This is not so different from the characteristics of “Andrew liver salt” as described by Sen Shehu Sani and the delusional audacity of “Nah we bi d structure” a phrase used deceitfully in exposing the vulnerability and gullibility of the unsuspecting masses.
The Golden Rule And Politics Of Deceitfulness
By Richard Odusanya.
People with a variety of theological views, political views, and backgrounds are coming together to express concern about the polarization that is currently seen in our society today.
There is a belief that our country can find guidance through this dilemma in the practice of the Golden Rule — to “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”— especially as we engage in political activity.
This guide explores a hope that if enough people follow this Golden Rule principle, it could generate the respect and kindness we so desperately need in our country as we get nearer the D-Day February 25 presidential election day.
“There are only ever two strategies in an election,” says Lord Tim Bell, Margaret Thatcher’s favourite adman. “It’s either the opposition saying, ‘Time for a change’, or the government saying, ‘Britain’s great again, don’t let the other lot muck it up.’
The rest is just details.” And he’s ostensibly right. But while the strategies stay the same, the executions can vary wildly. When the Saatchis released their infamous Labour Isn’t Working poster in 1978, an incredulous Denis Healey publicly accused the Tories of selling themselves like soap powder.
This is not so different from the characteristics of “Andrew liver salt” as described by Sen Shehu Sani and the delusional audacity of “Nah we bi d structure” a phrase used deceitfully in exposing the vulnerability and gullibility of the unsuspecting masses.
In its original form the British Labour Party constituted a new type of cadre party, forming an intermediate link with the mass-based parties.
It was formed with the support of trade unions and left-wing intellectuals. At the base, each local organization sent representatives to a district labour committee, which was in turn represented at the national congress.
We should pay closer attention to the interactions between politics, economics, and other realms particularly in Nigeria as we prepare for the February 25 presidential/National Assembly (NASS) elections and the March 11 Governorship/States Assemblies elections.
Interestingly, politics and political activities have become very important issues that most critics and literary writers have devoted their attention to in Africa, particularly within the Nigerian setting. Political matter have become a very prominent topic of contemporary scholarship.
This is due to the fact that Nigeria’s literary works, being reflections of the debased and unholy political activities of contemporary African challenges in our society, which have replicated this picture. Writers always write to reflect the prevailing conditions in their society.
So, most of our writers deal with the political, social and economic decay ravaging our beloved country Nigeria and the continent as a result of the insensitive nature of some of our leaders, sad and unfortunate.
Ideally, these problems are multifaceted; from religious/ethnic intolerance, bribery and corruption by the political leaders and government officials, economic deprivation of the plebeians, the tendency to loot and embezzle government funds, the naked lust for power and wealth, the rigging and manipulation of election results, the killing, maiming and burning of political opponents property, perpetuation of tribalism and tribal hegemony and the general pauperization of the masses.
All these are as a result of the recklessness, inordinate ambition and inhuman nature of African political leaders as exemplified by Olusegun Obasanjo’s “Do-or-die” brand of politics.
No doubt, using disinformation, religion/ethnicity and divisive rhetorics to curry sympathy votes from unsuspecting Nigerians is clearly off point. A man who relates with others only on the basis of religion, race or ethnicity is mentally deficient and emotionally unintelligent. Therefore, issues of religion and ethnicity cannot continue to dominate our political space.
Nigerians say they want issue-based campaigns, but they rarely vote on issues.
Elections in this country are rarely determined by issues, but by ethnic, religious and sectional.
We can no longer continue with religion and ethnicity induced arrangements.
Ironically, the challenges are existential in nature: comatose economy, debilitating insecurity, extreme poverty, moribund institutions, failed public services, endemic corruption, fragile unity. But by “issue-based” campaigns, the presidential candidates should show deep knowledge and understanding of the governance challenges that beset Nigeria and clearly set out and discuss how they would tackle them, if elected.
Therefore, it has become imperative to set a clear agenda and we need to be deliberate in playing down on the twin evils of ethnicity and religion in our political space, now and in future.
Conclusively, the truth is that as a presidential candidate (To win election) you must have Political structures that cut across nearly all wards in the 774 local government in country, if not in all the entire polling units.
The Fallacies of you don’t need political structures is nothing but deceitfulness, the truth is that, God does not get involved in politics and governance, we can not continue to overburden our benevolent creator.
He created us in His own image, which means that human being has the capacity to reason well and conduct its affairs without “O God…. come down, jump up… kill somebody….” Enough of the religious jingoism, let us face reality and stop using religion to crate disunity and spread hatred. The emphasis should be LOVE not spreading falsehood and hatred among our citizens.
Finally, my humble submission is that anybody who is still under the illusion of winning elections, particularly, the presidential election without adequate preparation and political party structures can continue to hold on to he/her delusions, after all, February is just around the corner. But, beyond the facade of priggish speeches and appearances, an aspirations that is like “Andrew liver salt” it will undoubtedly dissolved come February 25 2023.
According to @ShehuSani … Andrew’s Liver Salt is when you move from 10 Million Man Match to Canopy State Rallies.
Diminishing returns – it is a well captured tweet by Sen Musa Rabiu Kwankwaso one of the Frontline presidential candidate, who compares Labour Party to ‘Andrews Liver Salt’.Richard
