By Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen
Just like everyone thought, the APC-backed KWASIEC did as projected in declaring APC as the sole winner in the just concluded council elections. However, one must commend the Chairman of KWASIEC, Baba Okanla, why?
In most elections, figures are manipulated to bridge gap of opposition votes, and extend the lead of APC, especially in their strongholds. This tactic was used in the 2023 Presidential election and spiraled to other elections until Kogi. In Kogi, during the gubernatorial election, Yahaya Bello introduced what seems to be a new and daring formular, pre-writing results when voting have not commenced. That handed them a victory.
For Baba Okanla and the Governor, all the above tactics did not attract them, so they invented their own way of winning. Kwarans policed their votes down to ward collation centres, used camera and took as many videos as possible, civilly protested against insufficient electoral materials at polling units. The democrat in Abdulrahman and integrity driven Baba Okanla watched on, and rigging hardly took place from polling units, which is strange.
An inspiration came to Ayinde Agba as fondly called from the pit of hell, because such act cannot be divine. All figures, polling results were abandoned and they simply declared that APC won all Chairmen and Councillors positions in the State. A new bar set! In the past, the ruling party conceded some councilor positions to the opposition, but Baba Okanla knows Governor Abdulrahman is a man that wants it all, to himself and himself alone. At first, media soldiers of APC were quiet until results were announced by KWASIEC, superintended by Baba Okanla, a former English teacher who is teaching a new thing. He is perhaps telling his children stealing is wrong, against morals but he is leading by example. Which one will his children follow, the teaching or the example?
The people know the truth, they knew where they cast their vote, and nothing infuriates them than knowing they were subverted by the ruling administration, backed by new devil advocate, Baba Okanla. Kwarans have been kind to the ruling party, APC and even rekindled hope in them with their votes in 2019 and 2023, but Abdulrahman is not kind to friends, allies and nor will he be kind to the people.
This is a hole Abdulrahman has dug, Baba Okanla is the first to be mortgaged, public hate will be directed towards him, he is the shield.
However, in the pit of hell will Abdulrahman find himself if he doesn’t atone before 2027. The announced winner may celebrate even take oath of office with the holy books, but they lack legitimacy of the people they seek to lead, and when you don’t have the consent and cooperation of the people, even when you offer your head, they will never find merit in what you do or offer.
The ruling party won as announced, but the people know the truth, and with it, they know there is a Baba Okanla who pulled the strings. Baba Okanla will feel proud at first, but as days and months pass by and he runs out of relevance and importance, he will look for his integrity, only to remember he flung it out of the window by himself.
Lawal Akanbi Sharafadeen writes from Kwara State Capital.
