State Electoral Commissions and their mockery of Elections

State Electoral Commissions have Independent attached to their names but there is no iota of Independence in either their elections or the results therefrom.

It beats my imagination why parties in power always make a cleansweep of local government elections.

One thing is obvious, we Nigerians always prefer to point fingers instead of getting involved.

Or could it be a case of so-called local politicians being based abroad.

Ben Murray Bruce was a Lagos based businessman until he emerged as a Senator representing Bayelsa state.

He is not alone. Few of our politicians are based in their states of origin.

They are often based in any City of their choice making money or trouble and only remember their states of origin when it is time to contest elections.

I blame the party leaders and their members for always begging politicians based outside their states of origin to come 'home' to contest elections. Is it not the same in our International football, where players based at home have to join clubs abroad to attract attention by national team selectors or the current practice of begging players born abroad to switch allegiance to Nigeria?

I doubt if this practice can give us the Nigeria of our dreams.

The Igbos have a saying that it is the roof of the house where one resides that he mends.

It was Senator David Mark that once talked of granting citizenship of Niger state, where he was Military Governor to those who reside there for a minimum of 25 years.

It is sad that even when you are born somewhere, you are still not at home there until you go to the state of your parents.

This practice promotes discrimination and entenches hatred and retards progress.

It explains why local government elections are usually uninteresting because no one wants to be associated with local politics especially where it concerns your place of residence.

The centre of attraction is usually the state and federal elections, where moneybags can be brought 'home' from far and wide.

He who fights and runs away, will always live to run another day. 

Wherever we reside is our home. We should care for it and defend it with our sweat.

Enough of disinterest in Local politics.