By the time this edition of The Catholic Herald would be on the news stand, the governorship election in Edo State scheduled for September 21, 2024 would have been over and the winner emerged, barring any unforeseen circumstance or technical glitches, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Collation of results and announcement of the eventual winner of the election usually stretch till Sunday morning, owing to logistical problems and other sundry issues that may arise lending credence why this editorial is apt to douse the tension that often characterise off cycle elections.
Elections in Nigeria have turned into a big business enterprise, and suddenly have become a do or die exercise, given the campaign theatrics and rhetorics known today in the Nigeria electoral lexicon! What makes Edo elections very interesting and unique is that it came one year after the highly disputed presidential election of 2023, with the belief that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), must have learnt its lessons and should at this point be set to ensure that the rightful winner of any election in the country is duly declared to the people, and on time.
The deployment of over thirty-five thousand police personnel, and about eight thousand officers from other security agencies, again, revealed how seriously the state, and the actors in this election viewed the whole exercise. That the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) initially failed to take part in signing the peace accord, alleging that their members were being intimidated, arrested and moved out of Edo State in their numbers, again, painted a grim picture about what was to come during and after the elections. The three leading political parties; The All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party (LP) however, claimed they have put forward their best foot for the plum job in the state. On the flip side, the ruling Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), said they would defend their votes with their blood.
They equally called for the removal of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), who, one of the political parties claimed, has Abuja connection, and may do the bidding of those who sent him to Edo State. Yes, these back-and-forth accusations would continue to resonate, except the right things are done by the electoral umpire and actors. This also raised the question, whether Nigeria has learnt anything going by the historical antecedents of our political history in the recent times. The problem with elections in Nigeria is the country’s high illiteracy level, with hunger and deprivation compounding the issue. Otherwise, the governorship election in Edo State, going by what everyone knows, doesn’t need much drama to organise.
And because people’s conscience can still be bought with one measure of rice, that is why we still see people gather to listen to some of these politicians that have impoverished them over time, and are ready to cross carpet from one party to the other each time they lose election. Supposing the Nigeria publics are conscious and coupled with the fact that our future has been gambled with and compromised in the hands of these political leaders, Edo elections would have been a walkover. It would not be a surprise if an obscure party is declared the winner at the end of the day. It behooves on INEC to do the right thing, at least to revive its battered image.
While we do not hold brief for any political party, the party that wins should be declared winner. What people want is transparent, free, and fair elections, where nobody is victimised. The federal might which allegedly came to the fore should not be seen to truncate our democracy. Whereby people are not allowed to exercise their constitutionally given civic rights, unfortunately, becomes the opposite of what we preach, whether as a political party or government. Again, allowing the political quagmire the way it is, such conduct would surely amount to promoting chaos and confusion in the body polity which we do not want.
That the elections have come and gone is commendable. We enjoin the political actors in Edo State to accept the results and not allow the blood of the innocent be wasted on the altar of politics. We however, admonish the winner of the election to be magnanimous in victory and extend hands of fellowship to other political parties. We have had experience where politicians failed to separate electioneering from real governance after the elections.
That approach should change because the people deserve more than rice and other sundry gifts that do not add up to the overall good of the society. The mood of the country calls for serious interrogation on issues bordering on good governance by everyone that occupies political office. Politicians should try to put their differences aside and give peace a chance, and for dividends of democracy to trickle down.
…On Borno flood
Our heart goes out to the people and government of Borno State over the recent flood incident that claimed hundreds of lives. We call on the state, federal government and public spirited individuals to lend helping hands to the survivors of the flood, and also ensure that the affected people are not left in the cold, especially in this time of economic hardship.
