BY
UCHENDU PATRICK C.
As the 2015 electoral wheel gradually grinds to a halt with the conclusion of elections in all the states of the federation, most Nigerians would agree that the 2015 electoral year was not as bad as anticipated after all.
What with the flurry of excitement and fanfare that accompanied the preparations for the general elections and the ominous dark clouds of uncertainty and acrimony that hung over the nation’s political landscape when it eventually got underway. It looked as if the nation had reached its elastic limit and was going to snap anytime. Many well-meaning Nigerians gave themselves to fervent supplications to seek the will of the divine in the whole exercise. The media took up a chant about the cost of violence and the need to eschew it. And even the police, perhaps, for the first time in the annals of our electoral history thought it necessary to borrow a leaf from the initiators of the so-called ‘Peace Pact’ in organising similar sessions across the country where political parties and their candidates were asked to endorse certain documents indicative of their pledge to shun acts capable of inciting violence during the polls. Thanks to Ambassador James F. Entwisle who made the first move in that direction in Rivers State, one of the so-called flashpoint states, as a gesture of goodwill by the American government ahead of the elections. For a country still struggling to come to terms with the meaning of nationhood and with all the signs of an imminent breakup stirring it in the face as prognosticated for 2015 by our ‘overseas friends,’ it can really be understood why there was much cause for worry.
In retrospect we can only heave a sigh of relief that we are still here and the nation did not break up, even though there are many who still rue the day this hodgepodge of ethnic nationalities we call ‘a nation’ was crafted into existence in the first place (See speech by Dr. Oby Ezekwesili: The Uncomfortable Truth of Elusive Economic Development-Nigeria’s Century Old Failures and Prospects for a New Nigeria, 2014). It does not matter so much now who won or lost at the polls as we are all too glad to see the nightmare pass and carry on with our lives while hoping for the best from the supposed winners.
However, one question that continues to nag at our thoughts with the conclusion of the polls is why elections have remained a great source of apprehension in this country not minding the intense preparations often made before the exercise. This is not to suggest though that Nigeria is the only country in the world where everything comes to a standstill because of elections. But after following the American mid-term elections of November last year, and the recently concluded parliamentary elections in the UK in which four contestants are said to be of Nigerian descent, we must agree that what obtains in Nigeria leaves a great deal to be desired.
As the body charged with the responsibility of conducting the general elections in the country, INEC looked all set to make the 2015 elections free and fair, even though there were initial allegations that the Commission was taking sides with certain groups. But the confidence we all sensed exuding from the INEC chair, Prof. Attahiru Jega, whose appeal as a man of impeccable integrity is hardly questionable, quickly laid these suspicions to rest. Many would eventually cite his sincere disposition toward the elections as a major factor in its successful completion, perhaps, only next to Goodluck Jonathan’s historic phone call to Muhammadu Buhari to concede defeat.
Since the elections ended the question has often been asked whether they were really free and fair. The answer to this question poses a major challenge and must be approached with caution. Of course, we can all attest to the successful outcome of the polls as far as winners were declared and others had the good sense and courage to accept defeat; I wonder how many times we get to see that in this part of the world by the way! But can we on this premise alone conclude that the elections were convincing enough to be adjudged free and fair? Herein lies the quagmire. For we must come to terms with whether it is possible for elections to be successful and still lack the merits of being free and fair. Well, the just concluded 2015 general elections present a tricky situation which heightens the possibility as they were tainted by a number of irregularities that makes it difficult for anyone to entirely embrace them as credible.
Let us consider the distribution and collection of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVCs) before the elections for instance. There were widely reported cases of missing and, or non-availability of cards for pick up. In certain areas, INEC staff openly asked for bribes before collection or refused people of other faiths or ethnic backgrounds. There were others who could not get theirs because they moved to other parts of the country. The implication of all this was the disenfranchisement of many would-be voters on election day.
There was also the issue of faulty electronic card readers. One would expect that with the postponement of the elections by six weeks from the day it was originally scheduled (from Feb 14 to Mar 28), that INEC would have had ample time to have a test run of the electronic devices before the elections proper. Even though this was eventually done in a few selected states, the technical problems posed by the devices on election day which resulted in long delays and, in some cases, their outright failure in certain polling units across the country was certainly a major snag in the electoral process.
Another major encumbrance to the smooth conduct of the elections was the late arrival of electoral materials in most polling units across the country, especially during the presidential and National Assembly elections. Not even the sincere disposition of the INEC chair to ensure free and fair elections could forestall this untoward occurrence which has become an albatross on the neck of the Commission since the inception of the Fourth Republic in 1999. In some areas there were complaints about inadequate materials, while in others the non-availability of sensitive materials like result sheets were reported. There were also extreme cases where INEC ad hoc staff never showed up at all!
Now, do not assume INEC is to blame for all the shortcomings witnessed during the elections. On the contrary, we must agree that for all the blunders committed by the Commission they still come nowhere close to the malevolent intent of politicians to thwart the entire electoral process. Ah! Our politicians, why did we not even think of this group earlier? They were the only ones who did not really bother if the country was breaking up as long as they still managed to squeeze themselves into the fragments that would be left of it! As they went about their heinous acts of vote buying, thuggery, hate campaigns and outright killing of opponents, it was sad to see how they were aided by some of the electorate and even by security agencies that are supposed to be the custodians of the law! Very sad indeed. It is also interesting to see how these politicians are now junketing to the triumphant party in the hope that their insatiable appetites would be better served there. Let us hope they heed the advice of the outgoing president who has cautioned, from experience no doubt, that they would return empty seeing that the new party would have to fill the ‘stomachs’ of its members first and the whole ‘food’ gone before they know it (apologies to President Jonathan who admits himself that he could not do enough of this in five years! See: Those running to APC will return with “empty stomachs”-Jonathan, Premium Times, April 30, 2015). So much about how politicians care for the masses! But shall we ever learn?
In spite of everything, there are strong indications that the 2015 elections are widely accepted as credible. They would no doubt be elevated to the hallowed ranks of the 1993 presidential election as the two most important elections in the annals of our political history. But the question as to whether they were really free and fair would continue to remain open to debate. As would whether it is ever possible to have elections that are completely devoid of misconduct and fraud. While the debates rage, we can at least find common ground for deciding the conditions that make for free and fair elections; like strengthening law enforcement agencies to hold those who incite or perpetrate violence at election periods accountable for their actions, irrespective of how highly placed they may be. The electorate must also be awakened to the reality of their voting might through proper counting of votes and fulfillment of campaign promises by politicians who eventually get elevated to the corridors of power. In this way, voters would learn to shun bribes in exchange for their votes. Politicians and their supporters must also be compelled to adhere to electoral rules or face stiff sanctions. And INEC, as the electoral umpire, must show a willingness to lead through timely revision of the voters’ register and distribution of all electoral materials. They must double-check on all the materials they intend to deploy for the polls, especially electronic devices, and above all, maintain an air of openness in their dealings with other stakeholders in the electoral process.
In so doing, we evolve a system that would make us approach each election year as they come round with more optimism and less anxiety as our counterparts in other climes.
(Originally published in a school magazine, the BOSSS Light, 4th Edition, 2015).
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