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2019 election campaign: A platform of drama, trauma and blunder

By Safiu Kehinde
13 February 2019   |   3:55 am
Politics they said is a dirty game. It is a game where one encounters lots of daredevils. To some people, some of the requirements of being a politician is to be physically and spiritually strong, with the undying support from the Baba Isales, Godfathers as well as a gang of desperate louts. As election is…

Atiku, Secondus, Obi, Saraki and Kwankwaso during PDP rally

Politics they said is a dirty game. It is a game where one encounters lots of daredevils.

To some people, some of the requirements of being a politician is to be physically and spiritually strong, with the undying support from the Baba Isales, Godfathers as well as a gang of desperate louts.

As election is getting closer, lots of incidents has been happening in Nigeria politics. We have been witnessing all sorts of drama from these actors turned Nigerian Politicians.

Interestingly, the major spot of action has been at campaigns. It is such a large theatre where hilarious and unbelievable actions happened.

Let us take a look at these series of the actions over the past few months till date. It is such a season films that you can’t watch to the end.

How will you feel in a situation where you become puzzled on which homonymous words to use while under the pressure of a debate? Indeed it could result to a slip of the tongue but one has to be careful in order not to get one’s tongue twisted beyond remedy.

Little wonder why Professor Yemi Osinbajo took a pause to recover from his “… this is why we are where we were today” blunder at the Vice Presidential debate.

This blunder really shook the social media and brought laughter to the suffering and smiling state of Nigerian citizens. It brought back the memory of Patience Jonathan, the former First Lady of Nigeria.

Also, it relays a message that nobody is above mistake no matter who you are, whether a professor or a school leaving certificate holder. We are all prone to mistakes.

Whatever affects the eyes will also affect the nose. It was not surprising when President Muhammadu Buhari also took the step of the Vice President and gave us more merriment to soothe our nerves.

It all happened during the presentation of the party’s flag to Great Ogboru, APC’s governorship candidate at Warri, Delta State.

The president, after performing his re – election campaign, decided to hand over the party flag to APC governorship candidate of the state. “I am handing over this flag of honour to our Presidential Candidate”.

That was unexpected from the President. His aides were like “baba no fall our hand, na gubernatorial candidate”. Possibly, he didn’t get the script well as he dropped “Senatorial Candidate”. That vocal bomb could still be suppressed and he was corrected one more time.

With all eyes on the President’s mouth, camera rolling, and the press ready for the worst, “Governotorial Candidate” what a block busting blunder!

The next episode of this political drama also happened at Jeda, Kebbi State. This time, the PDP party was the victim of the movie.

Having hailed the crowd, the spokesperson proceeded by “A’uzu billahi minasheitani rajimi”. (Seek protection from the Devil).

He forgot the saying that he who dines with the devil had better bring a long spoon. But this time, he held a short microphone – too short to avert the heat and wrath of the devil as the podium sank like the Titanic ship. As the attendees went deep down, the curtain fell.

Meanwhile before the fall of the PDP’s podium, there had been a revelation by Kola Ologbodiyan – Publicity Secretary of PDP, in regards to the rental service that has found its way into political campaign.

He revealed how an opposing party hired recruiting agents for crowd rental.

The renting fee ranges from #5,000 to #10,000 per head. These agents were said to transport the rented crowd in buses and trailers from neighboring states, to venue of rallies; giving the impression of massive support from the host state.

Ologbodiyan further illustrated how the rented crowd were orchestrated to perform stunts like climbing on vehicles, rooftops, electric poles, towers and masts, as well as blocking roads around the venue and surging towards the podium. He labeled these as “our new Nollywood series”.

Apart from the fallen podium of PDP, the latest of all is the Helicopter crash incident which has Professor Yemi Osinbajo involved.

The mishap made it the second time in seven months that the Vice President has played a game of chess with death. Fortunately, he survived both encounter in what Yoruba people referred to as ‘Ojabokofo’ (He fell but didn’t shatter).

The VP was said to be on an official duty to Kogi State where his helicopter crash – landed at Kabba.

Coincidentally, it happened just a couple of days to the fallen podium incident of the PDP. Could this be referred to as a form of revenge?

Finally, Nigerians have also witnessed other action filled incidents in other occasions.

The Otoge Saraki is still going on. It has reached the extent that banners are raised and the town is painted with the “enough is enough” colour.

Meanwhile, Oshodi would have regained its calmness now, after the incident of MC Oluomo who was injured at the APC Lagos State Campaign.

At the campaign which later turned to a riot, it was obvious that some of our politicians are not of the people’s interest.

How else can we explain a situation where those you are addressing are rioting, and yet you buried your face into your script; reading the speech to those who never heard the last word you said?

The election is now few days away. The drama is gradually getting to its climax. Nigerians tempo has risen as we are about to watch the epic showdown.

The ticket for this epic showdown is our PVC. The wait is about to be over and our hearts have been pounding with this question; “will this drama be of happy ending or not?”

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