Nigeria election 2019: How ‘godfathers’ dey influence politics

"Godfathers" for Nigeria politics no dey run for office demsef, but many pipo believe say na dem dey decide who go win and lose election.

As campaign dey on for di presidential elections on 16 February, dis men - and dem be men - na dem dey run things for di background.

Dem be sponsors, wey dey use moni and position to win support for di candidate wey dem want.

Tori be say dia "godsons", no dey selected based on wetin dem fit do for politics but how dem go take pay dis godfather back.

Na dis kain arrangee bring di word "godfatherism", according to Dr Dele Ashiru, wey be senior lecturer for di department of political science for University of Lagos.

"Na situation wia big man wey get political power go anoint godson, wey im go come bless as im candidate for di election.

"And di godfather go do everi-everi wey im fit, to make sure say im godson enta office.

"Di godfather suppose get power, and most times, dem be political office holder."

Wen 'godfatherism' dey yakata

For di southern state of Akwa Ibom, wey dey produce oil pass for Nigeria, many pipo believe say di main godfather na Godswill Akpabio, wey be senator.

Im be former govnor of di state, wey get ogbonge power for local politics.

Im powerful sotey wen im port go di govning All Progressives Congress (APC) few months ago, e make pipo believe say di party fit win for di first time for di state since Nigeria return to democracy for 1999.

And e be like oga Akpabio get di numbers to fit deliver. For one rally, I yan wit followers wey say im go bring more than 300,000 voters enta APC.

But Senator Akpabio say im no be kingmaker: "If anybodi wan say I be godfather, I go disagree wit dem.

"Di only time you fit say I play godfather-like role na for 2015. I nominate di current govnor [of Akwa Ibom] and wen I carri am give pipo, dem support am," im tell BBC.

But one member of im own party say di 2015 win get kasala, wey oga Akpabio get hand inside.

Umana Okon Umana, wey bin dey eye to be govnor dat time, don accuse oga Akpabio say im use moni wey di state get, including security, to win di election.

Im describe situation wia godfather go siddon wit im wife "and write down all those wey go contest di govnorship elections… all di way down to di house of assembly positions.

"Im write dis names before di primaries even happun. And if you no be one of those candidates, dem go make sure say you no go fit near di venue [of di primaries]."

But Supreme Court ruling from 2015, say di election for di state na free and fair.

For anoda part of di kontri, di political future of di majority Muslim state of Kano for north, fit also dey di hand of anoda godfather.

Kano get di second-biggest number of registered voters for di kontri, wey make am key state for any of di two main parties to win.

Rabiu Kwankwaso, wey be former governor, get pipo wey dey loyal to am, mostly based on di free education im bring come. Any candidate wey im bless dey sure of voters.

Im even get im own political fan club, wey dem dey call Kwankwasiyya movement, and di members dey wear uniform of red caps and white gowns.

Oga Kwankwaso dey di back of Abba Kabiru Yusuf, candidate from di People's Democratic Party (PDP), afta im and im former paddy no waka di same road again.

"For any state you go today, especially for northern Nigeria, e go hard make you see house wey no get member of Kwankwasiyya, either di papa, di mama or di or one of di children, or worker for di house," oga Kwankwaso tell BBC.

For di last elections im anoint im former deputy Abdullahi Ganduje, for governor.

But since oga Ganduje become govnor, im and oga Kwankwaso don dey kwanta.

Infact, e hot sotey for sometime oga Kwankwaso no gree enta di city of Kano wia anoda movement dem call Gandujiyya show to contest popularity wit am. Dis group members dey wear blue cap.

'Who big pass dey enta inside'

As godsons become political players, e no dey hard before dem begin kwanta wit dia godfathers.

Oga Ashiru say for developing societies like Nigeria, di state na di most important source of moni and how to take become rich, wey both 'godson' and 'godfather' go want.

But na also kwesion of 'who big pass' according to Emmanuel Onwubiko, from Human Rights Writers Association Of Nigeria.

"Some of di godfathers no just want moni, dem want want respect, dem want so dat if dem enta di state, dem go be di most important pesin for di society," im tok.

For oga Ashiru, na dia problem dey wit godfatherism: "Godfather culture na more about di pesin than everibodi.

"Democracy na about di pipo, but here you get few individuals across di kontri, wey dey take ogbonge political decisions, particularly wen e concern to employ public servants.

"So you no need to scratch head to sabi say dat kain arrangement no go allow democracy work."

All di politicians I follow tok no gree use di word "godfather" as e don become somethin wey dey join wit bullish tactics and things wey no dey democratic.

And as godsons gain dia confidence, e no dey clear how much longer godfathers fit still dey in charge.

For oga Akpabio and oga Kwankwaso, e no go tey before dem realise say dia powers don dey reduce.