Local government election in Nigeria have been perceived as a one sided affair where the ruling Party in a state just put together a charade to select pre-determined individuals to run the affairs of the Local governments.
In fact, the general believe is that an opposition political party can not win a local government election conducted by the states Independent Electoral Commissions.
Those who hold this view are largely but not totally correct.
I think the only reason this perception have continue to resonate is the lack of will and strategy by opposition political parties to take on the ruling Parties.
For example, during the tenure of former Governor Rasheed Ladoja of Oyo State, the Alliance for Democracy participated in the Local government election, won three out of the thirty three local governments those who won were sworn into office.
The AD then won in Iseyin local government, Kajola local government and Ibarapa East local government.
Why Iseyin and Kajola’s results were announced and immediately returned, that of Ibarapa East was retrieved at the Tribunal.
I remember vividly that while we successfully retrieved Ibarapa East, we won in the lower Tribunal in the case of Ibadan North West which Bosun Ajuwon contested and lost at the Appeal Tribunal.
So, it is not totally true that an opposition Party can not win a local government election. It could happen. Even, an opposition political party can retrieve Its mandate in the Election Petition Tribunal.
In the light of the above, I strongly disagree with those who are of the view that Oyo APC should boycott the planned local government election.
What the Party stands to gain if it participates far outweighs whatever is projected or imagined to be a loss as a result of participating.
Winning a local government election only requires putting in place a perfect strategy for the election and beyond, in case of going to the Tribunal.
In Ibadan East where to the glory of God, I was deeply involved, the first thing we did was to believe that we would win but might have to retrieve our mandate at the election petition tribunal.
Our strategy from day one centred on making sure we had a strategy that envisaged gathering of evidence from the start.
There are other things taken into consideration and included in our strategy which I can not discuss.
For example, our case and that of Ibadan North West were the same in materials particular, but while we came out home and dry, Ibadan North West dropped off at the Appeal Tribunal.
The difference was the difference in strategy.
Like I said, Oyo APC should see the opportunity of the local government election as an avenue to correct misconceptions arising from the last general election.
If we boycott, it would be an opportunity for Makinde and those who engaged in anti party activities to buttress the lies and misconceptions they have been bandying about.
What the Party requires is to device a perfect strategy and make a statement through the opportunity provided by the local government election.
SOLA ABEGUNDE.
