his is a true confession. I had known little - about how it was done - until I became a participant observer. Little of how power is shared in Nigeria. Little about how the dominant party could, if it chooses, rule Nigeria as long as it wants. I had known little of the near irrelevance of other political parties in Nigeria, in its present political configuration. In my chosen political party itself, I knew next to nothing about intra-party intrigues and manipulations. I knew nothing about the structure.

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I had known little about the vital/indispensable role of the police in the set up. In particular, about the role of the dreaded arm of the Police force romantically called MOPOL - mobile police. I had known little other than the little I read in the papers about how INEC does help the rigger. Perhaps, I should have done what they do first, be a political apprentice.

But time was not on my side. Maurice Ibekwe had died. He must be replaced. I am from that constituency. I must run knowing that what our so called representatives were doing grossly fell short of standard minimum expectations. But it will be a tall order. I have tried in graphic details to reinvent all the scenes and important events that shaped that election and will in the series that will follow try to capture every event bit by bit.

It's going to be long and some times boring. But I will try to keep it as interesting as I can. What you will read will reveal to you that presently, there are no elections in Nigeria! My conversation with a local political scientist ran like this:

"Welcome home my brother. Here are some kola nuts"

"Thank You Uncle. Bless it. How are you and the family?"

"Dem dey well. (They are fine) How was America?"

"America was fine when I left."

"Which day you come? (Fiddling with his transistor radio) (When did you arrive?")

"Yesterday. By British Airways"

"No be America you come from? (Isn't if from America you came). Why British Airways?"

"Yes. British Airways, they do fly in and out of America too and then to Nigeria via Heathrow."

"Na waa. (Wonders) Which day Nigeria go reach that kain level? Why not Nigeria Airways? Ghana People have airways, Togo People have airways, even Jamaica has its own airline"

"Ask President Obasanjo. "

"Why President Obasanjo. Why not Dr. Mrs. Kema Chikwe?"

"You voted him in the last election."

"Voted for Who?"

"Obasanjo and his men."

"Broda, (brother) you mean to say them voted for themselves into office?"

"No I mean that you voted him and others during the last elections in Nigeria.

"I beg broda, make we talk another thing. Make we talk about America. I heared (heard) John Kerry will beat Bush in the American Election."

"Yes, I think so too. In fact I work in his campaign as a volunteer. How did you hear about the American elections?"

"Na waa for America ooh my broda. You people don go far for poelitis (politics). America don go far, well, well. Every evening I listen to their comments on VOA. Some time on the BBC."

"Yes. It is a very advanced, dynamic society, politically speaking and even economically and socially speaking."

"I "heared" (heard) you are home to run for a poelitical (political) position in Nigeria."

"Yes. Who told you?"

"We are the poelitical agafes (political impenetrables) of this land. No poelitical news passes here without our knowing. We own the land, just like you own Obodo Oyibo." (Laughs).

"Yes."

"For which Party you wan run sef?" (Which party do you intend to run on its ticket?) I heared it is APUGA (APGA) and that you want to run for Maurice Ibekwe's seat."

"Yes. APGA."

"Oh Broda. Why APUGA?"

"That's my party."

"Oh Broda. Don't do it. You will win, but you will lose."

"Why is that? It's either win or lose"

"Because, here, it is only one party wins election. It is only the PDP that wins election here! Do not waste your resources and money and time. What they do here are no elections at all. But wait. Why can't you join the PDP?"

"How's that?" I asked again incredulously. My quaking voice having now been used to such questions and the responses that normally followed.

"APUGA is good. It is the people's party. But the reality on the ground is that the PDP people know how to win unless you want to lose your money may be your life and may be ruin our community."

"How?" I feigned ignorance of what he is alluding to, to enable him continue

"They Ring in (rig in) whoever they want to ring in."

"Really what do the people do after that?" I asked.

"People? They have gone on AWOL politically speaking, my broda."

"Tell me more about this PDP rigging machine."

"Yes?" the PDP na them de controls the machinery of state. It is a cult and they do whatever they want to do. PDP. Ebe ano - (PDP where it is happening). But broda, let me ask you some basic political questions about elections here.

"Yes, go on."

"Do you know anybody for INEC?"

"No."

"What of the Police. Any important person there?"

"None."

"What of the SSS, any person there?"

"What's that?"

"The State Security Service."

"Ehm, Ehm, my brother in-law - and a distant cousin."

"What of people at Government house?"

"No. Maybe some one or two. Do I have to know them to run/win election?"

"You know any commissioner?"

"Yes."

"Who?"

"Noel Agwuocha Chukwukadibia."

"And?"

"Charles Ekwegh"

"Can any of them take you to see the Governor?"

"I do not know. Is it important?"

"You have a long way to go. Have you spoken to the traditional rulers in your constituency?"

"No. Why?"

"You must talk to them immediately. All of them. No exception. Today, yesterday, now! God-father, Duru, Osuh, Ekeh, Ibeleme, Ozard and co."

"What roles for them?"

"And you are running. They have enormorous (numerous) powers. They are government agents. Forget their fake posture of being custodians of traditional values and or being insulated from poelitics. They are highly partisam (partisan) they help ring election. In fact they use their houses to ring elections."

"Really.'

"Yes. What do you expect? They are appointed by the government and remotely controlled by government. They drive government cars. Them receive stimpens (stipends) from government. They are government boy, boy. In most cases, elections are conducted in their homes days before the actual election day."

"How?"

"As I'm talking to you, they have collected all the voting cards of all the illiterate registered voters in the community. They hold them for them. They tell them they would use the cards for other things. But they use them to help rig elections for PDP. Government appoints them; Give them staff of office; Pay them monthly stimpens (stipend); Instigates insurrections within the kingdom of a non-conforming king/chief/traditional ruler; dangle the carrot before him; show him the stick and keep a copy of his coronation certificate!"

"Yes?"

"And in return the government asks for nothing but absolute loyality (loyalty)."

"Hmm"

"Days before the election, they summon everybody in the community and ask them to support the ringing. A day before the election, they use their messengers to go round to inform people they must support the ringing tomorrow."

"Yes. And. Do the people obey?"

"Most of the time! Sometimes. Some people. Like those on the Eze's council who benefit from his position. And some touts in the society, in his cabinet. Traditional rulers nowadays have become agents for election thieving."

"What of the people, you have skipped that question."

"Those, whose cards are not collected, do not vote. Those who are angry but cannot help it. They are tired of election ringing. They have resorted to staying home or going to somewhere until election is over.

"Why is that?"

"To avoid voiolence (violence) and fighting and killing that usually come with election day."

"What of the Police? Where is he in all this? What has he got to do with the elections?"

"The Police get them own role on Election Day. They will bring in the boys that will carry the ballot boxes and beat up opponents of PDP."

"How?"

They will be provided with vehicles. Some times they come from Abuja. Some times, them come from Owerri and other times, the Senator sow Police Uniform for Akpuobi (fierce looking touts) to do the job of Police. The Senator and members of the house will sit in their big jeeps some where. Watching, laughing and drinking. They will come in, drive fiam fiam fiam and land like this. They will begin to shoot into the air and people will scatter. They will carry the box and disappear. Bro Tony Black is their chief driver. Uncle Charles - we will go to see Uncle Charles later - works for them. (He tallies the votes for them at Senator's house.) The Police escort will carry the boxes to the Senator's house where they will thumbprint the whole resot (result). The Police are in their pay book. The police will guide all the whole operation. I heared (heard) they pay the police a lot of money.

"What of their opponents. How do they take it?"

"Oppo What?" "Them do nothing. One opponent wey make gra gra the other day, the policemen was there; them will watch, the fierce looking akpuobi (dreaded hired killers) would bundle them or their agents into the car booth and drive away. Some time them release them after election. Some times they kill them., with the Police supervising. That is how it is in Nigeria. Nothing will change it. Not any time soon. The Police too, will help protect the result sheet as them move them from one point to the other - to make sure PDP wins. It is the police that will harass your opponents' agents into submission. The police will guide and protect you even if you shoot your opponent to death. Just settle the Nigerian Police and you are on your way there. Nigerian Police - ebe ano!

"Mine will be different."

"How?"

"I am a journalist. I will bring in journalists from across the world to monitor them and prevent them from doing so."

"Journalists from where?"

"From Lagos. From USA. From South Africa and from Owerri."

"Broda, journalists! Do they not take bribes? Unless they are not Nigerian journalists. If they are, they will take money and look the other way. They will witness the kidnapping. They will invite them for Senator House after the election and give them money well, well so them go shut up their mouth. I know one of them wey de come from Owerri. Them de call am brown envelop. Nigeria don spoil well, well!"

"That's not true. I am a journalist and I know that members of my profession will rally around to defend the interest of one of theirs."

"Good luck broda. I know Nigeria journalist sabi chop bribe. Why dem never reveal all the bad things wey happen during the last election. Why dem no tell you if you be one of them to stay clear. That in Nigerian, the police and goverernment collide (collude) to ring (rig) election."

"How? And Why ?

"With INEC people. Do you know people at INEC?"

"No, is that important?"

"My Broda (brother), you have a very long way to go."

To be continued: