The first to present his case seems right until another comes and examines him. Making cases as to why a candidate should be hired to take office for a term is often what happens at a political window. But we can only assume that such cases are right, we do not truly know how effective they are until there is a challenge or when it is too late. It is this challenge of ideas, cases, positions, propositions and even character that make democracy tick. The formal setting to present voters with an opportunity to test these cases, positions and propositions is a debate. On Friday 14th December, 5 vice presidential nominees spoke at the BON/NEDG debates. It was carried live by most local media stations in Nigeria. Make no mistake though, what we saw and listened to were no debates only group interviews. It was a mockery compared to what debates are supposed to be and what obtains elsewhere. Recent comments before the debate showed that many Nigerians, some of whom yours truly conside
The Auction of Ekiti The umpire announced the date of the election Ekiti people were to make a decision A lot of noise during the campaigns And perhaps even more complains Election day however was something else What took place set off alarm bells It was an auction not an election Bidding to batter votes for money is an auction The winners bid the most The losers are the auctioneers and they lost For they cannot tell apart bidder from bidder What difference is there between seller and peddler? Auctioneers are hungry the bidders mock Thumb for us, eat well today and best of luck Here eat our red porridge and sell us your votes My red porridge is bigger and all I ask are your votes Said a bidder known as Red John Silver Try mine said another bidder Green John Silver What difference is there between seller and peddler? Asked the auctioneers He is a rogue cried Red John Silver And he’s a wolf accused other John Silver And so the auctioneers confused Chos
