Let me quickly congratulate the governor-elect of Osun State, Ademola Adeleke (PDP): “having satisfied the requirement of the law is hereby declared the winner and he is returned elected,” INEC Chief Returning Officer for Osun, Oluwatoyin Ogundipe. I also commend the good people of Osun State and the young people across Nigeria. Just like in Ekiti State where the youth chose the APC candidate, their wills are now 2-0. People, this is not about the party, this is about the candidate.

As I have written here, if we break information asymmetry with mobile internet, anyone can win. Yes, the 2023 election is OPEN because new structures are being built – youth mobilize online and then tell their parents to support their candidates.

The Governor-elect should reach out to Governor Babagana Zulum of Borno (I admire him) and ask for tips; Governor Soludo of Anambra is also there for a chat. Mr. Adeleke needs to succeed because his people brought this ascension.

I belong to ALL PARTIES in Nigeria but I choose none. For me, it is “May the best Candidate Win”!

Comment on Social Media Feed

Comment: Not all people can win irrespective of Technology!

My Response: That is a wrong comparison. US elections are idea-based and ideological. You know where Biden stands for life. In other words, a Republican is known for what he stands for. A democrat, the same. In Nigeria, we are not there – everyone in APC today was in the past somewhere else, less than a decade ago. So, do not compare both countries since a man who won in APC in the past can come and win in PDP today and move back to APC (check senators in Anambra state). In the US, that is IMPOSSIBLE. With that system in Nigeria, parties are not known for anything but a group of people. In US, Democrats are pro-choice, pro-tax, pro-climate, etc; Republicans are pro-life, etc.

Because those have been established, small parties have NO ROOM to provide something new except to go extreme.

Comment: You are very wrong Ndubuisi Ekekwe. Adeleke won because of the structure of Pdp on the ground not because the youths via socialmedia. Nigerian politics is not like Swedish or Irish elections where ideologies win. Its about stomach infrastructure and money. Yesterday Billions of Naira was spent to share money for so many things starting from the ward chairmen to the poling booth agents, to the security to watch the ballot boxes to the State representatives and finally the voters. Adeleke would never have gotten this kind of financial support to pull this off without a party like Pdp who could handle most of these things in his favour financially.

You have no idea what Buhari has done to the masses and how hunger would change a person’s mind to vote. Yesterday APC was paying N5,000 per Voter and Pdp had to match them or pay higher to sway votes. Both parties were using different financial formats to induce voters on election day and it was free for all. You think if APC offered N5 000 per Voter and Pdp was preaching love, equity & good governance, Adeleke would have been governor today? Why didn’t Adeleke join KOWA, Accord Party, Labour or ADC to pursue his Governorship ambition and see if APC won’t have wiped the floor with him?

My Response: Check the Youth participation in the last election for Osun. It was less than 20%. This one, he hit close to 40%. I am a data guy. PDP had structure. APC as the ruling party has stricture. Without those Youth outperforming 4 years ago, he would have lost.

Nigerian Presidency is Wide Open As Mobile Internet Could Disintermediate Old Political Structures

It is too early as we wait for the final results in Osun state. But I want to commend the Nigerian youth. What an exceptional operational execution. Did you see the playbook? They picked someone they believe will anchor their future and they went into markets, communities, etc with loudspeakers and recruited their parents.

Who would you believe? Your son/daughter or one strange politician on whom to vote? That is how you win your future – devise a strategy that connects the power of mobile energy with get-out the votes and spread the vision. #respect to young people.

And did you see how they organized? They are not picking parties – they are picking candidates? If they like a PDP guy, they ask others to bulk-vote for that person. If they like an APC, the same happens.  What this means is simple: irrespective of your party, if you have good records, you will keep your job as they are not after parties.  It is too bad that our political science professors are on strike but this is amazing. In Osun, they connected the cyberspace and meatspace.

And did you see what happened in Sokoto today? That procession? #believe . We simply want the right person, irrespective of the party!

Comment on Social Media Feed

My Response to a comment: Actually, LP Youth endorsed the candidate for PDP Youth in Osun. They did not like the LP candidate in Osun and asked everyone to support PDP. As I noted, our political science professors are on strike. If not, they could have explained what is happening. I am an engineer and have no good understanding of this. But I can tell you this – look beyond party. If you see this as APC vs PDP vs LP, you will be tripped.

Comment: ….this made the south west a unique set of people in Nigeria Politics. No religion or Party sentiments. Since 1999, South west has produced Governors across different Political parties (AD, ANPP, PDP, APC and Labour Party) and religion lines. Yoruba tenet of ‘Omoluabi’ (Good Character) which reflect in their political activities must be emulated by other regions of the County to produce credible candidate in respective of Political or religion affiliations.

My Response:  It has nothing to do with tribe, I will say. If you are counting party, no single state in Nigeria has produced more governors from more parties than Imo State. They have PDP, APC, PPA, APGA. What is happening in SW is that it has become a huge lab with two of its 6 states outside the general election day (Ekiti and Osun); no other region has that.

If you live in Abia State, I urge you to get your PVC before INEC concludes the issuance of new PVCs. The next Abia state election is very important. We must vote. The electoral umpire, INEC,  had extended the date for the registration process, and no one should expect INEC to extend it beyond the July 31st deadline. Many of us want Abia State to work and run better. We need growth in Aba, Umuahia, Ohafia, Bende, Isuikwuato, Ngwa, Arochukwu, Ugwa, etc. We must vote smartly.

The elders of Abia state honoured me as the Abian of the year in diaspora. We have provided opportunities in Abia, building companies. We have invested in real estate and provided jobs in our state. But we can do more if we have more confidence that our state is growing.

I call all qualified ABIANS to get his or her PVC and on the election date, VOTE. I am speaking with some of the gubernatorial (governor) aspirants; many are great. And I want you to become engaged. Forget the party, vote for the best person to make the God’s Own State the paradise in the world. God bless Abia State.

Ndubuisi Ekekwe

2021 Most Outstanding Abia Professional in the Diaspora

2021 Abia Ambassador