Thank God this presidential election has come and gone. March 28, 2015 was a date that dragged on as if it would never come.
But if March 28 seemed like forever, the
initial election date of February 14, 2015 was even worse. It was
tension-soaked: it also had a foreboding of danger hanging over it. It
was as if it was a scheduled date for a war rather than an election. It
was as if mayhem would erupt that day. Ironically, the date was supposed
to be a date of love: St Valentine’s Day.
One week to that date, the Chairman of
the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Attahiru Jega,
announced that the elections had been moved to March 28 for security
reasons arising from the activities of the terrorist group, the Boko
Haram. However, events that took place later showed that it was obvious
that in announcing that shift of date, Jega did not tell the nation the
whole truth: that INEC was not ready for an election on that date. One
week to the initial date for the elections, over 20 million Nigerians
had not collected their Permanent Voter Cards; millions of these cards
were still being awaited by INEC from where they were being printed; the
ad hoc staff of INEC that would conduct the elections had not been
trained; and the card reader that would be used for the election had not
been tested.
The shift in date gave the security
forces ample time to push out Boko Haram insurgents from the territories
they occupied, thereby making it possible for elections to be conducted
in those areas. The shift in date also helped to reduce the tension in
the land. But it proved bad for business, as most business activities
and decisions across the nation were put on hold until after the
elections. It seemed as if many people wanted to know if the elections
would pass by peacefully before taking certain business decisions. But
as March 28 drew near, the tension rose again. So it was a huge relief
to many that the date eventually came.
The passion of Nigerians to participate
in the elections was heart-warming. Even though many of those registered
did not turn up to vote, those who showed up were determined. For
example, of the 439 people that registered in my polling unit in
November 2014, only 153 turned up to vote, which was less than 35 per
cent.
Also, in spite of the extra six weeks
that INEC had to prepare for the elections, it was disappointing that by
8 a.m. when the electoral process was to commence, electoral officials
did not arrive at most polling units. Even at the polling unit in Otuoke
in Bayelsa where President Goodluck Jonathan was to vote, INEC
officials did not arrive as of 8am. At my polling unit in Lagos, I
checked three times before they arrived at 10am. The card reader they
brought was faulty. So, they had to go back to INEC office to get a
replacement, eventually returning at 11.30a.m. to commence the process.
By the time accreditation stopped around 2.30pm, the voters had to wait
again for the ballot papers to be brought. When eventually the ballot
papers were delivered by a bus that had INEC staff, the voting was to
start when the electoral officers discovered that only 100 sets of
ballot papers were delivered. By then it was around after 4 pm, and
voters were getting impatient. But luckily the INEC bus was passing by
about that same time. So, one of the electoral officials ran to the bus
and informed them, and the problem was solved.
It was uplifting that the police officer
sent to the polling unit arrived before 8am and waited for the process
to start. He had no gun or baton, but he was instrumental in ensuring
that the process was smooth.
However, despite the long wait, the hot
sun, and the rain that fell in the afternoon, the voters did not grow
weary or discouraged. They persevered. And among them were voters who
were over 80 years old.
Voting went slowly but smoothly. Many of
the voters stayed behind to monitor the process. Others went home and
came back later to hear the result. Because of the time the INEC
official took to explain how the thumb-printing should be done and how
the ballot papers should be folded after voting, there was no invalid
ballot at my polling unit. But the polling unit close to mine recorded
44 per cent void votes. The voters were resolute that any ballot paper
that had any ink mark in two places must be voided.
As usual, the election showed that
ethnicity and religion played a key role on the choice of candidates by
many people. Most people made serious effort to protect their ethnic and
religious interests.
The quality of the two front line
candidates also made the election filled with hard lines. Even though
Jonathan and Buhari have some good sides, they also have some serious
drawbacks that many found very difficult to accept, depending on what
means more to the voter.
It was however sad to hear that there
were acts of violence in some parts of the country, in spite of all the
appeals for calm and peace. It still shows that many of our people have
not realised that election is not war. Many still don’t believe that in
an election, that the people have a right to choose whom they want to
lead them. Many don’t still accept that electoral officials can be fair
and just in the conduct of elections. Many still don’t believe that the
courts can give them justice even if there are acts of electoral fraud.
In spite of these acts that have put some
dent on the election, there is no doubt that our electoral system has
grown in the last five years. Hitherto, there was a feeling of despair
and frustration that the votes of the people did not matter, because
INEC would still announce result as it suited it and the party in power.
But the openness and transparency in elections since 2011 have given
more confidence to the electorate that the wish of the people (or the
majority) would prevail. And that was what motivated the opposition to
feel that it was possible to defeat the incumbent President. There was
no longer the fear of the so-called “power of incumbency”, which is a
euphemism for electoral manipulation.
The renewed confidence that an incumbent
can be beaten and that a ruling party can be defeated is a big plus to
the growth and development of our nation. It is the most important
factor that makes democratic countries grow and have peace. It removes
desperation from politicians and their supporters. They know that if
they fail to win, it can only take four years to try again.
In addition, it makes those who have won
to be more dedicated to their duties and responsibilities to the people,
because the power to return them or vote them out rests with the
people. That makes politicians and political godfathers less arrogant.
But the most ridiculous people in this
election are those who live in Nigeria but did not register to vote or
collect their PVCs but turned themselves into internet warlords,
creating enemies and raising the tension in the land, as well as their
counterparts who had their PVCs but chose to remain indoors on Election
Day.
In all this, the nation and the people have won. So, congratulations to Nigeria and Nigerians.
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