When Politicians Gather By Bosun Awoniyi

The phrase “when politicians gather together” is most likely referencing the biblical verse from Matthew 18:20, which states, “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” meaning that when people gather together in the spirit of Jesus, he is present with them; in this context, it would imply that politicians meeting with a shared goal of positive action could be seen as “gathering in his name.”

A few days ago, a group of irate political hyenas gathered for a conference that was quite entertaining. Beware of sworn political rivals who suddenly unite just because they have lost the power struggle.

You can tell it’s an opportunist meeting when you see these odd bedfellows getting together and talking about how they lost their power—some less than two years ago, others for many years.

They converged in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital, to tackle the pressing challenges facing the country’s democratic system.

The two-day National Conference on Strengthening Democracy in Nigeria is tagged “Strengthening Nigeria’s Democracy: Pathways to Good Governance and Political Integrity.”.

Unfortunately, most of the politicians in the meeting have no ideologies; most lack integrity and principle; therefore, they can be in the ruling party today; next week they are in the opposition, the following week back to the ruling party.

In Nigerian politics, the word honor is scarce; wonder why some call our politicians harlots.

Since 1999, top politicians have been regrouping from one party to another.
Strengthening integrity and good governance is a challenging task with no ready-made solutions.

It requires political commitment, strong leadership, a long-term perspective, and the right mix of tools and good practices to encourage change and foster sustainable reforms.

Education, in another sense, engaging, discussing, or creating the neccessary awareness is key to success. Education is a vector for sustaining reforms and promoting a culture of integrity as well as for developing new capabilities.

The prevalence of cross-carpeting in Nigerian politics continues to threaten the consolidation of democracy in the country. It is strengthened by the proliferation of political parties devoid of entrenched ideology or political philosophy besides attaining political and economic powers.

A bombshell revelation rocked Nigeria’s political landscape as former Governor Rotimi Amaechi confessed that the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) paid women to demonstrate against the government of former President Goodluck Jonathan.

According to Amaechi, the ruling APC’s strategy was to mobilize women to protest against Jonathan’s administration, thereby creating the impression of widespread discontent among Nigerians.

This shocking admission has sparked intense debate and raised questions about the ethics of political opposition in Nigeria. Critics argue that such tactics undermine democratic principles and manipulate public opinion.

Amaechi’s revelation is particularly significant, given his prominent role in the APC and his previous position as Minister of Transportation under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.

The APC’s opposition to Jonathan’s government was well documented, with the party criticizing his handling of the economy, security, and corruption. However, the extent of their tactics has only now come to light.

Atiku Abubakar, a former vice president and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the 2023 election, echoed Amaechi’s comments by sharing a personal experience on the dynamics of crowd mobilization and motivation for rally attendees.

“Let me intervene here… as borrowed from Rivers,” Abubakar said to laughter from the audience.

“When Odili was in office as governor of Rivers, we went on a rally. The entire stadium was filled to capacity.

“But before we could finish the rally, everybody had left. We were left alone. Then I asked what happened. He said they were paid for only two hours!”

It is in a politician’s personal interest to win votes to be re-elected by handing out government money and contracts.

A politician does not usually spend any of their own money on a campaign.

Cronies and big donors buy political favors and influence with their donations, while small donors are being suckered in to donate to campaigns, usually by false political promises.

Our politicians are rarely held responsible for lying during their campaigns and lying routinely to the press.

Our anti-graft agencies are biased and cover politicians corruption.

Politicians vote for and approve their own annual salaries without any stress. Many politicians get high-paying jobs as lobbyists once they leave government employment.

Ahead of the 2027 election, they have begun to gather now, attempting to deceive the uninitiated and make themselves appear as saints who have come to cleanse Nigeria’s political landscape.

From southwest Osun to north-central Kaduna states. Labor Party to Peoples Democratic Party. The ruling All Progressive Congress to Social Democratic Party.

Before elections, they act in what they believe is in the best interests of the people and the country. However, their opinion reflects their point of view, which might not actually be in those interests.

They get away with it because the media slants their coverage towards public affairs in favor of the values the media embraces, and those are the same values many of the politicians also embrace.

It is high time Nigerians asked the likes of Atiku, Ameachi, El-Rufai, Aregbesola, and many other sliding politicians questions.

In whose name did they gather?

In whose name will they gather come 2027?

Bosun Awoniyi writes from Lagos, Nigeria.