RITJI GODE: A DELEGATE WITH DIFFERENCE
(Modest Thoughts with Ayuba Yilgak'ha, May 31, 2022; SMS: 08116181263)
The year 2022 is a pre-election year in Nigeria. In line with the country's Constitution and Electoral Act as amended, therefore, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) which is charged with the responsibility of conducting all elections in the country has rolled out plans and timelines to carry out that harculean and process packed duty.
The process of election starts with delineation and creation of electoral constituencies; registration of eligible voters; registration of political parties; party congresses and conventions to elect party officials and delegates; party primaries to elect candidates; general elections to elect leaders, all of which will be superintended by the INEC.
Based on INEC's programme of activities towards the 2023 general election, these are moments for party primaries. So far, political parties have commenced the selection of candidates that will represent them in the contest. No registered political party and/or constituency is left out in the process.
It is important to note that primary elections can be conducted in diverse ways: Direct primaries, indirect primaries, consensus arrangements and affirmations, all of which should be conducted according to the provisions of the Electoral Act and Party Guidelines which must not run in contravention of Nigeria's 1999 Constitution as amended. Any primary election that is conducted in contravention of the country's legal framework will be sanctioned accordingly.
The All Progressives Congress' (APC's) model of primaries which favoured indirect system and consensus (where possible) is the context of this piece. The choice of indirect primaries have taken us to the idea of delegates, defined as party members elected for the purpose of congresses or conventions. Whether statutory or ad-hoc, the role of delegates, in any primary election, is to carefully elect people with credible profile and competitive pedigree to contest and win election against candidates of other opposing political parties.
Ritji Gode was one of the 180 ad-hoc delegates the APC platform selected to democratically elect suitable candidates within Pankshin, Kanke, Kanam (PKK) Federal constituency. The PKK primaries took place on May 27, 2022 at Youth Centre Pankshin, Headquarters of the constituency.
Born on May 25, 1988 to a retired police officer from Shiwer, Amper District of Kanke LGC, Ritji is married with two children. He is the third in a God-fearing family of seven (7) and his highest academic qualification is secondary certificate. However, Ritji's place in character is that of professoral ranking!
During the PKK primary election, Ritji distinguished himself and made history by daring to be different. While his colleagues decided to sell their votes; this 34 years old, young man, decided to proof that vote buying and vote selling is a disservice to humanity and his fatherland, Nigeria. Therefore, he made a statement, in action, that no matter what happens, he shall not be part of any voting contradiction. By this resolve, Ritji was practically alone in that stand!
Most of the delegates who were trusted to represent the PKK and APC in the selection process literally betrayed the trust bestowed on them on the altar of greed and corruption. That is, they were cheaply induced, seduced and bought by Greek gifts: Motorcycles and cash offers but Ritji Gode refused to be bought.
Against all odds, this patriotic Nigerian, in keeping with the country's electoral laws and the dictate of his conscience, demonstrated uncommon courage by voting the aspirant of his choice - Hon. Barr. Wallok Phillip Goma. It happened that his vote was the only vote the aspirant got but that meant a world for lovers of sincerity and undiluted democracy that is free of coercion or semblance of it.
In order to appreciate the patriotic act of service exhibited by Ritji, it is important to get some background information about what transpired before the election day and hour. While the aspirant who eventually won, Rt. Hon. Yusuf Adamu Gagdi offered a motorcycle and part payment of N100,000 to each delegates to buy their votes or retrieve the offers from any beneficiary (delegate) who failed to give him vote; Hon. Wallok, on the other hand has consistently told delegates he was contesting out of 'necessity' to serve and does not believe in using money to buy any delegate.
Ritji heard these binary stand points clearly. Yet, without any penny given him, chose to vote objectivity. He defied every material enticement in the form of money and motorcycle. His conviction and unique sense of morality, discipline and bravery will not allow him to sell his sacred vote for material gains.
By this action, Ritji has become a rare gem and a practical model worthy of emulation to salvage Nigeria from highly monetised politics. Money polititics is one of the greatest threats to democracy in the country. It is the single most dangerous factor that always seduce electorates (delegates), thereby preventing them from objectively exercising their rational agencies to vote credibility.
It seems it is only the highest bidder that can get votes in Nigeria except in isolated cases. When Dele Momodu, one of the (PDP) presidential aspirants was interviewed by "Your View", a TVC programme held on May 31 May, 2022 on why he scored zero votes during the exercise held on Saturday, May 29, 2022, he said, 'I paid nothing, so I got nothing.' For Ritji, that should not be. Lack of credibility but not money should be the reason for losing in a poll.
Ritji Gode has made a clear statement that things can be done differently. He has shown that one does not need money to do the right thing but character. With more Ritjis in the system, more and more credible people will show interest in politics. Ritji has become a national hero, a crusader for electoral revolution in Nigeria and by extension Africa where money polititics has badly weakened any resolve to fix the leadership deficit in the continent. Money inducement anywhere, is a retrogressive force.
It is instructive to note that Ritji is not a materially rich citizen but a morally endowed patriot. In making up his mind to do the right thing, I can imagine him saying, I do not have a bicycle but my conscience cannot be bought with all the monies in this world. For Ritji, a good name is better than great riches and this understanding will launch him to global limelight, going forward. Ritji has become a universal toast in integrity, bravery and discipline who has exhibited rare attributes of priceless humans!
Morally speaking, human conscience and conviction should not be for sale. Vote buying is an unlawful practice and Ritji, being a lawful citizen, has kept faith with the laws frawning such illegality. There is no integrity in one selling his conscience for a plate of porrhage. This, Ritji understood very well and avoided the temptation. He has refused to follow the band wagon.
Ritji Gode's reward shall be great. Apart from writing his name in gold on the template of history, he has positioned himself for great things to come. This is because a man reaps what he sows. I am privy to a cheering information that Ritji was rewarded handsomely and far above what his delegate colleagues returned home with. I have the feeling that this is just the beginning of smiling moments for Ritji, the man in the mirrow of politics of integrity in Nigeria.
Ritji has joined the league of genuine crusaders against money polititics. Money polititics - vote buying and vote selling is subsisting because there are those patronising it. Nigeria needs people with Ritjis mentality to end or reduce money politics to the barest minimum. When this is achieved, genuine and credible leaders will emerge for the common good of all.
When good leaders emerged from highly monitised electoral process or processes, it is an accident. This is because money inducement derails good mental judgement as far as the art of choosing leaders is concerned. Also, those who bought their way into power will have to recoup the money spent before any contemplation to serve the people. And if they leader in question is bad, then the people are finished because they will suffer for it, God forbid!
Nigeria needs the Ritji kind of political revolution. When this is cultivated, the country will be better for it because politicians will never bother trying to amass wealth to contest election (s) but, instead, work on basic character and capability to be elected into position of authority to serve.
The delegates used for the 2022 party primaries in Nigeria have been described in divergent and many unprintable names: Bandits, Zombies, sell-outs, etc., very derogatory names. I do not believe these delegates are so bad personalities like that. Perhaps, what most of them lack is the orientation and motivation to shun materialism while trying to build transparent, equitable and functional political systems. The delegates need to know that courage is practically the virtue that can champion the cause of right as coneptualised by Stoic's philosophy. In fact, Ritji Gode consciously understood this profound principle. I believe he is but a specimen of many that can key into this frequency next time.
There are so many out there whose honesty cannot be underestimated but the courage to assert it. If the crop of delegates used for the 2022 primary elections are not good enough, the can be replaced in 2027 because the are ad-hoc and when this happens, more independent and credible ones will emerge.
It is heart warming to mention that this is not the first time Ritji is exhibiting uncommon character traits. In 2003, when he was just 15 year old (a teenager) he found and returned a missing money in Shiwer Community, belonging to a woman who was heading to a local market to get some grains to feed her family at a very critical hunger season. The news went viral and the entire community was thrown into hilarious joy. It is about 20 years since that incident happened and that celebrated virtue is not lose in Ritji to the glory of God!
Nigeria needs the Ritji's kind of faithful citizens and political revolution to break the jinx of money politics. When this is cultivated, the country will be better for it because politicians will never bother trying to amass wealth to contest election(s) but, instead, work on the character and capability to be elected into position of power to serve. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Ritjis of this world!
