Why Leftists Find It Difficult To Win Elections In Nigeria — Analysts

…Say Nigerian Politics Not Based On Ideology, But Money

LAGOS – Two eminent political an­alysts have given reasons why the Leftists political ideologues have been finding it difficult, if not impos­sible to ascend to political power in Nigeria, despite their efforts.

The analysts, Dr. John Kome, and Dr Tunde Elebute, in sep­arate interviews with Sunday Independent, said the Nigerian political climate has remained difficult for the Leftists, mostly activists, to break through be­cause partisan politics in a capi­talist environment is far different from Marxist activism.

Dr. John Kome, an education­ist and public affairs commenta­tor, said that no country has to­tal independence, or is free from external or foreign influence, noting that the Nigerian Leftists have been deriding these foreign mafias represented by the World Bank and International Mone­tary Fund (IMF).

Hon. Kome, a People’s Demo­cratic Party (PDP) chieftain and the party’s 2023 candidate for Ike­ja Constituency 1 seat in the La­gos House of Assembly, said: “For example, the last US election that removed Donald Trump is said to have foreign influence. We were told that it was not the US alone that pushed Trump out of power.

“Some countries have been crying out that the IMF and the World Bank run their countries. When leaders ignore these for­eign mafia, they remove them.

“Recently, some individuals cried out over GMOs (Genetic Modified Organisms) and Ge­netic Modified Foods and plants, like maize.

“Some individuals are said to have deals with Bill Gates on these crops, if it is true, it is an international cartel or cabal.

“Local and foreign cabals de­cide how countries are run. They will not allow the Leftists to bring development and growth within countries based on individual visions. These allegations seem to have some truths.

“For example, we were told that COVID-19 was man-made and was meant to wipe out Af­rica. We heard that the World Health Organisation (WHO) was privy to all these.

“From all these, the cabals, both local and foreign, will not allow the Leftists near power in order not to dwarf their agenda. This is even up to the oil industry.

“China, for instance, is shift­ing its diesel to Africa to neu­tralise the US ban. It is not a problem peculiar to Nigeria. It is the same in the USA.

“There, as in many countries, the Leftists get just very few votes during elections. The problem is the voters. No one stops voters from voting for the Leftists.

“Political parties with corrupt politicians will always hold sway. Poverty is the bane of Nigerian politics.”

Dr. Tunde Elebute, Deputy Director, Crime Victims Foun­dation of Nigeria (CRIFON), La­gos State chapter, a development economist, rights promoter and public affairs commentator, in his contribution, said there is a huge difference between politics and grammar.

He maintains that the Leftists will continue to have problems in their attempt to ascend to power because they lack financial mus­cles.

Hear him: “Nigerian poli­tics is not grammar. If you do not have money, no one listens to you. Some of them are not popular. They should have first organised themselves to become councillors in their wards and grow from there.

“Some of the Leftists may have money, but may not be will­ing to pump it into politics. They are not known at local levels or the rural areas.

“Only the elites know them from what they say in the media, but wondered how many of the elites believe in them or go out to vote during elections.”

Elebute cited the case of the late Chief Gani Fawehinmi, the founder and one-time presiden­tial candidate of the now delist­ed National Conscience Party (NCP).

He said: “People knew Gani for several reasons. He was fighting for the masses and the students.

“Many people know about Omoyele Sowore, the leader and presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC) because of the media and his activism while in the university.

“Yet, Fawehinmi, despite his activism and fights on the side of the masses, did not get votes during elections. Omoyele Sowore has tried the presidency twice and did not win, even with his popularity.”

Elebute, however, maintained that the current federal struc­ture does not allow the Leftists to make much impact outside their localities due to Nigerian factors, especially money politics, religion and ethnicity.

He stressed: “How many peo­ple know the Leftists? If the Left­ists really want to win elections, they should make themselves known to the elites and the grass­roots people at the same time.

“They can establish non-gov­ernmental organisations (NGOs) and start helping people and do­ing projects in some areas, like digging boreholes and other things people in those areas need, with a bold indication that these projects are done by them.”