By Bilesanmi Abayomi
President of the Ta’awun Political Forum, Taiwo Lasisi, has responded to the letter by All Progressives Congress (APC) stalwart Fouad Oki, which dissected the causes of low voter turnout during the recently concluded Local Government elections in Lagos State.
In a strongly worded statement, Lasisi described Oki’s letter as a sobering reflection of the deepening cracks within the Lagos APC, blaming the poor turnout on the party’s failure to uphold internal democratic values in its candidate selection process.
“This long and seemingly unending treatise on the factors responsible for the low turnout lays bare the truth about the APC’s handling of internal democracy in Lagos,” Lasisi said.
Drawing on the wisdom of thinkers like Shakespeare and Heraclitus, Lasisi emphasized the transient nature of power and warned that unless the APC addresses these internal shortcomings, it risks the same decline that befell the once-dominant People’s Democratic Party (PDP).
“Trampling on democratic practices and due process in fielding candidates has been one of the major causes of political apathy among Lagosians,” he noted.
He commended Oki for his courage and forthrightness in sounding the alarm, calling the intervention a wake-up call for party leaders. However, he cautioned that ignoring such counsel could bring grave consequences in future elections.
“May this warning not become the proverbial words of the Yoruba elders — the dog destined for doom does not heed the cautious whistle of the hunter,” Lasisi remarked.
Despite the criticisms, Lasisi ended on a hopeful note, expressing optimism for the future of Nigeria’s democracy and the well-being of the nation.