Osun State Election: Okechukwu Says Banditry Bedevilling Liberal Democracy

Osun State Election: Okechukwu Says Banditry Bedevilling Liberal Democracy

A foundation member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr Osita Okechukwu, says banditry and its manifestations remained major tragedies bedevilling liberal democracy and the country.

Okechukwu, who is former Director-General of Voice of Nigeria (VON), said this in a statement on Sunday in Enugu while reacting to the pre-election and election outcomes of the Osun State Gubernatorial Election.

He noted that the political consequences of banditry in form of citing hate speech, breach of the rule of law and late delivery of court judgment were tragically manifested in the loss of innocent lives in the build-up to the election.

According to him, the plethora of issues that demonstrated banditry resulted in the loss of millions of naira in taxpayers’ money, as of urgent national importance to Nigerians.

“One frowns at the killings and prays for the repose of the souls of those who lost their lives, the real lesson we must learn is that the banditry bedevilling our dear country should be henceforth addressed.

“We must urgently focus on eradicating the ‘banditry in all of us’ as we approach the 2027 General Elections.

“Banditry take note, is not limited to Bush Bandits who carry arms. It manifests daily in hate speech, political intolerance, breach of the rule of law, erosion of the ethics of liberal democracy, and planlessness and squandermania,” he said.

Okechukwu regretted that a tragedy of such magnitude could occur in Osun, where the overwhelming majority of the indigenes are Yoruba and where there had been no historically distinction between Muslims and Christians.

He, therefore, posed the rhetorical question: “Did this intra-tribe manifestation of banditry not challenge those ethno-religious champions who contend that Nigeria cannot develop without restructuring along geopolitical lines?

According to him, the Osun experience should compel Nigerians to look beyond constitutional and structural arrangements and examine the attitudes, values and conduct of individuals and institutions.

He stressed that democracy could only thrive when citizens and political actors respect human life, the rule of law, peaceful political competition and the sanctity of the ballot.

Okechukwu called for deep introspection ahead of the 2027 General Elections, urging Nigerians to “wean ourselves of banditry” in all its manifestations.

He said, “We must place the interests of humanity, Nigeria and the respective states above personal, partisan and sectional interests.

“In conclusion I congratulate His Excellency, Ademola Adeleke, for his referendum test victory.

“I urge him to utilise his large heart to urgently heal a divided Osun State via inclusive administration devoid of ancient grudges, above partisan politics and where everyone has a sense of belonging.”