Rejection of victory by PDP candidate divides Nigerians

| credits: Chukky Nwakky

Mixed online reactions have trailed the decision of the councillorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in Shawo South West ward in Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State, Mr. Afolabi Olawole, to reject victory at the polls.

Though the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission declared him winner of the re-run election held on Saturday, Olawole said the election was rigged in his favour and added that his rejection of the result stems from his religious belief which forbids cheating.

Many Nigerians who took to social networking sites to express their views over the development observed that such a confession was the first in the history of Nigerian politics.

Idowu Olusola-Oladeni, commenting on the development on Facebook, said politics in the country should not be a do-or-die affair, adding that Olawole had succeeded in “defending his conscience  and did  a great job which nobody has ever done in the history of  Nigeria.’’

 Some said his rejection came as a surprise and still appears as a mystery to them while others hailed and declared him as a honest politician of a fine breed and demand that he should get an award for being a man of good conscience.

Some of those who described his action as a 21st century shocker in modern day Nigerian politics were quick to label him as a traitor and described his rejection as a charade.

According to those who belong to this school of thought, factors other than morals and religious beliefs may have forced him to take such a stance prompting many of them lament that  they smell a rat in the ensuing drama.

A reader on punchng.com, with the name Sabiko, declared Olawole as a beacon of hope for the anticipated transparency Nigerians crave for.

“Good time is coming, let everyone of us learn from this honourable man, this man loves his country so much. He is a man of integrity and he has indeed made honesty his watch word. May the good Lord bless you as you tell your story that there are still some honest people in our country,’’ the reader noted.

A Facebook user, Alexander Ojo, wrote, “How I wish I could meet this honest Nigerian politician that can be bold enough to reject a stolen mandate. I will like to be his friend on Facebook. May God and our ancestor grant you your heart desires.’’

However, some of his critics argue that his rejection of the result during a press briefing called by the opposition,  All Progressives Congress, makes his story difficult to believe.

Gideon Ekukinam, also wrote on Facebook, “Quite a couple of thoughts: why would a PDP candidate and party flag bearer chose to address the public on the platform of APC’s media briefing?

“Does this not amount to anti-party activities, and does his belief support it? On the other hand, this case portends great danger for the forthcoming 2015 polls.”

Ogaziechi John-Ikechukwu disagreed with those calling for a special award and reception for the politician over his perceived honesty and integrity.

Ikechukwu wrote,“Everyone is saying he should get an award, yet no one is reading between the line to see that this fellow might have been bought over and promised something better than a councillorship position.

“Let me say for certain that if he’s sure his election was fraudulent, then he must have known, as the candidate of the PDP, that the election would be rigged even before it took place. He must have been part of the grand plan to rig it. Why did he not pull out before the election? Let’s not be deceived by these politicians,’’ John-Ikechukwu wrote.

Meanwhile, some respondents say one should not rule out the possibility that his statements were made under duress.  One Denzon Ezekiel Oluwagbamila stated on Facebook, “Maybe his life was under threat, who knows? You can’t just trust all Nigerian politicians with their holier than thou postures.”