| 17 April 2018 | Ukorebi Esien
A Cross Riverian based in New York, Mr. Peter Ofem Ubi has expressed serious concerns as to why nobody from the PDP Family has indicated interest to challenge the present governor of Cross River state who is seeking a re-election even in with all his incompetence glaring at his face.
The Brooklyn political Scientist made this query in a post on his Facebook wall while taking a sharp comparison between New York electorates and that of Nigeria with emphasis on Cross River state.
Mr. Ubi questioned if Cross Riverians Are not mentally matured to see electoral failures in public elected officials and challenge these failures?
He went ahead to opine that 'What should define our politics must be a focus on policy choices, competence of the individual, and not a political choice for party bosses' (Godfather).
'There is need for a matured mindset in our people toward public office in Nigeria and on those who we want to represent us. The electorates must not see elections only as an affair of political parties challenging each another. We can actually see elections as a process where challengers on the inside, within our various parties, challenge the existing political structures. I believe such actions by so doing will drive legitimacy in our national and state politics, kill off complacency from our politicians, and will continue to renew the spirit of our visions in the democratic process as a society'.
Mr. Peter Ofem Ubi's Article reads in full:
The Immaturity Of The Nigerian Electoral Mindset With Emphasis On Cross River State
By Peter Offem Ubi
By Peter Offem Ubi
Just to point out a difference in the thought process of Americans -contrasting this thought process to that of the Nigerian mindset, especially on how electoral positions are viewed. Case in point New York State vs Cross River State in the upcoming elections.
The New York electorate takes public office serious; they believe in service and personal sacrifices when it comes to sending someone to represent them in any public office capacity. They understand the meaning of public service, and know that those who are opportune to serve them have an obligation to the public good and interest -I cannot speak same of the millions of Cross Riverians but a few.
Here in New York State, there is an election coming up, and our seating governor is running for reelection -yet he does have a primary challenger from within his political party -the Democratic Party. Irrespective of the good works his carried out -just not good enough to some, he is facing a challenger. This type of thing happens all the time in our elections, it is considered very normal. In contrast to Cross River State, you will hardly find such a thing as a challenger from within one's political party taking on a seating governor in a primary. Considering the abysmal failures of the present governing administration in Cross River State, you will think someone within the PDP will challenge the seating governor on his non-record of performance.
Are our people not mentally matured to see electoral failures in our public elected officials and challenge these failures?
What should define our politics must be a focus on policy choices, competence of the individual, and not a political choice for party bosses.
There is need for a matured mindset in our people toward public office in Nigeria and on those who we want to represent us. The electorates must not see elections only as an affair of political parties challenging each another. We can actually see elections as a process where challengers on the inside, within our various parties, challenge the existing political structures. I believe such actions by so doing will drive legitimacy in our national and state politics, kill off complacency from our politicians, and will continue to renew the spirit of our visions in the democratic process as a society.
Many who responded to Mr. Ubi's post noted that he was on point but it was rather a national issue and not peculiar to Cross River state alone.
Ukorebi Esien
Blogs and Edits for Thedailynewsng
He is a social media strategist, a politics blogger who tells the Nigerian story, one article at a time
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