Since the return of democracy in 1999 there is an element of the electioneering campaign process that has become a major bottleneck to the realization of inclusive and people centered politics. This element of the campaign process has seen to the victimization and persecution of opposition parties during political rallies. It is high time; a drastic change and reform are made – perhaps through legislation in the form of constitutional or electoral act amendments.

This exceedingly primitive, archaic, and cumbrous attitude for State governors of one political party denying their opponents access to public facilities for their campaign rallies and engagements is very unfortunate, retrogressive, and anti-democratic. Nigerian governors must get rid of this attitude of unilaterally coveting to themselves State public facilities and granting access to such facilities to only members of their own political party. This is shameful, and these governors need to realize that public facilities belong to everybody, and it is not their personal property.

It is extremely unsettling and goes against everything that democracy stands for when a governor refuses to allow opposition parties to utilize public facilities despite their proper request and application. Funny thing is that these governors typically justify their anti-democratic actions with flimsy, superficial, and flippant reasons. If we're serious about strengthening democracy, we need to call these governors to order.

If a governor has done well for his people, would you deny the opposition parties the use of public facilities while you use the same facility for your political campaign activities? Talk of double standards! This shows how most of these governors who have performed poorly in their States, tend to be paranoid and petty whenever they suspect that the profile of the opposition is strong with a potential to sweep them off their feet. We cannot continue like this. This is a nation of laws and NOT a banana republic. This is 2022 and not 1822.