Pondering the lessons that politicians could teach us about the political process
Watching the national conventions of the two prominent Nigerian political parties has been very interesting. This event is one of the major highlights of the political calendar. Everyone, irrespective of party affiliation, watches to see who the parties nominate as their presidential candidates.
Delegates and party members remain hopeful that their candidate will clinch the ticket. Opposition party members also keep watch as their competition’s candidate choice could greatly influence the direction of their campaigns. The media remains on high alert, waiting to announce the party’s choice, while the electorate either watches with bated breath or remains unbothered because it is not the main election or “they will still choose whoever they want to choose”.
A lot of politicking goes on around the period and one may never be sure about outcomes until the winner emerges. So many people make up different hypotheses about who would align with whom, who would step down for whom, and who would ultimately clinch the party’s ticket. I cannot even count the number of analyses and extrapolations that I have come across in the last few weeks!
Whilst I was eager to find out which personalities both of the major parties would settle for as their flagbearers, I couldn’t help but look beyond the convention: what stories are building behind the scenes? What key learnings can we study? What can the ordinary man on the streets learn from our political representatives? and I came up with a few thoughts.
For every serious politician, the race for political office most likely starts at least one or maybe two election cycles before one intends to run. This will give a potential candidate time to get acquainted with key decision-makers across their party and the community, set in place their ever-evolving strategy, build supporters base, and raise funds for the main deal. If politicians plan that far ahead, then the electorate must never go to sleep after an election but sadly, this is often what we do.
Monitoring political hopefuls and keeping them accountable, especially elected and appointed political officeholders is one thing we need to get better at. In many cases, these political aspirants have a track record, either as current political officeholders, influential career professionals, or prominent businesspeople. We must keep track of what they are doing and find out how well they are fulfilling the tasks that have been assigned to them. If we focused on holding them accountable, it would be harder for people who have not performed to sell their candidacy to us.
We all say that politics is a dirty business but someone must do the work (everyone but me?) From what I see, politicking is not for the fainthearted as it requires an extra amount of grit, perseverance, and patience. Oftentimes, the politicians’ time is not theirs: there are long meetings, held across various locations, and at odd hours. It requires a lot of physical exertion and mental alacrity. The demand for their time and resources can be significant, and when the campaigns begin, the sleepless days and nights become even more commonplace.
While the politicians are out on the campaign trail, the electorate can support their preferred candidates in achieving traction by campaigning for their preferred candidates within their circle of influence. Any little thing that can be done to create awareness, mobilise support, and encourage people to participate in the political process, should be done. If we want our candidates to win, then we would have to support them through the process instead of waiting for a miracle. One does not even need to belong to a political party to galvanise support for their candidate. And you know how we often say “I have only one vote, I don’t matter”? Your sole vote can make a difference if you do more than just vote.
It has been said that there are no permanent friends in politics, only permanent interests. It should, therefore, not be surprising to see politicians associating with members of other parties or with people who may appear not to be supporting them. Politicians spend valuable time building their networks and forming alliances. One can never tell which relationship would pay out in the future, besides there is always a short- or long-term benefit to gain from someone else. You keep your friends close and your competition closer.
And this is one of the reasons I find it funny when people who support different candidates engage in fights. For all you know, the candidates at the centre of the fight could be hobnobbing with one another. Politicians tend to see the long-term view and this informs their decisions and actions. The electorate needs to realise that interests can change and new alliances can be formed, all for the greater good or maybe not, but it is what it is. Why would you spend time fighting with people you should probably keep close contact with?
And this brings me to trust, which is earned and never given. It is a currency that politicians understand too well. With trust also comes loyalty, and for politicians, knowing who is on their side is key. The best way to do this is to identify what people need and provide them with it. It also requires the people to be honest about “what’s in it for me (WIIFM)” even though some may not be able to publicly share this as some reasons could be downright self-serving. If the people trust that one will do as they have promised, then it is easier to gain their loyalty. If, like me, you have wondered why politicians change parties like some people change their panties, it is because they are following their “what’s in it for me?”
We all have our WIIFM and many have exploited this for personal gain. As the electorate, we need to demand results and better performance from our elected officials. Let our WIIFM be the critical societal infrastructure we need to improve our quality of life and not the money or pittances distributed to solicit our votes. Let us learn to make demands for our collective good rather than narrow-mindedly seeking self-enrichment.
The two major parties have presented us with their candidates, but our choices must not be restricted to just these two. If wishes were horses, beggars would ride, so if you wish for any other candidate to win the election (not just the presidential election but all other available positions), let us at least support our preferred candidates. That way, we can beat our chest, and irrespective of the outcomes, we would know we put in the work. As always, this is the way I see things today.