Whatever comes out of Africa’s most populous country is not only the business of Nigerians, but also that of the international community, business community and media. Thus, the whole world is patiently waiting on the outcome of the polls.
Nigerians have never been so enthusiastic and relentlessly optimistic about any election in the history of democracy,they had hoped this year’s presidential polls, scheduled for February 14, would be different and so much is expected of the outcome. This time, we would get it right. The ruling PDP is about to lose the presidential election in a keenly contested poll since 1999, opposition parties have united behind a single presidential candidate, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari. The change was imminent.
After months of spirited campaigning by the two prominent candidates, a poll showed Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan running neck and neck. The election was declared too close to call. Hitherto, Nigerians usually know the winner of a presidential election months before voting day, this was a refreshing change. This was good for the country’s democracy.
The Electoral Commission (INEC) which stated a week ago that elections will go on despite attempts to use various reasons to postpone it , announced that, while it was substantially ready to conduct elections on February 14, it is constrained for security reasons to postpone voting for six weeks and thereby choosing March 28, as an alternative date, It is the hope that the 1.5million internally displaced persons will have been relocated and Boko Haram will be a thing of the past before the next election.
Prof. Attahiru Jega, head of the INEC, said Nigeria’s service chiefs had told him they needed to concentrate on military operations meant to defeat the dreaded Boko Haram group within six weeks, a feat they could not achieve for more than six years since the inception of the insurgency in the country. If Boko Haram can be trampled in six weeks, why did it take this long? Thus, the postponement of the election as rightly observed by most Nigerians and in particular the advocates for Change in the country; it is a major setback for democracy.
Admittedly, the situation in the north east of the country calls for a major military response, this fact did not just become apparent to the Commission or to the military chiefs or the government who might just be checking the list in an attempt to perfect its rigging tactics.
Perhaps, it is an attempt to give the president and the PDP a chance to restrategise in the face of the support mustered by the opposition-the hand writing is on the wall, this is the end of an era for the ruling party since its accession to power sixteen years ago.
The postponement is definitely suspicious and gives Nigerians a cause for concern. Not only can the election go on in Nigeria, experiences in the presidential election in Afghanistan, Ukraine and even in Iraq makes the excuse of insurgency unfounded and baseless at this critical moment.
After the failed attempt by the president to invite the INEC Chairman for a private meeting on the need for the postponement, an offer openly rejected by the Chairman on ground that such will affect public confidence in the Commission, thus, a military intervention. Nigerians should at this time not go to sleep the script is still being read, perhaps, the next move is to send Jega on a compulsory leave or an outright removal from office for not implementing or singing the tune of the president.
The intimidation has already started after the postponement, a major leader of the opposition party is presently under siege by the Nigerian military in Lagos, sadly, this is coming at a time where neighbouring countries (Niger, Chad etc ) are donating military personnel to Nigeria to fight Boko Haram. It is apparent that the President is in a desperate attempt to hold on to power and will not relent in his attempt to bring down any attempt to stop him with state resources and at the detriment of national stability and unity.
After the postponement, there is low level of public confidence that the elections will be free and fair. Also, the nation is presently divided along northern and southern line with the two major contenders controlling each region and any attempt at rigging will increase the risk of violence immediately after the election.
Free and fair elections distinguish true democracies from those merely masquerading as one. Though nominally democratic since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigeria has yet to hold a presidential election free of ballot-rigging, voter intimidation and other decidedly undemocratic practices. The ruling PDP has ensured victory for itself, by hook or by crook, in every single Nigerian presidential election conducted since 1999. It is high time that Nigerians rise up to and reject any attempt by the ruling party to frustrate them by saying no to tyranny, intimidation and dictatorship.
•Bush-Alebiosu is Chairman, House Committee on Treaties and Protocol, Abuja.
