By Charles Nwufoh (Awka)
It is often said that power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Nowhere is this more evident than in the ongoing political spectacle in Anambra State, where the governorship race has been reduced to a desperate struggle for presidential favor rather than a contest for the people’s mandate.
The bitter rivalry between the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) and All Progressive Congress (APC) governorship candidates, Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo and Hon. Nicholas Ukachukwu, during President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s state visit to Anambra, has taken an alarming turn.
Rather than engaging in meaningful discourse to earn the trust and support of the electorate, they are embroiled in a disgraceful contest to secure the president’s endorsement. This blatant disregard for the democratic process undermines one of the most fundamental pillars of our democracy, free and fair elections and sets a dangerous precedent for political leadership.
Their actions send a chilling message: the votes of Ndị Anambra no longer matter. The will of the people has been relegated to insignificance, while the president’s approval has become the ultimate determinant of who ascends to power. Elections, once the sacred instrument of democracy, have been reduced to a mere formality, a theatrical performance staged to give legitimacy to predetermined outcomes.
The erosion of democratic values is further exemplified by the disturbing reality that a democratically elected governor was removed from office, reinforcing the notion that power in Nigeria is not earned through the ballot but bestowed by those in higher authority. Even more troubling is the sight of APGA, a supposed opposition party, shamelessly singing praises of the president in a desperate bid to curry favor and secure victory.
This level of presidential interference in state elections is not just an affront to democracy, it is a rape of democracy. It strips the people of their right to choose their leaders and consolidates power in the hands of a few, rendering the democratic process hollow and meaningless. Indeed, Nigeria has become a shadow of whatever it claims to be. The ideals of democracy, once cherished, now lie in ruins.
There was a country. There was a government. There were a people. But today, all that remains is a system where power is traded like a commodity, and the people’s voice is drowned out by the deafening roar of political ambition.~
From Awka, Charles Nwufoh offers expert political commentary and opinion.
