When Democracy becomes one party show; performance and complacency sets in. The people are taken for granted because there exist no better alternative.

1. Politics:
Weakened Opposition
Case Study: ONDO 2012 Gubernatorial Election

2. When Democracy becomes one party show;
performance and complacency sets in. The
people are taken for granted because there
exist no better alternative.
The true strength of any Democracy is the
quality of Opposition parties that could
promise to offer better dividends of
democracy if the ruling party slip.
However, this strength is greatly weakened
when the amount of opposition becomes more
than 2, and more powerless when oppositions
do not agree in any form.

3. The Ondo Gubernatorial Election held on
October 20, 2012 revealed how lack of oneness
in opposition parties could place power into the
hands of One strong party – irrespective of the
performance of the ruling party
A total of 13 Political parties contested the
Election.
Party Acronym
Parties:
Political Parties: Congress for Progressive Change CPC
Party Acronym Labour Party LP
Action Congress of Nigeria ACN National Conscience Party NCP
Allied Congress Party of Nigeria ACPN National Solidarity Democratic Party NSDP
All Nigeria Peoples Party ANPP People For Democratic Change PDC
African Political System APS Peoples Democratic Party PDP
Better Nigeria Progressive Party BNPP Progressive Peoples Alliance PPA
Change Advocacy Party CAP

4. Gender:
Candidates’ Gender:
All Governorship candidates are Male
Deputy Governor – Male (9), Female (4)
Age:
Candidates’ Age:
Governor : Average = 52, Min. = 35, Max = 64
Dep. Governor: Average = 43, Min. = 29, Max = 70
Candidates’ Qualification:
Qualification:
Governor : Min. = SSCE, Max = MBBS / M.Sc.
Dep. Governor: Min. = SSCE, Max = M.Sc.

5. PARTY VOTES RECIEVED % SCORE Three parties are of
ACN 143,512 22.97% focus here: ACN, LP
ACPN 1,806 0.29%
and PDP.
ANPP 1,461 0.23%
APS 751 0.12%
The incumbent (LP)
BNPP 2,949 0.47%
735 0.12%
won the election; take a
CAP
CPC 1,931 0.31%
look at the major two
LP 260,199 41.65% oppositions – CAN &
NCP 823 0.13% PDP.
NSDP 1,103 0.18%
PDC 21,361 3.42%
The sum total of their
PDP 155,961 24.97%
votes = 299,473 (50%)
PPA 1,625 0.26%

6. A synergy between PDP and CAN would have
clearly defeated LP.
+ >
However, this was not the case as the
Opposing parties do not agree even when they
seem to be jointed in seeing what could be
done better, but each have different
perspectives.

7. It can therefore be inferred that:
- The more the opposition parties, the less
likely their can be alternatives to ruling party
- Some parties who contest for governorship
do not have grass root presence
- There is need to consider the possibility of
creating local parties who can only contest
election at certain level of governance
- Similarly, a conditional participation could be
proposed for parties only if they achieve a
particular level of presence the in local govt.
- The alternative to ALL becoming Governor is
one becoming Governor but serving the
interest of ALL

8. It is important that Opposition parties find a
common ground, team up and provide
alternatives and possibly good governance for
the electorates.
A country with many opposition party is more
less like a country where only one party
governs.
It is good for political parties to dwell together
in Unit, and it is only then we can see
competitive performance from ruling party and
in turn deliver the dividends of democracy.

9. Data source:
- JAMB results as announced in the dailies
- WAEC results as announced in the dailies
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Analysis by: Wale Micaiah
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