A UNIFIED OPPOSITION

Buhari recently called for the various opposition parties to unite in their attempt to outdo the PDP candidates - Yar'Adua and Goodluck. A meeting of the various opposition parties is scheduled for Thursday, April 12th.

Such strategy can prove effective for various reasons. The most significant of which is that by unifying and presenting a single opposition candidate, the opposition reduces the risk of 'splitting the vote' - voters that would have splintered their votes over various candidates instead vote for the opposition candidate and increase the chance of defeating the incumbent candidate or in this case, party.

This kind of strategic voting has proven essential in the many multiparty political systems across the world. Think of Italy or various Latin American democracies. The problem with this approach is that it can spell political instability when the various factions in the opposition unravel due to disagreement. Any unraveling within the opposition weakens the coalition and can spell political instability and meltdown.

Unfortunately, Yar'Adua has taken this example of political strategy and maneuvering to suggest that the proposed "coalition ... was a sign of defeat on the part of the opposition." I wonder, why the need for the bravado? After all, didn't he 'almost die' last month? If Yar'Adua and the PDP have any sense, they should show a little respect for their opponents. Such condescending comments will only fuel the rumors that the PDP plans on winning the election 'at any cost' and will continue to foment the bad blood between the supporters of the various parties. This bad blood is constantly illustrated in the clashes between supporters and three more just died when PDP and AC supporters went at each other in Lagos. One of many recent violent clashes that resulted in deaths.

We will have to wait and see whether the various opposition parties will be willing to make sacrifices in order to unite and possibly weaken the PDP by fronting a candidate with the potential to win the presidential election. I am just glad that people are beginning to consider the various options available to them in the quest for continued democracy in Nigeria. This, regardless of how things go and/or who becomes president, is another step in the development of Nigerian democratic politics and as long as we can keep the violence to a minimum, we will all be better off for it.