Politics in Nigeria

Following the July 21, 2014 election in Ekiti state, Mr Ayodele Fayose, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate was elected governor. The people’s governor was said to have emerged. And reasons behind his flawless victory were revealed. The comments included: “he identified with us; he was a friend of the masses; he came down to our level; he is our man; he understands us better; he associates with us well.”
During his first time as governor, he built roads, provided us houses to live, built schools, Fayose ate and drank with us, we love his simplicity, we love his style, he dined with us, we saw him on our streets in his shirts and shorts and could ask him for a handshake which he gladly obliged, he ate beans balls (akara) with the akara seller, drank pap (ogi eko) with the pap seller, ate ‘guguru’ with the guguru seller, ate soaked garri with people in their houses; he played draughts with us; he identified with us in the best possible manner. In short, a Fayose model or strategy for winning elections was heralded.

Not unsurprisingly, politicians adopt an election strategy to get people to vote for them. Obama, for example, used empathy. In a simple and plain manner, he showed concern about the issues that the country faced. In fact, Obama also made good use of the social media; with his oratory prowess, he told stories that the people could associate with. Now the talk in town is that the Fayose model for winning election is the best way to amass voters’ support in an election. Undoubtedly, Nigerian voters have changed; the voter wants someone that will solve their basic problems – food, education and shelter. This Fayose strategy is really gaining grounds.


The recent trend of politicking is remarkable. Last week, we saw the Peoples Democratic Party candidate in the August 9, 2014 Osun gubernatorial elections, Senator Iyiola Omisore on a bike during his campaign at Atakumosa West Local Government. What about his house-to-house campaigns! Our politicians ply marshy, narrow and almost impassable roads- even till late in the night? Obviously, the role of the grassroot further is being appreciated in our democracy.

Should we say our democracy is becoming more mature by the day? Now that we have a Fayose-model for elections that has been tested, would it give the same result if wholesomely adopted in other states. Maybe not. Election strategies just like marketing strategies are adapted to the audience. Ekiti people are different from Osun people, hence what worked in Ekiti might not work in Osun. While it is not out of place to adopt a tested strategy, one must be careful to wholesomely adopt without modifications to the environment and wants of the people. Lessons no doubt have been learnt. Anyone thinking that things would exactly pan out the way they did in Ekiti, might receive a shock of his or her life.

Around the world, politicians present programmes, with convincing arguments, to sway people