From all indications with regard to the forthcoming local government elections in Ogun State, the prognosis of a fair and satisfactory election to promote democracy looks negative. It is the absolute responsibility of the state government, that is the government of Governor Ibikunle Amosun to promote fairness, justice, equanimity of democratic values and ethos, so that ogun state and Nigeria at large could grow to become a democracy, but political events and other notable electoral signs do not promote such hope.
Most of our public elected servants, especially the state governor habitually desist from talking about democracy, it's modernity to improve collective understanding of governance in our backward society. It's promotion of human rights especially the right of traditional people such as Nigerians in their national and plural relationship in political party membership levels and government appointment levels are never propagated. Democracy, as a political philosophy remains the only enduringy and surviving human reasonable endeavor to organize societies with reason and justice. Socialist -Communism on the other side of global societal organization existed from 1917 in the Soviet Union : that is, Russia and it's socio -political satellites in Eastern Europe for many decades and collapsed in 1989/90 because it denied natural human rights, such as freedom of speech, movement and association. Such rights are being denied, at the moment to ogun state indigenes who should enjoy absolute rights to vote for their councillors and chairmen in the forthcoming election scheduled for October 8,2016.
Governor amosun should lead the crusade of democracy development and the composite practice of its tenets and values in ogun state as other governors should do in their various capacities. It remains a socio -political challenge for many forward looking Nigerians to see that popular election manipulation, supposedly master-minded by highly placed public officers are promoted to make mockery of democracy in our land. Unworthy Nigerians continue to be elected because there is massive unemployment in our plural society made up of illiterates and semi-literates. One should not be alarmed to learn that out of twenty-eight percent literacy rate, our country endures a huge number of them dishonestly abuse democratic virtues to sustain personal ego, majority of those who hold elective public offices in Nigeria always manipulate popular elections because doing so promotes their personal ambitions which at best is redundant in terms of public performance.
The collapse of socialist -communism in the Soviet Union in 1989/90 and it's consequent fall in other parts of Eastern Europe has extended acceptance of democracy everywhere. The republic of China which remains the last bastion of communism in the world is gradually adjusting it's socio -political economic conditions and interest with democracies through its relation with the rest of the world especially it's world trade and other specific international actions which comes together to diminish the harsh effect communist dictatorship.
The island of Cuba has gradually begun to relax its stringent and tough socio -political and economic principles since Fidel Castro left the Cuban party communist leadership to his brother Raul for more than a decade. The United States and Cuba are moving closer and closer politically because democracy and it's virtues begin to set the pace for better diplomatic relationship between a huge democracy of the western hemisphere, that is, the United States and it's recalcitrant island neighbors, the republic of Cuba.
This article wishes to plead with the governor of Ogun State, governor Amosun to encourage democracy, it's virtues, values and ethos and allow the people of Ogun State to go to the polls freely on October 8, 2016 to elect their local leaders. This is a duty the governor owes the people of ogun state and the constitution and Nigeria. Our personal wishes to promote and boost our social image and desires before the eyes of the world have no bearing with democracy as a political philosophy for the development of a society, no matter how backward.
Signed.
Hon. Mrs Iredee Oginni.
Ogun State Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) State Chairman.
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