By Igbotako Nowinta
Today, the political track in Nigeria is being filled and charged with
aspirants of all shades, sizes and colours wishing or seeking to
represent the people by using the fast approaching 2023 general
elections as a scaldfold to showcase themselves, with a view to
winning the hearts of unsuspicious members of the public.
Sadly, and most unfortunately, if one look very closely at the number
of those throwing their hats into the ring of politics, a chunk of
them, given their dubious personal, private and social antecedents
have just no business at all offering themselves to work for or serve
the people.
This is true in the sense that after the ill fated First Repubic in
Nigeria, where some politicians demonstrated some form of patriotic
restraints, decorum and reservation in their activities, the Second
Republic witnessed a drastic, ruthless and vicious circle of rot and
absolute decadence, that shocked the patriotic and decent people of
the world and Nigerians.
The terrible point here, being raised is that politics in Nigeria
since the tragic fall of the first ever unelected military President
in Nigeria’s chaotic history, General Ibrahim Babangida, in August
1993, has been substituted with the highest level of institutional
corruption, incredible greed and avarice, unbridled treachery and
insatiable wickedness, championed recklessly by many political office
holders.
Even when the military top brass in Nigeria concocted a grandiose
facade nick named democratic rule in 1999, which has exhibited the
greatest betrayal of a people in human history till date, via
unprecedented institutionalized corruption, that has painfully further
pinned the masses to the pheripheri of the dust bin.
The ordinary people of Nigeria have unquestionably become cheap pawns
consistently over used, abused, traded and abandoned over the years by
a collection of mindless politicians, many of whom are today still
conspicuosly available in existing political parties like the APC,
PDP, SDP, LP, APGA, AP, NNPP etc.
Therefore, looking at the political arena today where cerebral,
focused, missionary and visionary Nigerian youths are being violently
scared away, threatened physically, harassed materially and blocked
diabolically by old, senile, recycled scattered brains and stinkingly
rich political cargoes, it is exciting to see Erasmus Ikhide, a
seasoned writer, celebrated columnist and Publisher of Free Press
Online newspaper, sticking out his head and flexing his muzzles, to
struggle for the House of Representatives seat of his people in Afemai
nation, in the Owan axis of Edo State of Nigeria.
It is seething, demoralizing and saddening to note that in most cases
in this clime, only in-laws, girl friends, brothers, cousins, children
or offsprings etc, of those that had or have engaged in political
banditry and mental violence against the people, are the ones being
assisted, cash rolled and forced down the throats of the rank and file
members of political parties.
However, more exciting now is the glaring fact of a political
phenomenon in Peter Obi, the flag bearer of the Labour Party (LP),
who has succeeded in vigorously waking up the consciousness of the
Nigerian youths, to the perfect realization that our country can be
taken back from political misfits and buccaneers, using the current
unorthodox political dimensions.
How has Peter Obi manifested himself in the political calculations of
the Nigerian people? It is via his dynamic articulation of the
germaine issues confronting the Nigerian state; and his profound
postulations of the way forward.
And having seen the way Peter Obi’s candidacy has electrified the
political tarmac in Nigeria, so much so that, the youths have
redoubled their interests, in getting registered to vote the
candidates of their choice, towards the general elections, come 2023,
it is good omen that one of our own: Erasmus Ikhide has thrown his
hats into the ring, under the Labour Party in Edo State.
Who says the Nigerian youths cannot make the paradigmatic change in
political leadership if given the chance or enthusiastically
encouraged to fight for a place in the political space craft of
Nigeria?
It is perfectly in this light that Erasmus Ikhide, an experienced
Media Practitioner, who has succeeded greatly by virtue of his
social/professional networking over the years, to transform himself
into a political masquerade, is being unmasked for the benefits of not
only the electorates in the Afemai nation, but to galvanize the
curiosity and optimism of millions of young men and women across
Nigeria, who are still sitting on the fence of partisan politics.
In a society such as Nigeria, where political prebendalism (excessive
greed, electoral manipulations cum official stealing, according to
author, Richard Joseph) is rife and infectious, the way to go for the
disadvantaged, forgotten and continuously derided young men is the
courageous example of Comrade Erasmus Ikhide, who is generating
history with his House of Representatives ambition in his locality.
Nowhere has Ikhide so far articulated his profound genuine agenda for
his people than in his Kukuruku Declaration, i.e ”My Pact With Afemai
People”, dated since July 3rd, 2018.
Excerpts from the historic document revealed thus: ‘Beware my people,
of the spent ruling class in Afemai land or elsewhere in Nigeria and
embrace the new arrivals for the goal of transformation… History can
be altered permanently in the interest of the downtrodden and
humanity… Never again shall Afemai land be luckless to fold our
hands and allow vissionless con men and women to decide our fate.
Never again!”. Really, ‘history can be altered permanently in the
interest of the downtrodden’ in Owan land, in Ikhide’s sincere House
of Representatives quest, most especially with the unflinching support
from the youths, (his immediate constituency) including men and women
of good will everywhere.
Conclusively here, it is pertinent to state that this political
masquerade being unveiled: Erasmus Ikhide, is a shrewd controller of
complex and compelling currents, an astute manager of men; an
unflinching opponent of criminality, an exponent of good governance,
and a security expert.
For me Comrade Erasmus Ikhide remains steadfast to his principles,
unwavering in his resoluteness, a leviathan of grass roots politics
and a man of extraordinary political attributes.
Powered By The Young Mandate Group (YOMAG)
