Citizen is a column that explains how the government’s policies fucks citizens and how we can unfuck ourselves.
Ozo and Oshiomole were both sent packing this weekend. Who would have thought? Moral: Try no dey too clingy, show dey end.
Meanwhile, we look at some lessons from both BBNaija and Edo voting centres.
1. Nigerians massively voted for the BBNaija candidates but were less enthusiastic about the Edo Governorship elections.
Checking records from 2007, the number of registered voters versus compared to the actual turnout of voters at the Edo state elections have actually reduced.
In the 2020 final results for Edo State, just over 600,000 votes were cast out of 1.6 million accredited voters. Again, people are not actually showing up to the polls.
Meanwhile, in the BBNaija votes, enthusiasm remains high as young Nigerians rally their people to vote for their preferred candidates.
2. Godfathers can be good and bad.
Well, it seems godfathers are now becoming influential in determining the winner of the BBNaija reality show.
Meanwhile, as the BBNaija voters are complaining, it seems godfathers are now becoming less influential in Nigerian politics.
3. Both elections were peaceful.
Both elections were generally regarded as peaceful.
The Edo election is one of the first time in recent history that the majority of observers agreedhave accorded that an election was peaceful.
Of course, the BBNaija votes are always going to be peaceful. Nobody can snatch ballot boxes when everyone is at home voting via their mobile phones and laptops.
Maybe Nigeria should start contemplating online elections. With Covid-19 teaching us about all the things we can use the internet to do, this shouldn’t seem farfetched completely online elections are things Nigeria should start considering.
4. Both elections were seen as credible.
Both elections have were seen as credible. It is a general agreement that the wishes of voters came to pass in this instances.
In the case of BBNaija, Delloitte does a copmilation of the votes, soit was always going to be credible, at least to a large extent.
For the Edo elections, there are many theories about why the election was peaceful and credible, including that it was because of the US’ travel ban on Nigerian politicians, which made them to reduce the use of many election violence related activities.
Well, make of that whatever you can, but kudos must still be given to the Independent National Electoral Commission for a largely peaceful and credible election.
5. Ozo and Oshiomole finally left.
Ozo finally left the BBNaija show, while the shadow of Adams Oshiomole hanging over Edo state is finally gone.
Two big personalities left the scene in these two voting cycles. Big W?
