National Elections: Arise O Compatriots, Nigeria’s Call Obey -By Clement Uwayah

Here comes the much awaited day of decision, February 25th. No doubts, we are in an era that may herald a turning point in the history of Nigeria, politically and otherwise. We definitely can’t deny the fact that the political outcomes of any nation have very direct bearings with all others. Severally, political power or government have been described as being next to God, because with it comes enormous powers. Unfortunately, it has also turned to an enterprise for instant enrichments and grandiose at the expense of the nation’s development. The impropriety of our political operations makes it necessary and urgent too to rejig the system, and this can only come through leadership recalibrations. Yes, this current election season offers an opportunity for Nigerians to make a very crucial and decisive leadership choice that would either kick-start the nation’s redirection and gradual redemption to the expected progressive path, or a possible relapse from the present state to something worse, perhaps likely, a failed state (God forbid). The inability of the current regime to ease the life of the citizens in spite of overwhelming promises of change has evoked the citizen’s reactions. This perhaps accounts for the recent wide fire embrace of the political issues as seen in the voter’s registration and organic movements in supports of candidates, especially Mr Peter Obi of the Labour Party.

From all indications, as revealed in the personalities of the front runners of the contest, the election truly have two possibilities awaiting us; either the emergence of a candidate perceived to have capacity for the desired new order, or the emergence of any of the old stereotype politicians with the usual syndrome of self-serving melancholy. Whoever emerges from the context may be a reflection of who the people settle for, strictly in the belief that electoral malfeasances would be curtailed to some reasonable level. It is evident that this is a make and mar electioneering year. History also seems to make it more likely, that something historical may occur as unprecedented signs hovers round. Besides, it is strongly believed that the electioneering year tallies with a point in time when a bang is expected in our political evolution, having been a reoccurring decimal around us previously.

Perhaps, on the basis of a likely political twist, as expected, it is not surprising that the campaigns did take very interesting turns, though much more comical than issue based. Yes, the comical campaigns makes it one never to be forgotten in a hurry. The surge of skit makers in their numbers have demonstrated creative and theatrical talents. While some took to the mimicking of the gestures and speeches of the candidates, especially their shortcomings, others took to rebroadcasting and analyses of campaign tours and events with added touches of comics. Also, what more could make the electioneering year less historic when many musical artistes and groups took to adding their sonorous voices to spice up the campaigns, though almost all in favour of a particular candidate. These activities may have helped to considerably reduce the blood pressures of a great number of Nigerians, since laughter is medicine on its own.

The major candidates are themselves men with enough historic antecedents; two Northerners and two Southerners. No doubts, all four major contenders are generals in their own rights, politically. Three of the four had served as former governors of their respective states, and quite frankly, none of the three was reckoned with as a failure in service. The other was politically weighty enough to have won the governorship seat of his state, but fate catapulted him to the seat of the vice president. So, their political history are bare and clear, with their antecedents known. Their post service preoccupations are also worthy of electorates examinations for the consideration of their suitability.

However, in the strict sense of the word, one of them, Peter Obi almost do not fit into the definition of the regular Nigerian politicians, because he is not in the mould of the others. How do we describe one with such an impeccable record of service, uprightness, integrity and selflessness as a Nigerian politician? No wonder his emergence was greeted with loud ovation, transformed into a movement and raised a rather unknown party into one that now outshines all others in desirability. History has been made with the emergence of Peter Obi as he is the toast of all, except off course, the unrepentant political class who sees only him as the spoiler, knowing too well that he’s far from seeing and operating in their ways. The sitting Kano state Governor, has recently been quoted as saying that everything must be done to resist a Peter Obi’s victory, as it would mean that all other politicians would be without honour and respect, and hence be retired from politics. Unfortunately, that is exactly what this political era should seek to achieve; start what I had in an earlier article called “WARAT” (War Against the Retireable And Tired).

We must arise because of the desirability for the emergence of a different set of people with completely different political ideologies that would set them apart as leaders and not leaders. We must arise to debunk the lies and misinformation that used to cage us from going to the polls. Times were when they made us believed that votes do not count, causing us to loose interests and boycott elections. Yet, same purveyors of such lies make it compulsory for their supporters to vote at all costs. They even buy votes to make the numbers. They also create imaginary insecurities and wars before elections, all in attempts to disenfranchise the electorates. Thuggery, ballot box snatching, and all other forms of electoral malfeasances were always employed, all in attempts to create apathy towards elections. In a previous article, I addressed the issue of our “collective amnesia and complacence”, in which our attention was drawn to the fact that many of the pre election tensions were always deliberate, targeted at dissuading electorates from voting, especially in areas perceived to be strongholds of opponents. This is the time to prove that apathy and complacency is now a thing of the past. How could a presidential election in a country of over 200 million people not boast of at least 40 to 50 million votes?

Beyond being a civic responsibility that should be honoured, there remains the fact that electoral polls are the pools that pushes in or pulls out those seeking to lead us. It is the ultimate ground where the electorates can exercise kingship, being determiners of the fates of office seekers. As a matter of fact, the people’s revolution is achieved easier at the polls. Their rights to hire and fire is in the polls. And, being an exercise that is only renewable after every four years based on our constitution, it is expected that the best use be put to it, always. Thus, this current dispensation is expected to be a departure from the past when election days are used as idle times for resting, footballing and others. The elites always stayed glued to their television sets, listening to emanating news from the various centres. The news this time around should be the new way of embracing the poll to elect your leaders of choice.

Interestingly, the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC have expectedly eased the processes by the very commendable steps taken concerning voting patterns. Public enlightenment of activities is better than the it was in the past, though unarguably aided by social media. More so, the deployment of the BVAS technology would eliminate some issues that used to be threats to smooth operations. The government of the day hasn’t been noticed to be having undue interference with the operations. But why one may not pinpoint compromise of the electoral body yet, it would not be out of place to note, that, in the course of the seeming long life ambition of some of the candidates, they have over the years and decades been planting and pushing surrogates into positions of influence within the body, possibly to help curry undue favours or be stumbling blocks to others. The difficulties experienced in both the PVC registrations and collections in some areas perceived strongholds of particular aspirants are enough proofs. Again, the just discovered bags of PVCs belonging to the citizens of Nnewi North in Anambra state, by hunters in the forest is an eloquent testimony of some planted and nurtured forces working for and against. Until issues like that are investigated and those indicted served their appropriate punishments, we may remain doubtful of the possibility of fairness and egalitarianism.

In the final analysis, elections serve a unique purpose of testing the citizen’s loyalty to their nation. One of the fundamental duties enshrined in our constitution is that of the right to vote in an election, and this must become sacrosanct in this era of search for a leader to herald a new Nigeria. This is where we must all arise in absolute loyalty to the call by Nigeria to reset Nigeria for all Nigerians. Loyalty is best served when channeled towards the overall good of the nation, not to one individual person. As i earlier asked in a previous article on citizens loyalty to national rebirth, “where is our commitments to the ‘I pledge to Nigeria, my country, to be honest, loyal, and faithful …’ recitations in our national anthem. It would be good for history not to find anyone wanting, hence the call towards revolutionizing our country must start with our duties at the polls. We can’t fail to obey the call to our nation’s repositioning, or do we have another country than this?

Clement Uwayah, a public affairs commentator writes from Edo state. Email: csuwayah@gmail