Opinion: Is Politics Designed to be Ruthless?

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Last Saturday, I attended the burial of the late Eniola Bello’s (Eni B) mother at Aiyetoro Gbedde. Seated by my side was a friend and a retired Naval officer. He told me that he was aware of my struggle in Dr. Toyin Akanle’s senatorial ambition. He said Dr. Toyin Akanle has been his friend. He also told me that Dr. Akanle sponsored his wedding in Ilorin some years ago.

While he was talking, I was listening with rapt attention until he reintroduced the issue of the senatorial election again. He now asked a question that don’t I know that politics is meant for ruthless people? I became more attentive to know what exactly he wanted to bring out. He said what happened at the primary election was because we are not ruthless. He further said that for people like us politics has no place for us because of our approach.

I did not agree with him.

After leaving him, I asked myself again that do I need to be ruthless to succeed in politics? At that point the video recording of an interview with El Rufai came to my mind were he accused the elite of abandoning politics and he then advocated that a critical mass of the elite must be involved in politics.

While it is good for a critical mass of the elite to be involved in politics, recent events in our politics might have discouraged many from being actively involved. For me, I am an advocate of non violent politics and due process. Violent and ruthless politics cannot enthrone good leadership.

When we have leaders that are not democratically elected, they will be tempted to think that they are not accountable to the electorates and also see themselves as superhuman as they will think that they are not products of democracy but products of survival of the fittest and aberration.

Irrespective of other people’s opinion on this matter, I believe that in order to attract the best in governance we must redefine our politics to promote level playing ground, decency and accountability.

Politics must not be seen as an end but a means to an end. As long as we engage in ruthless politics good people will continue to see it as a vocation for the misfits.

Our democratic institutions must be strengthened to attract the best and those who have track records to governance. Democratically elected leaders would be obliged to shun winner takes all syndrome, embrace consultation, lobbying and town hall meetings.Thuggery, manipulation and indecency will be the least on the agenda.

After 60 years of independence, we cannot continue to hang our errors and mistakes on tutelage and inexperience because 60 years is enough for Nigeria to have reached its eldorado.

As we look forward to 2023, people of good conscience must find a way of reinventing our politics and our governance to attract this critical mass of elites and good people that El Rufai was talking about.

When I listened to the interview of El Rufai I was excited and I commended him on the social media. Thereafter, somebody private chatted me to say that El Rufai does not deserve the commendation as an accomplice in the ills bedevilling our politics. I quickly replied the person with a quote in the scripture that says that all have sinned and have come short of the glory of God and the scripture also says that if we say we have not sinned we are deceiving ourselves.

As many as are bringing solutions to our problems and our errors, we must embrace them and hold them responsible for what they are saying.

God help us.

– Hon. Dayo Akanmode


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