On the Kogi Conundrum

Wada & late Audu… before it all went down

I’m worried about this Kogi
matter. I know we always disagree on political matters but don’t you
think, like me, that my party the APC is wrong? I just want to pick your
brain if you don’t mind.

Pick the brain of a clueless man? Hahahaha!

No, wailer, it’s not a laughing matter. I’ve just heard the final
decision of APC. They decided to pick Bello – who did not participate in
the election – to be the party candidate. Why not Faleke who
participated in the election as Audu’s running mate? I think the party
is wrong.

But why do you think so?

In a relay race, if the
frontrunner falls down before handing over the baton, will the team
give the baton to the member who was not on the line-up in the first
instance?

That’s an unfortunate analogy that favours the PDP.

What’s that supposed to mean?

Simple. In a relay race, if the frontrunner trips and falls or drops
the baton before the finish line, the second runner is automatically
declared winner of the race! You forgot that the race was not concluded;
the front runner had covered just about two-thirds of the track before
dropping the baton.

Haba! But this is not a typical relay race. I’m using it only as an analogy.

And I say to you that it’s a poor analogy. Don’t promote that idea or
you’ll end up strengthening the PDP position. Even if we take it as an
individual race, which I consider a better (but not the best) analogy,
you will still see that Faleke or whatever his name is will not be
considered at all.

How is that?

In a typical competition,
the final runners (flagbearers) are chosen from the individual heats
(party primaries). The heat champions are the final runners. If the heat
champions then decide to go with training partners (running mates),
this will have no effect on the race. If for any reason any one of the
heat champions fails to run the final race, the selected partner will
not step in and run, as long as that partner did not participate in the
qualifying heats. If a heat champion started the race as front-runner
but drops the baton before getting to the finish line, the runner in the
second position wins the race.

You are saying INEC should give it to PDP, ba? Why was I expecting an objective analysis from you? Kai.

No please, Mummed, that’s not what I’m saying. Understand that my point
is that your analogy gives PDP, not APC, an advantage. However, this is
not a typical race because the umpire decided to SUSPEND the race and
went back to ask the particular heat organizer to submit a fresh leg to
complete the race. This does not happen in a typical race so we’re
facing an abnormal situation. However, since this is what the umpire
decided, it makes sense to pick the next best performer from the
primaries, not someone who NEVER participated in any of the heats before
the final race, regardless of the fact that he was picked as a campaign
partner of the heat champion. Mummed, if we go by your analogy, your
party is like the old ManU, enjoying unfair advantage from referee. And
going by that analogy, the problem is with the umpire.

Umpire?

Yes, in a sense. My point is that (a) if we are looking at this as a
track game where the frontrunner fell in the middle of the race, the PDP
as second best performer is right to insist on a fresh race if it will
not be awarded the race; (b) if it is a track and field game that was
suspended while it was already underway because the frontrunner
sustained a fatal injury, then your party is right to go back to the
result of its qualifying heat and pick the second best performer to
finish the race; but (c) if we are looking at it as any other game with
clear rules specified, then my party is wrong to insist that it be
awarded the race.

Haba! This is interesting, Wailer. You admit that my party can be right and your party is wrong? I want to hear more.

Unfortunately, Mummed, I have to go out. But I promise to visit you tomorrow so we can finish the talk.

You’re welcome to my house any day, as long as the conversation will not favour your PDP and the Wailers!

 (Smiles). See you tomorrow

Share this knowledge