The Osun State governorship election rerun looks like something out of the 2003 elections. Free and fair is some distant idea, foreign and unreasonable.
There have been reports of security agencies keeping voters out of polling units. Gunshots also have been reported. There has been news of political thugs collecting, at gunpoint, the Permanent Voters Card of voters.
And the rerun is going on only in seven polling units.
Seven.
The election is between the All Progressives Congress (APC)‘s Gboyega Oyetola and the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)‘s Ademola Adeleke.
Musician Davido has been invested in the election since its inception. Sure, he’s Adeleke’s nephew, but did he really have to cancel tour dates to go on campaign runs? He’s encouraged fans to vote for his uncle. He’s performed for audiences across Osun State. He’s traveled with the campaign team, donned their campaign ankara, everything an active supporter would do for their candidate. All that’s left is the door-to-door handing out of campaign handbills. (Imagine opening your front door to find Davido trying to canvass for your vote.)
Throughout the election rerun, Davido has been on his social media, speaking out against the reported electoral malpractices. He has shared links, photos and videos and news articles about the process.
According to information just received at 8:06am the military has sealed off a polling unit in Orolu and refusing voters from entering the place. International observers should please take note. @USEmbassyAbuja @inecnigeria @IsiakaAdeleke1 @OfficialPDPNig
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 27, 2018
Our supporters with PVCs not being allowed to vote ! @Secpompeo pic.twitter.com/FbGUM82hdu
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 27, 2018
He has consistently condemned the reported malpractices, and his tweets about it today alone have gotten more than 20,000 likes. And that’s exactly why him being so concerned about the election is important.
All news channels showing music and art exhibitions 😂
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 27, 2018
Candle making tutorial on AIT right now ! They were just showing the elections ! Where a certain Election observer stated that only a particular party’s supporters were allowed to vote then they switched to this ! 😂 pic.twitter.com/CtDTPkU9sK
— Davido (@iam_Davido) September 27, 2018
It’s been a while since a young celebrity with so much clout has displayed an active interest in Nigerian politics. Maybe that’s what we need – people with millions of following, who have enough power to influence the general populace, who use that power to demand an active citizenry.
Nigerians make for very good stans, that much is evident. It’s why fans of different Big Brother Naija housemates, months after the show has ended, will fight in public based off of a perceived feud between the housemates they stan. Now, imagine if these housemates ask that their fans become active citizens, go out to collect their PVCs and vote in the coming elections.
Think about it, this is something we see all the time in American politics. Beyonce, Robert DeNiro, Oprah, Lebron James and Katy Perry endorsing Hillary Clinton. And Mike Tyson, Clint Eastwood and Kanye West speaking out in support of Donald Trump.
Sure, maybe Davido doesn’t give a damn about Nigeria or Osun State and only wants to see his uncle become governor. Still, his actions may just prove that this is what’s missing from Nigerian politics – the canvassing of votes from the populace by people with influence.
Maybe other celebrities to take a cue. Maybe it’s time for them to openly support whoever it is they’re supporting, whoever it is they believe will make a difference, and ask that their fans vote the person in. Sure, at the end of the day, if whoever they supported is elected and messes up, they’ll be held accountable for it. But, if there is a true belief in their candidate, then there should be no fear of this holding them back.
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