The Kwara state government and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) have disagreed on the campaign slogan unveiled by the opposition political party in the build up to the 2019 general elections. UMAR BAYO ABDULWAHAB reports.
Uproar
‘Otoge’ meaning,’Enough is Enough’ is the new campaign slogan adopted by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State in its build up to the 2019 general elections.
In 2015, it was ‘Change dole’ (Change is a must) and now Otoge .These two slogans have generated debate amongst analysts with some arguing for and against their adoption.
While some have argued that the slogans were embedded with strong messages to the electorate, others say they were capable of inciting disturbances. For instance no sooner than the ‘Otoge’ slogan was unveiled the Kwara State government kicked against it.
The slogan, according to the state government, could spark political unrest or generate suspicions in the state.
Saraki, PDP vow to confront federal might
This was coming just as the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) last Sunday inaugurated its campaign organisation led by a former Minister of National Planning, Professor Abubakar Olanrewaju Suleiman. He said that he had confronted such situations in two previous elections and had successfully floored the incumbents.
National leader of the party and Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki, who spoke at the inauguration of the 42-man campaign team, vowed that the PDP would confront and defeat the opposition in spite of its “federal might”.
Corroborating Saraki’ s position, the campaign DG, said the forthcoming election is a critical one that must be worn by the PDP .
AbdulRahaman defends Otoge slogan
But the Kwara APC governorship candidate, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, in his swift reaction rejected suggestions by the state government that his campaign slogan, “Otoge” (enough is enough) could spark political unrest or suspicions in the state.
In a statement made available to our correspondent in Kwara on Sunday, AbdulRazaq said the campaign slogan was properly vetted and approved by the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) which he insisted was the only statutory and non-partisan body that should do so.
“Our OTOGE slogan simply means that our people have had enough and are desirous of change through the ballot box,” adding that the government was only jittery and trying to crackdown on the opposition.
“We are surprised and disappointed at the action of the Kwara State Government and Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) over their threat to pull down our billboards and campaign banners or posters that have this slogan.
“If, despite their underwhelming performance in the past 14 years, the Kwara State government and its patrons do not find their slogan of ‘continuity’ as contemptuous, provocative and utterly insulting to the people of Kwara State, it is quite annoying for them to complain that the opposition is saying #Otoge and calling for a change.
“We totally reject Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s hypocritical statement of Friday December 7 in which he claimed that our campaign slogan was capable of pitching people against one another.
“We also reject KWASAA’s claim that complaints have come from the Emir of Ilorin’s palace regarding the slogan. These are cheap lies with which our people are not only familiar but are totally fed up!
“We urge the Kwara state government and its agencies to face governance, stop their boring propaganda and face the unavoidable prospect of being voted out of office in March 2019, God willing.
“Contrary to the sheer red-herring by the governor, we are in a better position to advise the Kwara State government and the People’s Democratic Party to please embrace peace, to live and let live.
“We urge independent government agencies of the federal government, including APCON, police, the department of state security, to continue to be apolitical and professional in their dealing with politicians.
“Finally, our campaign has been very peaceful, orderly and issues-based. We promise that it will continue to be so.
But while using this opportunity to again urge our supporters to eschew every form of violence or disorderly conducts even in the face of unprovoked attempts to cage the opposition, we believe that our people have seen enough of deprivations, mediocre governance and mismanagement of public resources to say it loud and clear that enough is enough. OTOGE!”
Emir dissociate self
While the dust raised over the slogan was yet to be settled, the Emir of Ilorin and chairman Kwara State Traditional Council, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, quickly dissociated himself from the controversies.
Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) had in a letter dated 6th November 2018 claimed that it received a complaint from the palace of the Emir of Ilorin on the campaign advertisements of the APC causing incitement in the state among others
While dissociating himself from the issue, the Emir, in a statement signed on Monday by the National Secretary of Shehu Alimi Foundation for Peace and Development, Mallam Abdulazeez Arowona, cauctioned the state government against dragging him into politics.
According to the statement, “It is worrisome that the name of the Emir of Ilorin, His Royal Highness, Alhaji Ibrahim Sulu-Gambari, is being mentioned to cause disaffection among political gladiators in the state. The emir is neither a card carrying member of any political party nor staff of any advertising agency.
“His Royal Highness is always passionate about a united Ilorin emirate, a united Kwara state as well as a United Nigeria. He is father to all citizens of Kwara state irrespective of your political platform.
“It is expected that the advertising agency will demonstrate high level of professionalism and competence in its operations without necessarily dragging the palace to its affairs in order to achieve compliance. There should be codes and ethics guiding every business. Such rules and regulations should always be leverage on in order to achieve the desired goals.”
The statement, therefore, appealed to the general public to disregard the report even as it warned against recurrence of such dastard act.
As the two political parties are set for contest over the Ahmad Bello Way seat of power in the 2019 general elections, there is the need for political gladiators and supporters of the two parties to trade with caution.
Taking politics to the extreme for whatever means would not do the state and the people any good.
The actors must be guided by responsible conduct and guide against any form of hate speech that could spark violence. Political parties and their candidates should base their campaigns on issues.
