Our Electoral process and debates

 Pat Utomi says Debates helped to shape the electoral process in South Korea and it can do the same for us.

What really shapes our Electoral process is violence. It is the one thing

that makes the likes of MC Oluomo prominent and indispensable and further alienates our intelligentsia who fear violence or the semblance of violence.

That is why BAT would not be bothered about debates and why PMB equally shunned it.

Take violence away from our elections and the proclivities of our politicians would change.

Our election for now can do with a bit of civilization.

Until then, politicians would continue to act out the Pareto principle of 80/20 with market women and thugs in the forefront.

The market women loath anything that would jeopardize their daily bread so patiently they would brave all inconveniences to cast their vote. Ditto for the thugs. In fact, the thugs and their antics make unsuspecting decent people unable to cast their vote.

For the thugs, it may not be orchestrated but for people who are used to settling every argument with violence, election days are no different.

For those who are desirous of voting, they should realize that the signs of violence they see are sometimes mere skirmishes.

All they need to do on election day is to gather their wits about them, assess every disturbance carefully and not just scamper home at every noisy argument and resultant push and shove.

Of such are elections made. They should be courageous lest the thugs discourage them and rob them of their right to take control of their destiny.

They should realize that power is never given on a platter of Gold but forcibly taken.

Resisting the skirmishes of thugs on election day will go a long way.