The reactions and commentaries trailing the just concluded Edo governorship election with the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Monday Okpebholo declared the winner by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), may have further eroded the confidence of many Nigerians in the credibility of the electoral process, and again raised questions on the democratic gains, 25 years after democracy was enthroned in the country.
Many commentators on national issues were surprised that INEC with all the promises made failed to conduct credible, free and fair polls. That Edo’s election fallout, contrary to expectations, did not reassure Nigerians that progress is being made by the electoral body, and that the process is getting better, leaves much to be desired, so to speak. What this means is that the wrong candidates would continue to carry the day, no matter the complaints and the desire of the people to have a system that is working.
The build-up before the election however, raised concerns and also attracted commentaries from stakeholders within and outside the state. The militarisation of the process, and intimidation with the ruling party in the state, PDP alleging the use of federal might to pave way for the party at the centre to forcefully take over the state. The damning verdict of the civil society groups such as Yiaga Africa that monitored the election which said the exercise lacked integrity tests, raised the issue of what would happen in other states whose off-cycle elections are fast approaching.
Some of the actors have boasted, according to reports, that the template used in Edo would apply next year in Anambra State. This statement as provoking as it sounds, is generating ripples and may continue to do so, until the conduct of Anambra governorship election. In all these, the question therefore is; Which way Nigeria? Could it be that INEC leadership has run out of ideas? Equally surprising is that every election held appears to generate so much controversy. In Nigeria, the loser does not congratulate the winner but instead, what we hear is, ”go to court or we shall meet in court”.In politics, it is said that there is no permanent enemy but, permanent interest.
We beg to differ here because, the Nigerian state and her politicians are behaving in a manner that suggests the political class is at war with itself, going by the vituperation poured out by some politicians on radio, television and pages of newspapers. Recall that in 2015, a telephone call was put through to the winner of that year’s election by his opponent. Since then, the electoral process has continued to receive bashing for abysmal performance. One expects to see seamless, free and fair elections, especially with the off-cycle elections, with enough preparations, human and material resources at the umpire’s disposal.
Momentarily, the attention of Nigerians in the past one week shifted to Edo State because of the fever that came with the conduct of the ‘Heart Beat of the Nation’ election. The reality of the situation is that the sufferings brought about by the oil subsidy removal is still telling much on the people. Till date, Nigerians are yet to see or feel the impact of Dangote refinery, even as it is reported that the delivery of PMS from the refinery has since commenced. Nigeria, in fact, has become a nation of challenges without any form of solution in sight, surprisingly! It’s no longer news that people trek to work, and that many have parked their cars, opting for public transportation that is not cheap either.
Again, the new minimum wage approved by the federal government is yet to be implemented, even as conditions of living continue to worsen by the day. Indeed, Nigerians are not breathing, at all! This situation is compounded by the inordinate ambition of those who want to take it all, leaving the ordinary people in penury. That is why the citizens are calling for good governance, insisting that the nation cannot continue in this kind of situation where people cannot feed and send their children to school. We want to see a paradigm shift.
We want to see drastic change in the socio-economic life of the people. Our expectation is that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his October broadcast speech should address Nigeria’s myriad problems. The truth is that everyone is down and flat that one cannot help the other. This man-made problem should not be allowed to fester any longer. Looking the other way and pretending as if the country is on the right path can only increase the tension. The Borno flood victims who are currently living in Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Camps is a worrisome development.
The predictions are that other states in the federation may experience same fate if nothing is urgently done to mitigate the impending disaster. The question is, what are the states doing with ecological funds usually allocated to them by the federal government? What is the template the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is using in a situation of this nature? It’s high time Nigerians stop brooding in the dark and come up with ideas on how other countries of the world handle issues of emergency as it affects lives and properties.
Issues of allocating resources on quota system and ignoring areas that are prone to danger, especially at this time, is a disservice to the people. Politics should be played without bitterness. Where the old order continues unchecked with the winner takes it all, our progress will be stunted and jaundiced as a nation, and the people, unfortunately, will continue the lamentation as it is today. Let us for once, listen to the voice of reason. Government should avoid increasing the pains of the people who are already at ground zero.
