Izuchukwu OkosiThe use of money to induce votes during party primaries and elections in general must be condemned in its entirety according to a professor of Strategy and Development, Anthony Kila reports Prime Business Africa.
Kila was a guest of Arise News’ The Morning Show on Tuesday and was asked to react on the lavish style of politicking that has characterized the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) primaries ahead of the 2023 general elections.
PDP delegates on Saturday gathered at the Moshood Abiola stadium in Abuja where former Vice President Atiku Abubakar emerged as the party’s flagbearer in the Presidential election with foreign currencies said to have exchanged hands and last ditch moves made to oust supposed rivals aspirants.
“This is the season that has seen the drama, the intrigues in the PDP primaries and I bet that we’re going to see more drama in the APC primaries,” Kila noted.
“PDP put up a good show in terms of theatrics that would make a good fit for playwrights but I guess the one coming up would even be a richer one to watch and reflect on.
“The introduction you gave (before start of interview) says a lot about the ups and downs of the primaries, the high cost of nomination forms, people refuting their forms and so on.
“What we seem to be looking out for in the APC seems to be like the battle for legacy in a polygamous family where every mother or child thinks that they have the right to the legacies.
Speaking further, Kila explained what should be the job of a good delegate.
“We have a bizzare system that makes us lose sense of words and crux of what we do. In reality, delegates should ne representing people of their constituencies.
“They should go there and say ‘these are our interest, these are our sensibilities. In the name of my people, I cast my vote for Mr. A or Mrs. B, becssue his/her person can achieve what we hope for.
“Most people don’t understand how important these delegates are because unlike millions of Nigerians, they are the ones who only decided who comes to the fore.
“So in reality thecrst of us come February 2023 will be choosing between pre cooked dishes whereas these people now in May/June 2022 have the right to choose raw food. They decide if we are going to have rice or beans.
“Delegstes in a very basic form, have a duty to represent someone that can win and that winner should be someone that can represent the yearnings of most citizens.”
The screening committee of the All Progressives Congress will round off a two-day session today (Tuesday, May 31) as the party guns for a credible candidate in the 2023 polls.
Izuchukwu Okosi is a Nigerian sports and entertainment journalist with two decades of experience in the media industry having begun his media journey in 2002 as an intern at Mundial Sports International (MSI) and Africa Independent Television (AIT), owners of Daar Communications Plc.
In October 2004, Okosi joined Complete Communications Limited, publishers of Complete Sports newspaper and Complete Football magazine as a reporter and later script writer for the Complete Sports studio.
He worked there for 13 years until October 2017.
Okosi also worked various times as Correspondent, Content creator and Editor at Sports Market International Magazine, Opera News, All Nigeria Soccer Media and Iconic Media Watch.
He also undertook freelance writing gigs for some local and international organizations.
Okosi is a member of the Actors Guild of Nigeria (AGN), Association of Movie Producers (AMP), Association of Voiceover Artistes of Nigeria (AVOA), Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) and Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).
He has been part of cast in some Nollywood movies and radio dramas including Blood Money 2, Scores To Settle, Dead End 2, Another Campus Tale and Battle Line.
Aside mainstream media and the entertainment industry, he has interests in scouting/unearthing of talents in the sports and creative sectors, exports business and property development.
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