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Tag Archives: Nigerian Elections 2019

Laobis Obilonu – Towards 2019 Elections…

One of the debates that surround electoral practices in Nigeria is about the lack of young and vibrant youth in politics.

However, on May 31, 2018, the Not Too Young To Run bill passed. The bill lowers the age on almost all elective offices in the country. Now, in Nigeria, the age limit for running as a candidate for the House of Representatives has been reduced from 30 to 25; and Senate and Governorship from 35 to 30.

In this cartoon, there is a mass of young Nigerians carrying a signpost and placard that read: Democratic Rule and New Brigade respectively. There is an middle-aged man who seems to be confronting a group of four terrified individuals. The individuals seem to be past and present Nigerian presidents, the gatekeepers.

One of the most important features in the cartoon is the looks on the faces of the old individuals. They seem to be weary of the confrontational approach of young Nigerians to governance and inclusion. This cartoon is a reflection on what lies ahead.

Awosiyan Segun – Defections… EFCC

One of the reasons why people defect to a ruling political party is that they expect to be protected from economic and financial crime prosecution.

In this cartoon, two individuals are having a chat. The two individuals are each holding a broom, signaling that they are members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party in power. One of the individuals asks if the other knows why he decided to defect to the APC. Answering his own question, he states that he defected for “the same reason that stops [his friend] from leaving” the APC: protection from prosecution.

On the other side of the cartoon is a banner with the logo of the EFCC (the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) on it. As one would expect of shady individuals, the conversing individuals are not close to the logo. This is often the case in Nigeria. Politicians do not like the EFCC not to talk of the idea of moving close.

Awosiyan Segun – Defections: What’s in it for the Citizens…

As politicians defect from one political party to another in their race towards 2019, this cartoon asks what Nigerian citizens would gain from the choice of politicians to defect. Unsurprisingly, the interest of the masses and national interest are inconsequential. Politicians’ personal interest, according to Awosiyan Segun, is almost always the number one factor driving the choice to defect.

Awosiyan Segun – Easy to Defect from One Party to Another…

The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) that was once rejected by members of the Nigerian political elites seems to be the same party they are running to for refuge. In previous cartoons, we have talked about how members of the PDP defected in 2013 and form the All Progressives Congress (APC).

It’s, however, funny that just after 5 years, some of those defectors are back again in PDP jostling for a good grip of the umbrella – logo of the PDP.

Overall, this cartoon is a commentary on politicians self-interest and how easy it is for politicians to defect to a different party.

Awosiyan Segun – The Baby Is Fine… (2019 Elections)

 

There is always a sense of fear and anxiety during the months preceding general elections in Nigeria. This cartoon is a pictorial representation of that feeling.

In this cartoon, there is pregnant woman and a man who represents the masses. “2019 Elections” is written on the pregnant woman’s baby bump. This is a symbolic move. For one, there is sometimes a sense of uncertainty that comes with being pregnant. Before technological advancements that have made it possible for people to know the sex of their child prior to delivery, expectant parents often just resign to fate. Awosiyan Segun draws on this.

The man in the picture happens to be a doctor, albeit a confused one (based on how he looks). As we can see, he is trying to access the “health” of the “2019 Elections”. After his examination, he believes that the “baby” is fine; but, he does not know “if it is a boy or a girl”.

In summary, it seems that the cartoonist, Awosiyan Segun, is implying that the masses of Nigeria do not know what to expect from the 2019 elections.

Awosiyan Segun – 2019 rAPC vs APC…

 

 

The All Progressives Congress (APC) is the ruling political party in Nigeria. The party formed in 2013 as a coalition of aggrieved members of other political parties. Members of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC, with a large following in the North), Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN, popular in the South West), and some aggrieved members of the incumbent (in 2013) People’s Democratic Party (PDP) agreed to form an alliance that would wrestle power from PDP.

As the 2019 elections draw nearer, certain members of the APC are being considered as threats to the victory agenda of the party. Seeing this, those members decided to call themselves Reformed APC (rAPC). This is what this cartoon reveals, showing two brooms (the logo of the APC). The difference between the two, however, is that one broom is bulkier than the other. The bulky broom is the APC in its original state. The non-bulky one represents what has become of the APC as some of its strands are falling off. Those strands, one may argue, are the aggrieved APC members (rAPC) who are trying to dissociate themselves from some of the allegations of corruption leveled against some APC leaders.

 

Awosiyan Segun – Defection of National Assembly Members

Awosiyan Segun – Defection…Nigerian Politicians

Awosiyan Segun – News Fayemi Wins…

 

 

Even though this cartoon is a mockery of the gubernatorial election in Èkìtì State, it casts a broader light on the reality of democracy and electoral processes in Nigeria.

Here, we see a 6-sided coffin (probably representing the 6 geopolitical zones in the country) with the inscription “free and fair election” ready to be lowered into the ground by politicians, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

A gubernatorial election was held in Èkìtì State on July 14, 2018. The election was marred with irregularities. For one, members of the two most viable political parties in the state – the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC) – were captured in a BBC report giving money to voters for votes.

Another thing that is quite symbolic in this cartoon is how there is a skeletal hand protruding from the coffin ready to be buried. This implies that stakeholders in Nigerian democracy are hellbent on burring whatever is left of democracy in the country after years of fraudulent democratic processes.

This cartoon, therefore, is a commentary on how politicians, INEC, and voters are all partners in ‘killing’ and burying free and fair election in Nigeria.

 

Niyi Aragbaola (NEARO) – The Youth May Decide…

Nigeria’s population is currently estimated to be 182 million, and half of it is made of people under the age of 30. As a result, many people and organizations have underscored the power of Nigerian youth in changing the fate of the country.

In this cartoon, on one side is the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu. He is quoted saying that “youth may decide 2019 election result”. On the other side is a line of youth waiting to collect 5,000 Naira (around $15) to vote for a “figurehead”.

This cartoon takes it a step further, it identifies some of the vices often engaged in by Nigerian youth. With this logic, the cartoonist is implying that Nigerian youth may not be responsible enough to support true democracy in the country. Some of the vices identified are: indecent dressing and excessive reliance on music, addiction to codeine and Tramadol (see this link: https://youtu.be/-I_Lche2otU for a BBC documentary on drug abuse among Nigerian youth), sports betting, and dependence on artificial fashion items.

Also worthy of note is the image of a young man with big biceps who seems proud to be part of the group that would snatch ballot boxes during elections.

These are the ironic ways youth will decide the result of the 2019 elections.