Spread the love
Sak is an Hausa word that connotes “vote all through in the same manner or political party irrespective of the candidate’s credentials” instead of voting on merit.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) borrowed the word “Sak” and fused it into their campaigns slogan and it became part of their campaign melodious slogan everywhere they go, the mantra was seen to replace the motto of the party which stands for “change”.
Prior to Presidential election in 2015 from North to South, West to East it is the “Sak” slogan that has been the rallying word for APC and all their members everywhere they go campaigning. The word became a two edge sword to every aspirants of the party which by mere mentioning of it symbolises Buhari’s voting pattern which has a winning ability irrespective of who you are as a flagbearer
The acceptability of the word in all knocks and crannies of Lokoja and indeed entire state in the previous elections was indeed a word that came to turn the political calculation of the state as the word has became people’s new hash slogan of success in all they do or intended to do. Sak has come to be part of people’s live in Lokoja.
“Sak”, a word to many people as a weapon used to win political battles (election) in Lokoja, which led to a political revolution that displaced the ruling party with the whole power of incumbency they have. Sak automatically ushered in a new political party that chanced the PDP for ruling probably for another eight years to come. A victory that caused a National celebration all over.
But to some, the winning mantra came with a serious catastrophically mighty tsunami wind that blew off and distanced better credible candidates who have good hands and brains from winning the elections either within the APC or outside the party. It seems to be an irony that qualified some candidates of the party that are not qualify to be qualified, a dilemma observed by some political analysts that may lead to a poor representation of the general public and has the tendency of stunting the grow of democracy in the entire country.
The “Sak” syndrome is making many to believe that is only in APC you could find better and credible candidates or aspirants which was why the amiable and respected representatives state and federal who are now serving as a lawmaker and general known to the people of Lokoja constituency has not been a good lawmakers ever produced to them like Hon. Suleiman Babadoko but received the political blows of his life when he least expected to fail in the 2015 state assembly elections because of the Sak syndrome that radically blew him out from his nursing dreams of becoming a lawmaker for the second time.
The likes of Babadoko are scattered all over kogi state whose good motives and mighty ingenuity have quash down because of what other people considered a radical or revolutionary wind of political change that took place in Kogi and Nigeria as a country.
The question is; Could there be this kind of change if all these candidates of APC voted into power because of the “sak” or “change” thing do not perform to the expectations of their electorates, or was it just an arranged thing by the political bigwigs to remove some other political giants of the country out of the political affairs of Nigeria because they have clash of interest that led to their enmity in the game of politics. If it is indeed the growing strength of our democracy one will only have to wait and see the political permutations of 2019 and beyond.
Sak introduced by the APC in 2015 thrown on board politicians that today turned themselves into dictators while others who won under the platform of the party failed to provided the needed leadership at all levels.
The question still remain: would the electorate vote merit or SAK ? only time would tell.
– Abbas Yahaya, a public analyst, writes from Lokoja.
Spread the love
