Election is ongoing in Edo state, Nigeria and it's pretty much the trending thing in the country right now.

PDP's Obaseki who is the incumbent against APC's Ize-Iyanmu the contender.

On the face of it this should be an election like any other anywhere else in the world. But in a highly populated, multi ethnic, multi cultural and multi religious entity like Nigeria, elections have somehow been transformed into a dogfight where all vying parties have degenerated into a free-for-all, abhorring all forms of rules or regulations.

During an election, somehow there is always this ominous feeling that election results will be tampered. Electioneering malpractices have become so ingrained in the system so much that we now recognise "rigging machinery" as part of the electioneering process in Nigeria. Results are manipulated by Party bigwigs(godfather's) to favour their contesting minions.

This brings me to the issue most uppermost in the lips of most people in Nigeria. GODFATHERISM!

Godfatherism is in the forefront of what the Edo people are fighting against today. Adams Oshomole served two gubernatorial terms in Edo state after which assumed an elder statesman's role in the state. Somewhere and somehow along the line he joined the APC, subsequently he metamorphosed into a godfather.

Now, the last gubernatorial election held in Lagos State pushed to the fore the ills of godfatherism, especially how it suppresses the will of the people and imposes on them a choice of not their own choosing.

With Lagos State so fresh in the mind and the players involved then very much at play here too, the stage was set for Edo people to slay the Proverbial giant and break free from electoral disenfranchisement brought on by godfatherism.

Of course, in a country like Nigeria stuck with certain idiosyncrasies, it takes a lot of will to break out of certain established retrogressive practices especially the anti democratic practice of godfatherism.

The victory of Mr Obaseki over Pastor Ize-iyanmu then becomes more significant in the sense that it shows the resilience of a people against aristocracy, against oligarchy, against oppression and against anti democratic practice. This is one victory the Edo people nay Nigerians must savour because it washes aways the vile taste oppression brought on by godfatherism.

Godfatherism is synonymous with selection whilst democracy proffers elections. Both processes run parallel lines that can never meet.