Need for another peaceful outing
The courageous decision by incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan to promptly accept defeat and congratulated Muhammadu Buhari, his main rival, hours before the official announcement of the winner of the presidential election of March 28 is an example that participants in the gubernatorial and state assembly elections holding tomorrow should emulate. We strongly urge all political parties, politicians and their supporters to give peace a chance so that the Nigerian nation will, by virtue of peaceful elections tomorrow, move closer to a mature democracy where electoral contests are not seen as ‘do or die ‘ affairs.
The second leg of the 2015 general elections will take place in all the 36 states of the federation, including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja. However, the governorship election will hold in only 29 of the 36 states because of off-season elections that had taken place in seven states at different points in time.
Unfortunately, we have sensed that there are apprehensions in certain parts of the country following certain alleged utterances over tomorrow’s election, but we urge every eligible voter to discountenance such threats, if any, and go out tomorrow to vote for candidates of his/her choice. It has also become necessary to use this medium to advise eminent personalities in the country to always be circumspect oif their actions and utterances. This is a critical moment; only charitable words and actions can enable the country achieve the desired greatness.
In some states, owing to tough talk and desperate moves by some politicians and their supporters to win by hook or crook, the level of apprehension appears high. We also note with dismay the level of politically-motivated murders in Rivers State and the level of brigandage in some other states occasioned by the high level of intolerance being exhibited by politicians who resort to threats and intimidation of opponents for fear of defeat. We have no doubt that Nigerians are once again determined to repeat the feat achieved on March 28, when contrary to predictions of trouble and chaos, the country experienced what could pass as the most peaceful election in its history. That feat was not achieved by happenstance; it was the result of the resolve of every Nigerian that it should be so.
It is, therefore, our expectation that necessary steps should be taken by relevant agencies of government to tame unnecessary over-heating of the polity by sending signals that no one, no matter how highly placed, is above the law. We dare say that threats and violence are not necessary if the aim of seeking public office is to serve others.
Moreover, it is our belief that incumbents seeking to return need not bully people into voting for them if they had justified the mandate earlier given to them. But where there is nothing to show for occupying a seat for four years, no amount of brute force should be employed to change the people’s decision to vote out such politicians.
In our assessment, Nigerians are today more politically conscious than they were in 2011. Consequently, elected officials can no longer underestimate the capacity of the Nigerian voter to act in his/her best interest.
While we commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies for their various roles to ensure a seamless exercise penultimate week, we however, want to advise the INEC to ensure that the use of the card reader machines in tomorrow’s elections will not give occasion for litigation in the days ahead. For security agents, there must be better monitoring arrangements both at the polling units and elsewhere. During the March 28 presidential and National Assembly elections, there were many polling units that had no security personnel of any kind attached to them. Voters in such units complained aloud that they were not free to exercise their franchise.
INEC must move fast to eliminate such concerns in tomorrow’s ballot.