A Nigerian professor of Political Science, Sheriff Folarin, has stated that the mouths of Nigerian politicians are dirtier than public latrines.
Folarin who lectures at Texas State University, United States, made this known while delivering a lecture at Peter Obi’s International Symposium/Lecture Series on the title; ‘The Challenge Of Creative Leadership In An Era Of Scarcity: Nigeria And The Critical Times Ahead’.
According to Folarin, Nigeria’s political campaigns from 1979 – 2019 have been laced with lies and empty promises from corrupt politicians.
Organised by a support group of the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi under the Nigerians Arise for Peter Obi organisation in support of their principals’ presidency candidacy.
In a text of the lecture made available on Friday, Folarin decried the rate of rigging that has become prevalent in Nigeria elections.
Decrying the prevailing riggings in Nigeria’s election, Folarin who is also from the department of political science at Covenant University said, “Political campaigns all these past years (1979, 1999, 2003, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2019) have been underlined by lies. Pure lies and sugar-coated promises.
“Public latrines are cleaner and safer than the mouth of an average Nigerian politician. The lies are even less told these days because campaign or not, some privileged politicians in some political parties are going to be declared winners.
“Rigging machines are put in place to deliver undeserved ballots, so much that the candidates with merits end up shortchanged and lose out in the game of thrones. The financial stakes are too high.”
He, however, noted that with the rate at which Nigerians were speaking in one voice ahead of the 2023 elections, corrupt politicians will be unable to rig the election.
“The rate at which the youth and adults, ethnicities and regions, Christians, Muslims and African Traditional Religion worshippers are speaking in one voice, it will be impossible to silence or rig the elections next year.
“The military could not do it in 1993. The corrupt political class should not be able to try rigging the elections in 2023. Will the votes count this time? Can the ruling party steal the votes?
“As things look, Nigerians will not fold their arms and watch as their votes are stolen,” Sheriff noted.
