Lessons of UK Gen Elections For Nigeria

ONN Lagos 05/07/2024

A momentous Election free of Rancour, Rigging or Violence has seen UK Elect a New Labour Govt into power with a Massive Super Majority despite only winning 35% of the Votes.

After 14yrs of Tory Conservative Govt and Persistent Infighting amongst Conservatives Govt the British Electorate has said it's time for change & ushered in a New Labour Govt.

This is very reminiscent to how APC came to power in 2015 after 16yrs of PDP Govt which bowed out after Factional Infighting.

Insecurity & Economic woes of the PMB years like the economic Turmoil in UK meant the PDP was on course to win the 2023 Pres Elections all things being equal.

But like the Conservatives splintered itself, Nigel Farage a Former Conservative contested under the Reform Party in Nigeria Former PDPians splintered PDP Votes with Peter Obi joining LP & Kwankwaso joining NNPP

The smaller parties won their largest proportion of the votes, but in a first past the post system their share of the votes are not reflected in the number of Parliamentary Seats. There is hope for Nigeria if our new Parties can build on their 2023 performance, Develop Nationwide grassroot support & tap into the real yearnings of the masses.

The biggest lesson for Nigerian politicians is divided Parties always defeat themselves. I wish both LP & PDP as well as APC will learn from this as they have ongoing Crises as we speak in many states. LP is in Turmoil at National Level & PDP is still Comatose.

Rishi Sunak is the only Conservative leader in the past 14yrs to win his Electoral Seat. Johnson, May, Truss & even Margaret Thatchers Finchley Seats have all been lost .

Having lead the Conservatives to their worst electoral defeat in history, Rishi Sunak conceded defeat in the early hours of the morning like GEJ in 2015. A gesture the likes of Trump, Atiku & Obi were incapable of doing even after losing at the Supreme Court. Some still extolling the virtues of their Debunked Phantom Stolen Mandates.

Starmer " _An Election of Change & Renewed Hope,_ " he also says it will be difficult & challenging to right the wrongs of 14yrs of Tory Misgovernance. The New Labour Govt will have yo make very difficult decisions with balloning state debt and less resources. Sounds familiar lol

Nigel Farage's Reform party came from nowhere like Peter Obi's Labour Party to shock the Conservatives winning only 4 seats with over 20% of the Votes. Coming third with loud noise but very little in terms of Representation. The low number of Labour Party Legislators in our National Assembly & it's inability to win more than one state despite its large number of votes is evidence of the gap between New last minute Parties and Established Parties. A lot of lessons to be learned and a lot of work to be done

The effect of Reform was to take huge Votes away from Conservatives, just like our Labour Party & NNPP took Votes away from PDP. This was an Election the Conservatives lost, just like the 2023 Elections was one that PDP lost

Labour won a historic landslide victory of over 410 seats in parliament with just 35% of the Votes the lowest share of the Votes for any Govt meaning majority of UK Electorate like Majority of Nigerian Electorate did not vote for the Ruling Party.

This does not invalidate Labours Victory just as Pres Tinubu's APC Mandate is Valid despite not winning the majority of the Votes. Even Donald Trumpndidnt win a Majorityof the votes in 2016.

Democracy is in Danger all over the world from extremist Parties but in the UK the status quo of the 2 main Parties is largely intact due to the first past the post Electoral syatem, though smalletlr parties made great strides.

Lim Dem won 71 votes the largest in their history.. SNP the Scottish Independence party crashed to their worst results in recent times losing massively to Labour in Scotland. That means Scottish Independence like our own Sepratist Agitatirs will be on the back burner.

With proportional representation things will change forever. The current system doesn't truly reflect the voting preferences of the Electorate and may explain why many voters are disillusioned & also explain the low Turnout of just of 50% of the Electorate. Nigeria is not the only country will falling Voter Turnout.

Rishi Sunak announced the Elections in the rain it is raining buckets in London he will announce his Exit from Downing Street in the rain again I hope he uses an Umbrella this time. lol 😃😀😂

If Pres Tinubu's APC Govt doesn't turn things around dramatically by 2027 and the opposition isn't splinteted will we see a landslide defeat for APC, only time will tell.

What's your view? Please share thanks

Femi Oke

Betta9ja