By Solomon Enejoh.
Against the usual practice where political office holders become the beast of burden spending fortune to shoulder the money-gulping paraphernalia associated with political campaigns, a poor farmer, Mr. Abuh Emeje (real name withheld for security reason) of Enjema village in Dekina Local Government has contributed the sum of N2, 500 ( Two Thousand and Five Hundred Naira) to Comrade Edime Amade’s senate ambition.
Mr. Abuh made this financial contribution shortly before the just concluded primary election which saw Comrade Amade Godwin Edime, who was the lone aspirant, return and was affirmed as the candidate of the Advanced Peoples Democratic Alliance (APDA) in Kogi East Senatorial District.
Making the surprise call from his village in the early hours of Friday, 5th October, two days before the primary election which was held on Sunday, 7th October, Mr Abuh told Comrade Amade that he had to part with his last money which he got from the sale of corn grain in the previous Ayangba market in order to demonstrate his unshakeable believe in his (Amade’s) course.
He said: “I have seen all that you represent personally. I know, not that anyone told me, how you used your hard-earned personal money to construct the long stretch of road that runs from Ojikpadala Ajachagba in Dekina Local Government all the way to Ofakaga in Ofu Local Government. I know you might not have the kind of money that others would be flaunting, but except God doesn’t give attention to the cries of the poor again in our own generation, but I know He does, you will be our next senator,” he asserted.
“Where do you want me to start from? I was at that programme where you came in your personal car, but when you saw that there was a need for a vehicle for some logistics, you willingly donated your car. In fact. I was aware how you eventually left the car for the ministry that day and went back on a motorbike.
“I also know very well that you were the first person to contribute to the welfare of the mammoth crowd who besieged the entire Okete village when the former Sheik Isah died in Okete Village. There are many more that I know and have heard about you that I cannot say it all on the phone. But I’m using this my widow’s mite as a point of contact to much more to come whereby you will not lack the resources needed to prosecute your victory-assured election.”
He said that his son visited Comrade Amade’s website at www.amadeedimeforsenate.com.ng and saw a Support Amade Edime column where people can donate any amount, even in foreign currency. He then asked him to copy out the Comrade’s account detail and consequently sent the stated amount.
The Comrade expressed his joyful surprise that Mr Abuh reposed so much confidence in him to the extent of donating for his election.
He promised never to let him and all the entire not-rich people in Kogi East which he (Amade) represents down, adding that it was for the sake of the less privileged in our land that he picked the challenge to run for the Kogi East Senate where he can advocate to better their lots.
It’s heartwarming that gradually, our people are beginning to understand that to demand accountability and probity from our elected representatives, we must have an input: no matter how seemingly inconsequential. The electorate are also getting well acquainted that there is a need to own any public project, especially politics, so that it can empower them to constantly keep their leaders on their toes to deliver on their mandate.
Meanwhile, fundraising in the like manner is one of the most civilized ways to source campaign sponsorship all over the world. Former Presidents of the United States like Barrack Obama, Bill Clinton and a host of others are good examples. On the home front, President Mohammadu Buhari got tokens from the generality of Nigerians who believed in his ‘Change’ mantra during his campaigns before the 2015 general election.
Remarkably, the beauty of this, as against the ‘money Bag’ who spends his life’s investments to fund his election before winning, the one who rose on the contributions of the masses is duty bound to address the concerns of the people. But the individual whose pocket the expenses of the electioneering activities came from, would, as it were, refill the vacuum first before thinking of the masses.
Therefore, except otherwise, if not, all wealthy men whose tastes for extravagance and opulence have widened their mouths, are likely to abandon the poor as soon as they get elected into public office. They spend their money, borrow from their rich friends and colleagues to donate to people at their village meetings, give large amounts of money each time groups pay them courtesy calls at their country homes whenever they come to their village. However, all these largess cease as soon as they get elected because the poor people do not belong to their class.
But a man like Comrade Amade Edime has been with the people and is never disgusted eating and drinking with anyone-even the sick ones. He sits wherever they sit and is never suspicious of carrying anyone his car or ashamed of walking with any. In fact, there is no line of division that separates the Comrade from anyone in the society at all, because, he got to know it early in life that he was created to put smiles on the faces of the oppressed, depressed, downtrodden and the poorest of the poor.
