The American Political Procedure; Lessons for Nigeria

I was up all night watching and listening to comments, talks, results and projections of Super Tuesday in America. Two main parties operate in America namely the Democrats and Republicans. The Democrats at an initial stage produced 3 Candidates and are now left with just two after the initial preliminaries. The two Democratic candidates have a sort of nouveau feel to their campaign. First we have the young, determined suave and visionary African-American, – BARACK OBAMA. He has stormed America in full force and brought something new, exciting and interesting to American Politics. Senator Barack Obama is the first Black hopeful to the White House come January 2009. Second we have Hillary Clinton, wife of former president Bill Clinton also a US senator, and would be the first Female President of America if she makes the White House.

Never say die, for Obama is shattering boundaries and refusing to be caged in a compartmentalised box. What started as a joke to some racially minded people; a challenge to the more adventurous individual; a hope to the black community worldwide; and a mere wish to his other political opponent has now turned into headline news. Barack Obama has brought excitement to American politics and this exciting feel has quickly spread like wildfire worldwide. Obama has rekindled the interest of the young voters in America, and the black voters who had for a while been disillusioned. American former/old politicians are routing for him. Celebrities are hitting the campaign trial with him e.g. Oprah Winfrey.

The “Obama effect” is felt in families, companies, political and religious groups. For example the Kennedy’s have a divided household, with some supporting Obama (Ted Kenney). A husband and wife on holiday had such an explosive row over Obama, for the wife was for Obama and husband for McCain, that the hotel management had to issue them formal warning for disturbing other guests’ quiet enjoyment. Obama is definitely a force to reckon with and a very solid contender to the race to the White House. He survived the first preliminaries, with bloggers commenting that “It is never over until it is over”, and this is very true comment, for it will take a long way before it is over for Obama, and the end result could well see him in the Whitehouse.

“Our time has come, our movement is real and change is coming to America” – Obama on Super Tuesday.

Yes Obama is in good shape. Super Tuesday has seen Obama winning more states in America than Hillary Clinton, the last count gives him 13 out of 24 states (Hillary 8). But alas, this is not the winning formula. The number of electoral delegates gained is the magic key. The Democratic target to take the nomination is 2,025 and Republican is 1,191. On this Hillary is winning but not so convincingly, so Obama is still very much in the race and the results still trickling in. At the last count Hillary has 760 and Obama 692, and hence the race is still on for Obama. The Democrats are yet to have a decisive winner and the race could go all the way to the Democrat Convention in April 2008. Obama is eager, determined and thank God, well funded (thanks to Internet appeal that raked in millions of small donations to Obama’s campaign). An interesting angle is that the interactive poll on who will be the best/most suited candidate for the Whitehouse sees Obama scoring 45% so far, Hillary Clinton follows with 41% and the Republican frontrunner, John McCain, trailing behind with just 14% (as at 10:00AM GMT on 6th February 2008). Obama also did something else, he broke into many Republican Red states and won them over to Blue, proving that if given a chance, he could achieve, really achieve, break boundaries and even do the impossible. The Republicans have three candidates still in the race, namely, John McCain, Mick Romney and Mike Huckabee. McCain is forging ahead for now with 570 seats, Rooney 251 and Huckabee 175 (as at 10:00AM, Feb 6, 2008). And so the story continues in American Politics.

Reading all these, you will agree with me that American Politics is definitely exciting and worthy of emulation. The build up to the real polls is as good as the polls and this style of choosing a Presidential Candidate, I believe, is truly democratic and will stave off election rigging in the final polls. While imbibing all these, my mind returns as usual to my dear country Nigeria. I am yet to erase from my memory ELECTION 2007 and its aftermath in Nigeria. I kept wondering if now is not the time to start preparing for election 2011 so as to avoid all the shameful, dastardly, corrupt, and near savage acts that damaged Nigeria Politics more than ever with condemnation of the polls pouring in worldwide. Even as I write, many of the Election Petitions are yet to be decided by the Tribunals – almost a year on!

Nigeria should understudy and scrutinise the US elections from start to end. The candidates appealed to the masses for support and in return promised to work for the masses, i.e. the generality of the American people. In Nigerian politics, it is not uncommon for candidates to trade money, using the “u scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” style. Politics have become the bingo game for a selected few; many politicians have turned Nigeria and Nigerian economy into their personal property to the detriment and demise of the masses. Many aim to hold on to power “at all cost”, and having siphoned the Nigerian economy, these greedy bastards with no conscience aim to remain at the helm of Nigerian affairs forever, e.g. with no apologies – Olusegun Obasanjo of the 3rd Term scandal (amongst many other scandals).

The run up to Nigeria’s election 2007 saw over 50 political parties producing countless presidential candidates of all types, including fraudsters, mushrooms and half baked personnel, vagabonds, convicts in the making, wannabees, and what have you. If Nigeria believes that the American Presidential Election Procedure –( visit http://www.sos.ca.gov/elections/cand_qual_pres_other.pdf ) is too complicated to follow or hard to master (though I don’t share this view), then how about the simpler French style? – visit http://www.ambafrance-uk.org/The-presidential-election.html.

Lastly another interesting point to note is that all eligible Americans living abroad were given the opportunity to register and vote either by proxy or by postal votes. Why can’t Nigeria give Nigerians living in the Diaspora the same opportunity, for this will make a difference and expose election fraudsters the more?

I will not give up on Nigeria. The battle seems long and hard to fight and win, but every little helps. I may not be in government, I may not matter to the powers that be in Nigeria, I may turn out to be a hated person for the truth is not palatable to the wicked and guilty; but I will continue to support the good cause, the common man and the search for truth and stability in Nigeria. For now Omotaylor continues with the pen.

Remain blessed my fellow Nigerians. God will see us through.