand which had earlier boosted that it would present candidates in the 33 local councils for the election have eaten her words as the party has woefully failed to do so. It is not certain if it has any chairmanship candidate for the election. What is known is that there are areas where it has produced councillorship candidates.
Meanwhile, as part of the efforts to prevent violence in the process, OYSIEC has committed the 18 political parties and their candidates to sign a peace pact of good behaviour. This is as the police have continued to assure residents of its readiness to ensure peace in the exercise.
CP Hamzat
State Commissioner of Police, Adebola Hamsat, who allayed the fears when he visited the office of the OYSIEC chairman, at Agodi Quarters, Ibadan, expressed the readiness and commitment of the command to ensure a peaceful environment across the length and breadth of the state on the day of election.
He had stated that the visit was to know the level of the preparedness of OYSIEC, discuss areas of concerns and share intelligence to have a hitch free election.
He also hinted that the police would collaborate with its sister’s agencies and strategize with a view to ensuring that the election is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.
He said local government administration is where residents enjoyed the real dividends of democracy, admonishing eligible voters not to boycott the election for any reason.
Reacting to the apathy that has become the lot of council elections in the country, a lecturer in the department of Political Science, University of Ibadan, Dr. Stephen Lafenwa, emphasized the need for the electoral umpire to up its games in order to enthrone credibility in the process as the closest government to the people.
He observed that the influence governors bear on the process had over the years whittled down the enthusiasm of the people in the exercise, pointing out however, that the people could change the narrative by coming out to vote and wait for the outcome.
He said that voters’ apathy and deteriorating participation of opposition political parties has become a serious challenge in electing those that will administer governance at the grassroots and advocated change in guard whereby the INEC should be meant to conduct every election in the country.
But a legal practitioner, Kayode Obisesan, said Saturday’s council election will not change the status quo in the state, as according to him, no governor would like his empire to be balkanized.
He said no matter the level of opposition that may rise on Saturday, it would be difficult to muscle over the sitting state government because of the level of resources at their disposal. Stressing the need to make elections at the grassroots credible, Obisesan suggested that it was achievable with a reviewed constitution that removes the power of the state governors to appoint umpires for state electoral bodies and their funding as a first-line charge.
Meanwhile, the Oyo State Director of the National Orientation Agency (NOA), Dr Olukemi Afolayan, has reassured that arrangements have been concluded for a free, fair and transparent election and called on eligible voters to come out and perform their civic responsibility.
Afolayan said the election was important because it affords the people the opportunity to choose those that will lead them in the coming years.
She urged the electorate to see the process as part of the building process towards deepening democracy, stressing that staying aloof will undermine the realization of the tenants expected of it. She said that the participation of 18 registered political parties in the process would signpost the consciousness of democracy in the state.
The NOA Director said the election will provide a template on how to conduct credible and acceptable local council elections for other states of the country to emulate.
Dr Afolayan emphasized that local government authority is very important as they are the most accessible to the people and provide basic public services such as primary health care, primary education, environmental sanitation and others.
She stressed that her Agency has been working tirelessly to enlighten the residents on the election, stressing that the benefits of the campaign would be seen on Saturday when incidence of multiple voting, void votes and other electoral violence are mitigated.
