Enugu State LG Elections; Absurdity of a True Democracy!

Enugu State is the most important State in South East Nigeria; given its preeminent position as the headquarters of the defunct Eastern region. That strategic position it once occupied in the past, still reverberates till date!

It is very instructive to always pay a special attention to political affairs in Enugu State. For whatever is happening in Enugu State, would certainly have a direct impact across the other 4 States in South East.

There are 3 Senators, 8 members of the Federal House of Representatives, 17 LGAs, 24 State House of Assembly members and 260 Councillors. It is very surprising that despite the growing strength of APC, all these Elective positions, are manned by PDP members. This type of democracy is just very undemocratic!

It is pertinent to note that democracy is supposed to be growing and waxing stronger with time, such that what was obtainable in 1999, is supposed to be improved upon in 2003, and so on. It is very disturbing that from 1999 till date, PDP continues to rake in all elective positions in Enugu State. A trend that is clearly a democratic absurdity.

A simple interrogation of this trend, will present a clear case of a democratic bifurcation. A consistently bullish interference in the democratic process, particularly in the electioneering stage.
If the electioneering activity that is domiciled under INEC can be exonerated; surely, that which is under ENSIEC, is evidently not possible to be free of undue interference.
At the grassroot level, across the 17 LGAs and 260 Wards, APC and other political parties, continue to maintain a reasonable presence. However, from 2015 till date (when APC took power at the Federal level), it has continued to fail woefully at grassroot level, during local elections. This is not just because Enugu people doesn’t identify with, or hate APC, APGA etc. But because there has always been this undemocratic culture of foisting PDP on Enugu people, for the selfish interests of powers that be.

In this just concluded LG elections, it is not surprising that all the 17 LGAs and 260 Wards were effortlessly cleared by PDP, like the other political parties are non existent. This democratic absurdity is just unacceptable in a supposed democratic space.

Democracy is all about varieties and healthy oppositions, features that have been consistently lacking in Enugu political space. The perpetuity of this “appointment of elective officers” in Enugu State, is becoming very alarming. If not addressed, it will continue to run Enugu State down.
When there’s no vibrant and healthy opposition; anything goes. And, that has been the political fate of Enugu. Little wonder, the disastrous performance of the present Government. When everyone is in agreement, how can the State develop? When everyone is of the same political line up, who will now query and interrogate poor governance and other misnomers? When we’re all dining from the same banquet table, who can muster the courage to protest the poor culinary skills of the meal servers?

Enugu State must wake up from this nauseous and boring political trend. We must shake it off, inorder to start leading as usual.

Arc. Obute Ifeanyi, De Erudite Correspondent Enugu, South East coordinator of Eyes on Democracy of Nigeria (EDON).