by Timileyin Ogundare
As the February 14 presidential election draws nearer, the media’s attention has been centred on the candidates of the Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressive Congress alone.
The media have been awash with several paid and unpaid for propagandas, fights, accusations, exposure, investigations and more. Just between these two candidates.
It appears no one is paying real attention to the remaining candidates except a few friends and family members who may want to see their loved one ascend to the highest office in the land.
Among these candidates are Tunde Anifowoshe-Kelani of the Action Alliance, Prof. Oluremi Sonaiya of the Kowa Party and Martin Onovo of the National Conscience Party.
The NCP seems to strike me as it was formed by the late Gani Fawehinmi (SAN) as a party for the oppressed working people, and in times like this it should have been the cut head for the Nigerians who feel oppressed.
However, nothing seems that way as the party had done little to show the working masses its commitment to their daily struggles.
Fawehinmi must have turned in his grave when the presidential candidate of his party, the NCP paid a visit to former President Olusegun Obasanjo to solicit his support. ‘Gani’, as I remember, was a strong critic of Obasanjo who refused to have anything to do with him. He also instilled that ideal in his party.
Sonaiya, the only female candidate, has done very little to campaign among the rank and file of the people, especially women. As a female candidate, she is likely to have sympathy support and votes but she has not worked on this.
I read an interview in SUNDAY PUNCH, where she claimed she would win; I then concluded she might just be trying to be popular as she is unknown to most Nigerians
Other contestants are also doing a little above nothing to show the Nigeria people their agenda or manifestoes.
These other parties might end up not getting any meaningful vote, probably because they have refused to change their game and convince Nigerians and take us away from the two-party brouhaha and maybe give us an alternative before the election finally comes in.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
