Oppression can be an insidious thing. It does not always involve a blitzkrieg or out and out totalitarianism. Sometimes, the agbada takes long-learned military techniques and employs societal weapons – fear, poverty, hunger, religious and tribal bias, and stereotypes – to much greater impact.

For over 58 years, Nigerian politicians used these tactics to silence the Nigerian masses. Their indoctrination was so thorough that they quietened any possibility of a revolution and made the Nigerian people – a people renowned in every other part of the world for their resilience and resourcefulness – grateful to be alive and see another day, regardless of the untold hardships the new dawn might present.
​
Wholesale rigging, thieving, murdering and destruction ate at the very fabric of the nation while Nigerians were compensated with finger pointing and despondency. While the godfathers, united in their single vision of raping, pillaging and looting Nigeria into nothingness, looked beyond tribal, ethnic and religious lines to divvy up the country as they saw fit, the average Nigerian was taught that this was the only way politics could be practised.

But a new candidate emerged and threw the rule book away. Omoyele Sowore ran a presidential campaign, the likes of which this country has never before seen. By so doing, he dispelled every myth and fallacy perpetuated by the ruling classes to hold Nigeria in a vice-like grip of corruption and fear. By all accounts, he was correct when he said it is impossible to stop an idea whose time has come.

Perhaps the most crucial part of any political campaign is the fundraising. Whoever raises the funds not only determines the trajectory of the campaign but also the heart and soul of the government that follows. Many people thought it was impossible for ordinary Nigerians to fund a campaign since people had been previously conditioned to believe that it could only be done by a handful of people injecting hundreds of millions – most of it funds stolen from government coffers – in order to run a successful campaign. 150 million naira from thousands of individual donors later, Sowore’s vision for a campaign funded by the Nigerian people – a vision that was initially mocked – has now been validated. The donations, ranging from as little as 50 naira to a million, broke the mould and have finally confirmed that the Nigerian people will put their resources behind their hopes and aspirations for a better country.

Money, however, isn’t all that a campaign needs. Campaigns require different kinds of resources and skill sets. A successful campaign needs strategy and policy analysis and development, grassroots mobilisation, and a good handle on public relations, media and communication with the electorate, logistics, security and planning amongst others. A significant portion of the resources of any campaign are typically spent on these activities. Sowore ran a world class campaign with remarkable staff being pooled from all over the world. The difference is that they were all volunteers, a phenomenon that hitherto had been alien in Nigerian politics. Even beyond the monetary donations, people have donated billions of naira’s worth of skills, resources and time.

For those who wonder how Sowore’s upstart presidential bid and a five-month old party could have catapulted into becoming one of the top three political parties and movements in Nigeria, they need look no further than to the thousands of global experts in areas as diverse as policy, media, analytics, planning and political strategy that his campaign has attracted. People drawn from all around the world – from within Nigeria and spanning every continent – to birth a true revolution of ideas.

Perhaps the most telling indication that this new paradigm had been engaged with by Nigerians is the extent to which they claimed this campaign as their own. Beyond the official strategies implemented by the campaign, this organic movement saw Nigerians taking full ownership of the campaign. Unprompted, they created jingles and flyers; they engaged their fellow Nigerians on street corners and in public transport. Nigerians defended their new-found hope to the hilt; refusing to return to the brainwashed days of APC and PDP.


Indeed, it looks like this progressive movement tackled the fear of the ruthlessness in Nigerian politics. Sowore’s campaign successfully disrupted the paradigm of fear and territorialism that had dominated establishment politics in Nigeria. Politics that suggested that politicians are tied to regional and geographic turfs and could only play politics within their spheres of influence. The narrative that suggests successful politics cannot be implemented without violence and intimidation.

The Sowore campaign engaged with Nigerians in every single geopolitical zone and worked across all of the states. There are many who said it would have been suicidal to visit the Daura home town of General Buhari or the Adamawa hometown state of the PDP presidential candidate. The Sowore campaign, however, made it a point of visiting both places and engaged with IDPs, herdsmen and local folks who had been neglected by their leading townsmen.

For the first time in Nigeria’s history, a presidential campaign was run in a true grassroots nature. Rallies were substituted with town hall sessions that allowed for unfettered engagement between the candidate and the electorate. Different sessions were organised to accommodate different constituencies, ranging from faith-based groups to economic round tables for business leaders, to on-site visitations of workers, and engagements with students and youth.

In every other part of the world, campaigns are serious business. A candidate’s decision to run starts with the development of a clear agenda and a manifesto that is not just a statement of intent, but also includes a clear sense of the vision and how that vision is to be achieved and paid for. Nigerian politics, up until now, had not operated on that basis. There has never been any clear difference between the parties and the programmes of the APC and the PDP has always been essentially the same. For the first time in Nigeria’s political history, the Sowore campaign turned that paradigm on its head; with the candidate and the party providing a clear agenda on how to create jobs, tackle security and deal decisively with corruption, but they also provided a clear path on how those programmes would be implemented and paid for. This meant that for the first time, people with an expertise in project development and management and strong practical experience in how to deliver successfully on massive projects were at the helm of a campaign, as opposed to the usual political jobbers.

It is clear that it will no longer be business as usual in Nigeria’s political space as there is a clamouring for engaged politics. Sowore has set the pace and he is no longer a lone voice calling out in the wilderness. His disruptive methods and approach are catching on. For the first time in our nation’s history all the leading candidates subjected themselves to town hall sessions. The scales have fallen. This is an awakening that will lead to a progressive and prosperous Nigeria as envisioned by Omoyele Sowore.

Hmmn this man is popular bt will Nigerians vote 4 him?

He shld tell us what he will do with education. He has not bn talking much in education

Voting this weekend?
Don't know your Polling Unit?

Send your PU number (top left of your PVC) xx-xx-xx-Bleep to 0902 - 000 - 1111


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Yes they will. Hv you seen the number of celebrities endorsing him?

IrawoOmoniyi:
Hmmn this man is popular bt will Nigerians vote 4 him?

Nice one.
Make I try am

asuustrike1:
Voting this weekend?
Don't know your Polling Unit?

Send your PU number (top left of your PVC) xx-xx-xx-Bleep to 0902 - 000 - 1111


Send your PU number to InMyPu on Facebook Messenger


DM/Tweet @GoToMyPU with your PU Number

Not sure about dt too bt na corruption be the problem of this country. If that is out under Sowore, education go make sense

IrawoOmoniyi:
He shld tell us what he will do with education. He has not bn talking much in education

Finekunlex:
Nice one.
Make I try am

Watched the advert on tvc news. They gave this website for more info https://govote.ng/

It is not a small thing

Okay.

asuustrike1:

Watched the advert on tvc news. They gave this website for more info https://govote.ng/

What do you mean small thing?

Bearswitch:
It is not a small thing

Sowore: Another good candidate for the post.
We wish you the very best Mr Sowore.
A better Nigeria is what we all want.

good for him

IrawoOmoniyi:
He shld tell us what he will do with education. He has not bn talking much in education

Finekunlex:
Not sure about dt too bt na corruption be the problem of this country. If that is out under Sowore, education go make sense

"Presidential candidate of the African Action Congress (AAC), Omoyele Sowore, has said he will provide free education across all levels if elected. Sowore said this in a statement on Monday where he added that he will also pay students of tertiary institutions N100, 000 every session."
- https://www.concisenews.global/2019/01/21/2019-sowore-promises-free-education-n100000-study-allowance/

He countless time on campaign trails, town hall meetings and on TV interviews has said free education up to tertiary levels

Nigerians are not yet ripe for cognitive reasoning to vote technocrats

Atiku is a looter, Atiku is a thief. This refrain has virtually become all APC achieved in four years.

Things to note about ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR:

1. Atiku has been out of public office for almost 12 years now, since 2007.

2. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar became a billionaire in Nigeria before 1999.

3. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar contested for SDP presidential primaries alongside MKO Abiola in 1992 and willingly dropped his ambition for Abiola in a gentle man's manner, just as he didn't scatter APC when President Mohammad Buhari was chosen instead he worked closely with all forms of support to prove that he has never been desperate for power.

4. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar won Adamawa state gubernatorial democratically in 1999 before his 1992 political sportsmanship was remembered and he was appointed Vice to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

5. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar resigned from Nigerian custom service in 1989 that was 10 straight years before he became Nigerian Vice President but all that while he was still a multi billionaire.

6. APC Leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu once narrated how after Now President Mohammadu Buhari was elected APC flagbearer for 2015 polls that the party was out of fund and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar donated N2billion naira and a pretty IJ bate jet for logistics and left to rest in the UK, that after two weeks the needed another money, he (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) in company of other APC leaders went to UK to plead with him for more fund which he gave them more N5 billion naira according to their report, now my question is, ALL THIS WHILE ATIKU WAS SPONSORING THE AMBITION OF SAINT BUHARI "MR INTEGRITY", WASN'T HE CORRUPT THEN? 

WASN'T HE A THIEF? WASN'T HE A LOOTER? 

Does that mean that APC was brought to power with looted fund? , 

So was saint Mohammadu Buhari sponsored by a thief? 

This questions remain unanswered and a Judgement unto all those that benefitted from him 2015 and suddenly discovers that he is a thief.

7. Can any Nigerian sincerely point at any political leader from the post of a State Governor upwards since 1999 that all he had was only his constitutionally provided salary and allowance, just one person so we can use him as a yardstick or perimeter of judgement against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, I will still wait until I see one but before then.

8. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as he keeps saying has never been convicted by any court not even EFCC, he has been and always available all this while.

9. Let's assume Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a looter, greedy and a thief, corrupt by implication, what is Bola Ahmed Tinubu? the leader of Nigeria ruling party, a Saint? 

10. What is Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, an imam? What is Godswill Apkabio, a monk? Raji Fashola, Orji Uzor Kalu etc.

Conclusively, as a nation today, we have more challenges than we had in 2015; worst among them is 
Poverty, no more respect to the sanctity of human. Now human life can just be wasted at any slightest provocation and nothing will happen, that is the worst thing that can happen to any society, besides Tribalism as never seen before, insensitivity and outright disregard for the feelings of Nigerian people, Lies especially in a manner that insult average human intelligence, gross incompetence, brazen intolerance and abuse of power especially by security officials. 

All these has beset our democracy. For this reason, i will vote for my conscience and you too should vote your conscience.

God bless Nigeria
Thanks

If we're sane as a people, it's obvious this guy is a far better choice than Atiku and Buhari combined. We truly deserve those ruling us.

He don enter, u don see?

[quote author=IrawoOmoniyi post=75942948]He shld tell us what he will do with education. He has not bn talking much in education [/quote) what has your Atiku told us about education?

To 80% of Nigerians, this write-up is like Nuclear fusion, Relativity theory and Rocket Science. They can barely understand a single thing up there. Sad thing is we have youths, I mean youths that are meant to be progressive even chanting Atiku and Buhari. Shame indeed! Every sane individual with common-sense should know this dude is the REAL deal but, it's sad Common-sense ain't too common after all.

Like a fellow mentioned up there... Nigeria deserves the leaders they get. The Nigerian people are too gullible and foolish!

Greenvaiper:
Atiku is a looter, Atiku is a thief. This refrain has virtually become all APC achieved in four years.

Things to note about ALHAJI ATIKU ABUBAKAR:

1. Atiku has been out of public office for almost 12 years now, since 2007.

2. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar became a billionaire in Nigeria before 1999.

3. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar contested for SDP presidential primaries alongside MKO Abiola in 1992 and willingly dropped his ambition for Abiola in a gentle man's manner, just as he didn't scatter APC when President Mohammad Buhari was chosen instead he worked closely with all forms of support to prove that he has never been desperate for power.

4. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar won Adamawa state gubernatorial democratically in 1999 before his 1992 political sportsmanship was remembered and he was appointed Vice to President Olusegun Obasanjo.

5. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar resigned from Nigerian custom service in 1989 that was 10 straight years before he became Nigerian Vice President but all that while he was still a multi billionaire.

6. APC Leader Bola Ahmed Tinubu once narrated how after Now President Mohammadu Buhari was elected APC flagbearer for 2015 polls that the party was out of fund and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar donated N2billion naira and a pretty IJ bate jet for logistics and left to rest in the UK, that after two weeks the needed another money, he (Bola Ahmed Tinubu) in company of other APC leaders went to UK to plead with him for more fund which he gave them more N5 billion naira according to their report, now my question is, ALL THIS WHILE ATIKU WAS SPONSORING THE AMBITION OF SAINT BUHARI "MR INTEGRITY", WASN'T HE CORRUPT THEN? 

WASN'T HE A THIEF? WASN'T HE A LOOTER? 

Does that mean that APC was brought to power with looted fund? , 

So was saint Mohammadu Buhari sponsored by a thief? 

This questions remain unanswered and a Judgement unto all those that benefitted from him 2015 and suddenly discovers that he is a thief.

7. Can any Nigerian sincerely point at any political leader from the post of a State Governor upwards since 1999 that all he had was only his constitutionally provided salary and allowance, just one person so we can use him as a yardstick or perimeter of judgement against Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, I will still wait until I see one but before then.

8. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar as he keeps saying has never been convicted by any court not even EFCC, he has been and always available all this while.

9. Let's assume Alhaji Atiku Abubakar is a looter, greedy and a thief, corrupt by implication, what is Bola Ahmed Tinubu? the leader of Nigeria ruling party, a Saint? 

10. What is Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi, an imam? What is Godswill Apkabio, a monk? Raji Fashola, Orji Uzor Kalu etc.

Conclusively, as a nation today, we have more challenges than we had in 2015; worst among them is 
Poverty, no more respect to the sanctity of human. Now human life can just be wasted at any slightest provocation and nothing will happen, that is the worst thing that can happen to any society, besides Tribalism as never seen before, insensitivity and outright disregard for the feelings of Nigerian people, Lies especially in a manner that insult average human intelligence, gross incompetence, brazen intolerance and abuse of power especially by security officials. 

All these has beset our democracy. For this reason, i will vote for my conscience and you too should vote your conscience.

God bless Nigeria
Thanks

really interesting to know that he's already a billionaire before holding any political office but please if i may ask how did he make his billions because from what i read of him, he was a custom officer before retiring...

IrawoOmoniyi:
He shld tell us what he will do with education. He has not bn talking much in education

Try look up his campaigns on YouTube

IrawoOmoniyi:
Hmmn this man is popular bt will Nigerians vote 4 him?

popular WHERE?


I DON'T even know the name of his PARTY !

[s]

IjebuWarrior:
To 80% of Nigerian, this write-up is like Nuclear fusion, Relativity theory and Rocket Science. They can barely understand a single thing up there. Sad thing is we have youths, I mean youths that are meant to be progressive even chanting Atiku and Buhari. Shame indeed! Every sane individual with common-sense should know this dude is the REAL deal but, it's sad Common-sense ain't too common after all.

Like a fellow mentioned up there... Nigeria deserves the leaders they get. The Nigerian people are too gullible and foolish!

[/s]

Sowore is come controlled opposition whose campaign is being sponsored by Buhari

His only role is to quickly congratulate Buhari when he rigs himself in.

Ok

Is the op campaign for sowore

My fellow Nigerians

Saturday is the El grand classico...

it promises to be action packed, intense filled and also full of suspense with loads of exciting moments captured across the Geo political zones....

there will be Major upsets in both camps... for sure some players will receive red card that will relegate them to permanent political retirement.. there will be sustained injuries that will deflate the EGO/over sabi of some players.... also this game will birth fresh and promising talents that will take the center stage during the 2023 tournament...

Sit back, relax, grab your pop corn/hero&ofe nsala/tuwo/amala&ewedu/owo&starch and enjoy the show...

(these political class ain't worth our blood)

Election day please come and go, the drama is too much.

shigo20:
really interesting to know that he's already a billionaire before holding any political office but please if i may ask how did he make his billions because from what i read of him, he was a custom officer before retiring...

,"5. Alhaji Atiku Abubakar resigned from
Nigerian custom service in 1989 that
was 10 straight years before he
became Nigerian Vice President but all
that while he was still a multi billionaire.
"
he must have stolen TOO MUCH to have decided to retire from such sweet position at only 43 years old!


but HE will win O..
Because so many Incompetent and illiterate Nigerians WANT CHANGE!

What Nigerians don't know is that even in video games the 'next level' is always harder.
People who destroyed your past cannot guarantee your future not to talk of 'getting it working again' Nigerians are used to making a fool of themselves, was it not in this same country that people were protesting against the ban on MMM. Where is MMM today? We need to courageously ditch APDPC on election day to pass a message.