Five years ago I was in Germany during the federal elections when Dr Angela Dorothea Merkel was elected for the second time as Chancellor or Head of Government in Germany. Comparing my experience with the Nigerian elections, I will say the differences are clear, and maybe we Nigerians don’t want to practice what we learnt from others.

In less than a month, German electorates will have another chance to elect new leaders and representatives in the federal elections. The political party with the highest number of elected members in the Bundestag, which is the National Assembly, will form a government in alliance with any political party that share common interest.

This year’s federal election which is due on September 22 is going to be contested by the ruling party of the Christian Democratic Party (CDU) under the incumbent head of government Dr. Angela Merkel who has been in power since 2005. The other parties in the race are the Social Democratic Party (SPD) with former finance minister Mr. Peer Steinbruck as its candidate, while the FDP, CSU, the Greens and Pirates parties have a good chance of an alliance with any of the big parties that is likely to win the elections.

Some of the main issues that have seen the departure of many heads of governments in most European country elections are the economic meltdown that has resulted into banks and businesses going bankrupt resulting in unemployments in the region. Germany which has the strongest economy in the whole of Europe has recently become a safe haven for thousands of unemployed youths and adults from other European countries. Apart from the heavy bailout money that the country has put in other countries like Greece in other to save the European monetary union from collapse, which is seen as a necessity by economists, not all Germans see it as a priority for their government. Even the ordinary Greek sees it as another way of colonization by the Germans.

Another issue that makes these elections very unique for the immigrants, especially the black community in Germany is the candidature of Mr. Karamba Diaby, and African who is contesting for the Assembly election for the first time in its history. Diaby, 51, who has a PhD in Chemistry, was born in Senegal and has spent almost three decades in Germany. He moved to East Germany in 1985 before the fall of the Berlin wall to study at the University of Leipzig before moving to Halle a year later.

He has been nominated as the candidate for the Social Democratic Party. The fact that he has been given the third slot in the party’s list of candidates means he has very solid chances of securing a seat in the Bundestag, or federal parliament in Berlin.

In a recent interview with the Spiegel, Diaby said “it could be that some people have problems with the colour of my skin,” but I hope I will be accepted because I am involved in my projects.”

Is Karamba Diaby going to replicate Barack Obama as the first African American president of the United States of America, in Germany? Only the voters will decide on September 22, 2013. For Diaby and other immigrants, especially the black community, it is history in the making. For me I say; Abstimmen für  Karamba Diab

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Read this article in the Leadership Newspapers