14 CHAPTER FOURTEEN LET THE PEOPLE DECIDE

A day later, Sir Boripe was in his office when his Secretary came to inform him that the Mayor want to see him, he told the Secretary to let him in.

Although Sir Boripe knew why he has come, yet he extended a deep courtesy to him, he stood up to receive him, something he seldom do for him before. He said to him, "To what honour do I account this your visit My Mayor, good morning"

The Mayor did not pretend to return the courtesy, he stepped straight into the burning issue that drove him here, he said, "Sir, iam surprised that you can pretend that you have respect for me when you indeed do not.

Sir Boripe too put aside courtesy and took up the matter with him, he said, " I know why you feel I do not have respect for you but hear this, that you saw us picking form as opposition to contest for the office of the Mayor does not mean I do not respect you, I believe politics is a game that keeps men on their toes and force them to reach out for perfection, if you face no opposition you will believe you have achieved the best that anyone could achieve, whereas there is great room for improvement before we can have a dream city"

The Mayor looked at him and said, "I wonder what I did to offend you that you could not call and tell me, and if you respect me as you say why didn't you tell me those things I could do to make this city a dream city as you say. In my two tenures in the office, there was no time I did anything without consulting you and all other eminent citizens of this city, so why do you now raise a team against me Sir Boripe?"

Sir Boripe answered and said, "It is not about you offending anybody My Mayor, it is about our tradition, of a truth the law allow three terms but in this city we only give people two terms, if you want to do well you ought to consult with us before you began to push for this third term"

The Mayor looked at him and said, "Well, I am sorry for that, but it is the people who came to me of their own volition to ask me to push for this third term, and their reason was that it will give this city the great opportunity that had eluded our men who had aspired to be the Governor of our state, if I can do this third term it will improved my chance of clinching the office of the governor when I push for it, and that will bring glory to our people"

Sir Boripe looked at him and said, "Then the people are the ones causing this trouble, because they came to me to ask for a candidate, and the women specifically said they want a female Mayor because our city is the only first class city in the country that is yet to have female Mayor like the rest, so when they came to me I nominated Tolu and they accepted her"

The Mayor in annoyance said, "That is a lie, the people want me to go for the third term so that it will improve their opportunity of having a son of this land in the Governor's office"

Sir Boripe pretended to take offence as he said, "Do you say I am a liar, my friend that is an insult, you can't come to my office and insult me, I demand an apology or you leave my office now" The Mayor knew he cannot swallow his words because it will mean he agreed that he is the one lying, so instead of apologising he said, "I have done so much for this city and the people want to reward my selfless service please don't stand in the way of it"

Sir Boripe said, "My demand still stand, apologise or leave my office"

The Mayor said, "I have come to make you see reason and show you what this city stand to gain through my third term bid, and I want you to know the whole land is behind me, but if you will not listen to me I will leave"

Sir Boripe replied, "The people will decide who is a liar among the two of us with their votes, go and set your campaign machineries in motion we will see on the election day Mayor"

With fuming the Mayor said, "How I wish you will save yourself the wasting of money time and energy, because it will amount to nothing. This land is behind me, even the unseeing ants walking on the ground of this land will rise and campaign and vote for me!"

With this, Sir Boripe laughed and said, "My dear Mayor your over confidence induces laughter!/But who needs ants when I will even enlist you to campaign for our candidate?"

The Mayor looked at him like a mad fellow and asked, "You will enlist who to campaign for your candidate, you will enlist me? You are a comedian, but I will abide by your first sensible word, the people shall decides who is a liar between us"

He said this and moved out with pricked conscience because nobody came to him to demand or advised his third term bid. But he is so confident that his propaganda will see him through. As for Sir Boripe, yes some people came to him to ask him to rise against this third term bid; but non knew how he will succeed against this established and loved candidate; especially now that he presented a female candidate in a city that even females don't approved female candidates, and the female he presented is a controversial one that still have a major unresolved issue around her.

However, voting will be so easy for the people of the city because the election is two horse race, all other people swallows the Mayor's lie and non ventures near the electoral office to pick form for the Mayor's office.