By Josef Omorotionmwan
Our readers deserve to know that their Column is interested in silent revolutionaries who are unsung and uncelebrated largely because of society’s default and its apparent preference for rabble-rousers who only succeed in heating up the world around them.

This is one way of explaining that today’s essay is dedicated to a Nigerian that fits the bill – Mr. Jimoh Afolabi Olawole, an upcoming politician in Shao South West Ward, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara State.

Out of the blues and from the most unexpected quarters, we have Mr. Olawole, a Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, man who had been successfully rigged into office, coming boldly forward to say that the victory he had been awarded does not belong to him: “I did not win that election. In all the eight polling units, APC won convincingly; we did not win. I am a loyal member of the PDP, but first and foremost, I am a Muslim and as a person, I won’t allow anyone to take what belongs to me neither will I take what belongs to another person”.

Newly elected Vice-Chairman, Offa Local Government Area of Kwara, Dr Yinka Olayonu (R), being administered Oath of Office and Oath of Allegiance by Magistrate Kudirat Ambali in Offa On Sunday (8/9/13). Nan

Olawole speaks further: “My rejection of the victory awarded to me by the Kwara State Independent Electoral Commission, KWASIEC, became necessary because as a true son of Offa, I stand for equity and justice. One day, everyone would account for his deeds before God Almighty”.

The Olawole initiative provides a lesson in honesty, even to the advanced democracies. Meanwhile, the PDP that would have tapped into the advantage it provides to show that there could be honesty even in size is too busy fighting for its soul after its “Special National Confusion” of last fortnight.

Again, in the tradition of the bed-wetter who normally wakes up first, one should pray not to get used to the crooked ways of doing things for, once you do, decency eludes you. We hear that PDP is already trying to address the Olawole initiative its normal way, including trying to disown Olawole as its candidate.

Truly, the Olawole initiative casts a credibility question on KWASIEC. Questions will now be asked about what happened in the other wards and the entire Offa local government where the APC chairmanship candidate, Prince Saheed Popoola, is already shouting hoarse that his victory was swindled in favour of the PDP candidate. This apparently small problem may soon snowball into the entire State so that we may begin to question even the past gubernatorial elections.

Flowing from this little beginning, we shall get to the point where rigging will become unattractive as candidates will begin to decline unearned victories at all levels.

We remember the animal, the meat and the bile. Like the bile of an animal, the Olawole affair is starting in a small political unit but like what happens when the bile is not carefully handled that it ruins the entire meat; the PDP must know that if the Olawole affair is not handled with care, it possesses every potential to blossom into catastrophe, capable of aggravating its already bad headache.

Rationalisation is good. It is a healthy defence mechanism that functions to enable individuals maintain self in situations that might be otherwise intolerable; attempting to soften the impact of failure and disappointment. But one must be careful to realise when rationalisation transcends the borders of crude irrationality.

There is the sociological concept, which holds that a man never sees himself as dead. While the PDP crumbles, all its leaders who have looked at it invariably conclude: “We shall come out of it stronger and more united.” We are not asking how.

It will be interesting to see how a situation where, for the first time, at the middle of their national convention a critical segment of the delegates walked out in protest, will make them stronger and more united. It will also be very interesting to watch how they will emerge stronger and more united from a situation where they are gliding from an overwhelming majority to a microscopic minority at the National Assembly.

The situation in Taraba State is getting messier by the hour. For all we know, there is nothing there anymore to make anybody strong and united. The two camps have boxed themselves to the tightest corners.

The penultimate week, the Senator Hope Uzodinma-led Committee needed just enough time to get to Jalingo before reading out a prepared script, in which it created two parallel governorship slots: Apparently because Suntai was too ill for now to resume as Governor, Garba should continue to act but in doing so, the healthy man must consult the unhealthy one on all important issues! This turns logic on its head.

What we see here are political demagogues who, in their anxiety to appear friendly and cooperative with everyone seeking their favour, leave the impression that the pleader’s will is to be earnestly followed while failing to explain the countervailing interests that must be also be taken into account. That is far from what is required to clear the debris in Taraba State. The situation needs people who can take the hard decisions and they must act fast before other varying interpretations such as religious colorations begin to enter into the equation.

Much to the chagrin of the Speaker of the State Assembly and his group, Suntai cannot even be declared incapacitated as the State Executive Council that would have kick-started the process as required under Section 189(1)(a) of the 1999 Constitution has since been dissolved. Right now, there is no State Executive Council and it is wishful thinking to expect the House of Assembly to approve the new nominees for commissioners.

Nothing short of the state of emergency can settle the Taraba situation for now. We shall quote President Goodluck Jonathan: “We must treat equals equally and treat unequals unequally.” Whatever happened to the two people who were in Suntai’s helicopter that crashed – the two that were abandoned at the National Hospital, Abuja, when Suntai was flown abroad?