Abstract

Tragedies resulting from security failings of government have almost become the only Unique Selling Proposition (USP) among Nigeria’s ruling and opposition parties particularly in every election year. Reminiscence of the heated 2015 electioneering process, the race towards the 2019 general elections is ominously generating tension with political gladiators and opposition parties capitalising on the sporadic killings and kidnappings across the country to continually raise alarm pertaining to the incompetence and malfeasance of the ruling party. Almost two decades into democratic rule, rather than serving as a shadow government with alternative policies against any perceived obnoxious policy, opposition parties still substantially draw political capital from misfortunes in the country to the consternation of political observers, thus turning human tragedy into electoral strategy. This essay seeks to examine the place of the Nigerian politicians’ Unique Selling Proposition (USP) and its impact on electoral behaviour in previous elections and preparatory to the 2019 general elections.

Keywords

General, elections, unique, selling, proposition, gladiators, opposition, parties, within, government, struggles, degenerated, degeneration, selfish, allocation, country, recurring, experience, protracted, matter, deadly, justifies, religious, domination, tensions, sectarian, thousands, harassment, characterised, violence