Measuring Motives

I learned a vital lesson about ulterior motives yesterday.
There is a way I think and it is the best way to think in my opinion.
I take whatever is before me as a fact and I deal with it that way.
The other way to think is to take what is before me as a lie and keep myself in a perpetual deceit.
I refuse to think that way.
A sitting president ran for an election in a country that has practiced democracy for over 200 years.
He claimed he won; he announced that 71 million people voted for him.
The election was very contentious.
The “powers that be” claimed he lost.
Many people fought and even rioted.
His vice-presidential candidate bowed to the pressure from the powers that be.
The crowd stormed Capitol Hill.
His claimed victory was declared as a loss.
He took his L.
And now he will be contesting again.
All this happened in the last four years.
Another candidate in another country went to the polls and came third.
He claimed it was rigged, took the matter to court.
He was declared to be third, not second.
The winner was sworn in.
Policies were made.
Some said they wanted to protest against the policies because things were hard for people.
It was a valid reason to protest in a democracy.
I wrote about it.
Only to discover that those pushing for the protest were only aggrieved about the last election and wanted to use the protest to push the narrative that their candidate won the last election.
This troubled me a great deal.
Intelligent folks, people I know personally to be very industrious and right thinking were on this table.
People I respect and would do anything for
claimed the election was rigged and talks about IREV etc came up.
I was shocked.
How did a protest against “bad policies” end up with “IREV and discussions about the last election”?
The matter has been put to bed.
Just as it was in America.
The protest should be about policies not an election that your candidate didn’t win.
How could he have won?
Buhari won the North in many elections, he didn’t become the president until he forged an alliance with the West.
Your candidate won the East and some pocket areas throughout the country.
My wife voted for your candidate, as it is her right.
I told her the man could not win because Nigeria has 36 states and the FCT and her choice was only popular on paper.
I may not know mathematics but I travel widely.
The man was not popular in the west and he was unknown in many parts of the north.
Wishful thinking cannot win you an election.
What is the self-deceit about?
Deal with what is before you!
The person who won the election forged an alliance with the North based on the alliance his predecessor had with the West.
It was obvious he would win.
Why is logic powerless in the face of untethered emotion?
If the protests being talked about are about current government policies.
I get it even though I still believe it is a bad idea.
But if anyone is pushing a protest due to their belief that the last election was rigged, that is what is called an ulterior motive.
Pretending you are doing something for one reason when you are actually doing it for another reason.
I find that to be deceptive and disgusting.
This is me “PROTESTING”.
End the lies, it is not healthy for you.
If you assess the situation as right-thinking people do, you will be able to see where the lapses are and work on it towards the next election.
Trump is doing the same in America.
He didn’t claim he would win this time based on the last election result which he claimed was rigged.
He is raising money and employing people to knock on doors and push his support towards the next election.
That is what going back to the drawing board means.
Insults on social media will earn you a good block from me.
I blocked many yesterday and I will continue to block those who I deem unable to hold conversations without resorting to insults.
I didn’t vote in the last election; the winner was too obvious from the get-go.
Be clear about the reason you want to protest
Don’t claim it is for one reason when it is for another.

-GSW-