Not bribing INEC and the police led to our defeat in the election – Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recounted how he and his political party, the Peoples Democratic Party, lost an Ogun State local government election in 1998 as a result of his rejection of attempts to bribe the police and INEC staff.

Obasanjo claimed that party leaders had advised him that funding for the police and INEC should be set aside. He rejected the idea, citing his conviction that police officers and INEC personnel are employed by the government and should get monthly pay.

At a high-level consultation he convened on “Rethinking Western Liberal Democracy in Africa,” the former president gave a speech on Monday in Abeokuta.

During the debate, the African leader informed lawmakers and academics that he does not always feel comfortable using the term “Nigerian factor” when talking about democracy and other matters that impact progress.

He claims to have first encountered the expression “Nigerian factor” during the country’s first local government election, which his party lost due to politicians’ alleged refusal to include the Nigerian element in their election preparations.

“You mentioned the Nigerian element when things don’t work out. The Nigerian factor was the first concept I learned about politics.

“The first local government election was held in 1998. We held get-togethers, and when we got together in my office in Abeokuta, they approached and said, “See, this is money for INEC, money for police.” I once exclaimed, “What nonsense!” Are INEC and the police not getting paid?

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“We do it that way,” they said. “You cannot do that,” I uttered. They didn’t do it, then. Naturally, we also lost every local government. We all lost. Then they approached me and said, “Baba, do you see?” We would have prevailed if you had let us proceed as we always had. I also felt bad.

“I just stayed at home during the State Assembly election, which was the next election. “Well, do whatever you want to do; I won’t be involved,” I responded. I didn’t even go, then. But the outcome remained the same. According to Obasanjo, “one of the individuals who received money didn’t even give it out where he was supposed to give it out.”

The elderly guy stressed that human nature and the African context have not been fully taken into consideration by the Western liberal democracy that is being practised in the continent.

The Balogun of Owu stated that a hungry person would sell his vote for simply N1000 and that it is time to be realistic.

“Never believe anything someone tells you you can’t enter when you’re hungry. Democracy is greatly harmed by poverty. One of democracy’s biggest enemies is ignorance or a lack of education. And it appears that we are purposefully encouraging dearth of knowledge and poverty,” he said.