BY KINGSLEY AZUH

DEMOCRACY; the government of the people by the people and for the people is no doubt the system of government that is invoke the world over. The reasons for this are not far-fetched as its dividends are felt anywhere the system is properly practiced to the advantage of the people. Nigeria dumped military dictatorship for democracy because of the results and development that are evidenced in those countries that have been practicing it for ages.
Countries of the world have accepted that democracy is the only way to guaranty rapid economic development, freedom and socio-political advancement in every aspect of life. No wonder, military government which is an aberration is seen as anti-development, and brings about socio-economic retrogression.
The problem with Nigeria democracy is that the masses who expected great economic prosperity, improvement in social services, adequate security and provision of social infrastructures are today disappointed in the system.
They expected the dividends of democracy to envelope and remove them from abject poverty and deprivation. The absence of the dividends of democracy gives room for agitation for a change of either the operators of the system or the system entirely. It is not surprising therefore that innocent Nigerians had on one occasion or the other welcomed military coups because of the failure of the operators of democracy to deliver the dividends to them.
Today, Nigeria has enjoyed an uninterrupted sixteen years of democracy which to many, is a thing of joy. Within these years, some politicians who understand what democracy is all about have made positive impact on the lives of their people. For the people in this category, their people follow them wherever they go and they abide by their words. On the other hand, some politicians are still taking the business of governance for granted. The dividends of democracy meant nothing to them and the plights of the people are not in their political dictionary.
The beauty of democracy is that there is always a time for pay back. Although, some would argue that they do not need the people’s votes because they believe they can always have their ways through rigging, but they have forgotten that Nigerians, for the past sixteen years are learning fast and very soon it would not be business as usual.
This beauty of democracy stems from the realization that there is room for opposition and opposition strives and develops where those in power fail in its responsibility to better the lives of the people.
One thing is very clear and un-arguable; the masses are not asking for too much. Just the basic things of life, health facilities, good roads, schools and empowerment for the rural people to enable them meet their daily needs. When the masses see some of these things in their environment, they run away from the opposing party.This is the secret behind every successful politician. Politicians who do not deliver the dividends of democracy to their people fade away so quickly and easily, and they attract opposition in their political environment. The masses are becoming wiser on every passing day, and are ready to confront politicians that are self-centred by withdrawing their support to such politicians. This is one of the beauties of democracy. The money such politicians are using for self-aggrandisement belongs to all, so when he fails in his assignment he should be ready to lose the position to another opponent or political party.
The local government election was held throughout the state on Saturday, October 25, 2014, and in most parts of the state the beauty of democracy was seen and demonstrated.
Before the election, there was this notion and rumour that the ruling People’s Democratic Party, PDP had already written the results and were just waiting for the Election Day to announce the cooked results.
The people were just taking cues from what happened in some other states where the party in power took every available chairmanship and councillorship seats. But Delta State has proved that the finger of God is actually controlling the affairs of the state. The elections in the areas we monitored were generally peaceful, free and fair.
Some of us monitored the election in the Isoko areas of the State. The political development in Isoko land is not new to any practising journalist in the state. Looking at the statistics from the time of Chief James OnanefeIbori to the first tenure of Dr. Emmanuel EwetaUduaghan, one would agree that a lot of political metamorphosis have taken place in the politics of the Isoko nation.
Without fear of contradiction and resting on my professional qualified privilege, I am bold to say that in those past years, opposition held sway in Isoko land politics. It was as if the people were dis-enchanted by the leadership styles of their former leaders. In fact, it was like there were no leaders to direct the political class on good deeds. It was like everybody was saying ‘’to your tents all Israel.’’
The coming of Comrade Ovuozourie Samuel Macaulay into the political mathematics brought a radical political re-arrangement to the political theatre of Isoko political engineering.
Comrade Macaulay was able to organise and re-organise the Isoko political class into a formidable political think-tank that has today transformed the entire Isoko land into a political haven of some sort.
He did it in such a way that the political class saw themselves as servants of the people who must give accounts of their stewardship to the people. This single act changed the political equation in Isoko land; the people were empowered through different empowerment programmes, and Macaulay through his foundation for the less privileged and the Elona Development Foundation gave educational and medical succour to the less privileged in Isoko land and beyond.
This single political engineering and sagacity has begotten many children for the People’s Democratic Party in Isoko land. Majority of the people no longer see the need for opposition since they have gotten and are still getting the dividends of democracy.
The local government election in Isoko land was so peaceful that one begins to wonder if other political parties still exist in the area. The people interviewed were quick to say that through the instrumentality of Macaulay the PDP has performed creditably and therefore there is no reason to consider other political parties.
From what we saw in Isoko land, PDP is sure to capture all the units in the two local government areas, especially in Isoko North where we did most of our monitoring.
When the results are released, we know that there must be areas where the opposition must have gotten upper hand. The reasons may not be far-fetched; the political leaders in those areas may not have delivered the dividends of democracy to the people or they must have filed in unpopular candidates.
For Nigerian politicians to continue to be relevant in the unfolding political scenario, they must borrow a leaf from Comrade Ovuozourie Macaulay who has through a well-defined political calculation brought the dividends of democracy to his people, and through that single act, eliminated opposition in the Isoko nation.

For the records the above post is a complete lie and mere fabrication from the author's mind.