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The argument of "You voted Buhari so why are you now complaining?" is as stupid as, if not worse than, sycophancy. What exactly is the practical idea in this argument? Encouraging sycophancy? People who voted Buhari must hail him? Civic duties stop at the ballot box? Just stupid.
In fact, that argument is another expression of the inability of many Nigerians to separate the idea of voting for a candidate from the idea of blindly supporting a candidate. A vote doesn't make one a "voltron". You can vote for someone and still be the person's harshest critic.
Essentially, what I hear from people who argue this way is this: if their own preferred candidate had won the election, they will never criticise that candidate.
And so they think it sensible to attack others who do not hesitate to criticise a candidate they voted for.
And so they think it sensible to attack others who do not hesitate to criticise a candidate they voted for.
See Reno's tweet. Nevermind that @obyezeks actually bashed APC in the convention speech, the point is even if she supported APC, it is still responsible civic duty to criticise APC. Those who voted have an even bigger duty to safeguard their votes.
https://twitter.com/renoomokri/status/1011866206901604352
https://twitter.com/renoomokri/status/1011866206901604352
More practically, this type of argument alienates people who should be uniting as allies in a common cause for good governance. The more I see people bash APC voters turn critics, the more it seems that partisan politics is their motivation, not an actual interest in governance.
The only thing that we should care for after elections is: who is unafraid to challenge bad governance?
History is not going to concern itself with who voted for whom. History cares about who speaks up when a society faces oppression. These are the actions that will matter.
History is not going to concern itself with who voted for whom. History cares about who speaks up when a society faces oppression. These are the actions that will matter.
Here is a side conversation for those still going on about the "history" of Buhari. It's a quick debate on how voting is a personal choice, and how subjective experiences of individual life inform voting choices. https://twitter.com/ayosogunro/status/1012029960201162753
And here is a previous conversation around the same "Buhari had a history" argument. Yes he had.
Biafra is also a part of history yet Nigerians still don't agree on it because there are so many subjective experiences of that history. https://twitter.com/ayosogunro/status/981109689332232192
Biafra is also a part of history yet Nigerians still don't agree on it because there are so many subjective experiences of that history. https://twitter.com/ayosogunro/status/981109689332232192
All that aside, the question is: what is the practical purpose of attacking people who criticise Buhari now because they voted for him? I am yet to find a sensible answer, just variations of "Because it makes me feel good".
Which is a stupid reason to damage good civic work.
Which is a stupid reason to damage good civic work.
Thread (and debates) over. But buy my books. https://twitter.com/ayosogunro/status/1008752932471427072
