OBSERVATIONS by former President Goodluck Jonathan that governors, party bigwigs and political leaders are undermining Nigeria’s democracy by massing up in states where off-cycle elections are held are weighty. Therefore, the political class should stop abusing the privileges of their positions to undermine the country’s democracy.
In a strong rebuke, the former president castigated the political leaders who converged on Osun State during the August 15 off-season governorship poll for their conduct. Jonathan is right.
In a show of force, 17 All Progressives Congress governors from different states invaded the state. The President of the Senate, Godswill Akpabio, also led a contingent of the National Assembly, while other political office holders at the federal level followed in tow. In short, they weaponised the election.
Are these governors jobless? Some matters need attending to in their states. Yet, they abandoned these issues to embark on a jamboree to Osogbo for an election.
Their presence cannot be divorced from the viral allegations that they stormed Osun with billions of naira to compromise the polls. With the vote-buying that marked the election, this allegation is not unreasonable. This breaches the intent and spirit of the Electoral Act.
