Concerned Nigerians home and in Diaspora have charged the Independent National Electoral Commission and the politicians to ensure that the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States off-cycle governorship elections are conducted in conformation with the global best practices in order to reflect the spirit of recently celebrated June 12 democracy day.
Diaspora based social scientist, David Oshomhoba, while acknowledging the efforts of the government in recognising and celebrating June 12 as democracy day in Nigeria, said the task ahead of the government, the electoral body and politicians is the two off-cycle governorship elections coming up in Edo and Ondo states later in the year.
He said the effects of the celebration can only be felt positively by Nigerians if the forthcoming elections meet the global standards in the area of free, fair, credible and transparent conduct where individual vote counts.
“Nigeria has celebrated June 12 democracy day which was beamed to the world. It should not end at the celebration because there’s a lot to its declaration. One of the things showcased by the government in recognising and celebrating that day is that democracy has come to stay in Nigeria. But this will remain a mirage as long as elections are manipulated by politicians using the umpires and Judges who are readily available to sell their conscience and country for any price. There’s no gainsaying the matter. The issue remains that in Nigeria’s democracy, victory is for the highest bidder not for the most popular candidate. I’m saying that if the government of President Bola Tinubu does not want to make his administration messier, he should ensure that the INEC conducts free, fair, credible and transparent polls in both Edo and Ondo States elections that are months away. If after celebrating June 12 which most of us Nigerians still believe remains the best election ever conducted in our country and INEC goes ahead to “sell” the governorship positions of these states, then President Tinubu would have made mockery of himself and his administration. Therefore, we in the Diaspora are eager to witness elections conducted as June 12 in these two states.”
Oshomhoba argued that the present crop of politicians have done everything to destroy the development of democracy in Nigeria because they are only interested in themselves and how they will amass wealth.
“If it’s left for the politicians there will never be any credible election anywhere and at any time in Nigeria. We followed with shame the 2023 general election. It’s really disheartening to see Nigerian politicians go the extra mile to do anything in order to be declared winners of elections even when they know they didn’t win. The worst is that INEC and Judges are available for this rot. Didn’t Nigerians witness what happened in Senegal’s election? That young man who is now their President defeated the incumbent president’s candidate. The Senegalese courts didn’t ditch the country’s laws and flowed along with the president’s decision. But this cannot happen in our country. I read recently about the massive registration of voters in both Edo and Ondo which shows that the people want to vote for their chosen candidates. But will INEC and courts allow their desire to come to pass is another issue. My demand, which of course, I strongly believe is the desire of well-meaning Nigerians, is that President Tinubu and INEC should conduct very credible elections in these two states to prove they are not mocking Chief MKO and those who paid the price for democracy in Nigeria.”
According to a survey by the United States Agency for International Development, there are roadblocks to a strong democracy in Nigeria at all levels of government. Conflict—triggered by political competition and communal, ethnic, religious or resource allocation rivalries—poses a major threat to democracy. Corruption pervades the daily lives of Nigerians.
Many government institutions do not adequately engage with citizens or the private sector and lack the capacity to carry out their mandates. Further, civil society lacks both the capacity and the resources to effectively engage with the government and advocate for change.
The international body noted that although elites dominate the political structure, civil society organizations are becoming a voice for democratic reform. Their efforts to push for inclusive governance have been successful in many ways, but they lack the capacity and resources to carry out their functions fully.
USAID works directly with a diverse representation of Nigerian civil society and media organizations, building their internal management capacity and strengthening their ability to engage with the government on issues of fiscal accountability, budget monitoring and transparency within extractive industries.
Postulations by the USAID claimed that in 2011, Nigerians participated in what were arguably the most credible and transparent elections since the country’s independence. It didn’t recognize the credibility and transparency of June 12 polls probably because it was annulled and no government emerged from it.
Therefore, USAID capitalised on the positive momentum of 2011 to improve elections by supporting the organisational development of political parties and the independence of the electoral commission, and by increasing civil society input into electoral and constitutional reform dialogue.
In 2015, the Independent National Electoral Commission working with civil society organizations-which ran parallel vote tabulations-Nigeria helped usher in the first peaceful, democratic transition of power between two parties. The thoughts and beliefs of the global watchers of Nigeria’s democracy were that it has matured, truly having transited from a civilian government to another civilian government of different political party platforms but these beliefs seem to be wrong with the scenarios that played out in the last general and off-cycle elections.
However, Nigerians differed from the postulations of the foreign body on the 2011 general election though they said it was credible to a large extent they claimed that the annulled June 12 remains the most participated, credible and transparent election in the history of Nigeria.
Reginald Okoronwogbo, leader of Nzuko Ndi Imo blamed the wobbling democracy on politicians whom he said are wolves in sheep’s clothing.
He said the greed associated with present day politicians has turned politics to a do or die affair instead of games.
“As we speak, before Nigeria can hold the kind of June 12 election in this country again, our generation may have gone. I think this is the worst generation this country has produced. A generation where great men and women, intelligent people are led by people of no value whether societal or otherwise. A country where the most read surrender their integrity and intelligence to illiterates.
“I have never seen this kind of thing happen elsewhere. In a few months now, INEC will be conducting elections in Edo and Ondo States. I mean the off-cycle governorship elections. And recently, we had a public holiday and celebrated June 12 as our democracy day. I don’t know what it represents to the government but to me June 12 is the foundation of our democracy. Now the best pronouncement to be made by this administration on June 12 will be ensuring that these two governorship elections are free, fair, credible and transparent.
“If anything in the contrary is the outcome, then both the President and the INEC Chairman should be seen as number one enemies of democracy. Nigerians are seriously yearning for the return of true democracy where votes count not where votes are allocated by the umpires and courts to candidates. Edo and Ondo States are litmus tests for INEC and Tinubu’s administration. Let’s see how they will handle it. So, the spirit of June 12 should guide them in the conduct of the elections.”
“If it’s left for the politicians there will never be any credible election anywhere and at any time in Nigeria. We followed with shame the 2023 general election. It’s really disheartening to see Nigerian politicians go the extra mile to do anything in order to be declared winners of elections even when they know they didn’t win.”
Last month, the INEC released names of governorship candidates and their running mates as submitted by their various political parties who are qualified to contest in the Ondo election. Names of those for the Edo polls have since been released.
The Commission also announced that political parties can begin campaigns in the state from June 19, 2024.
The Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun who made this known said, in line with the provision of Section 33 of the Electoral Act 2022, two (2) political parties conducted fresh primaries to replace their earlier nominated candidates and their running mates by the deadline of 10th June 2024. The parties are the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) and the Social Democratic Party (SDP) while five parties replaced their running mates alone.
“In all, 17 political parties are expectedly fielding candidates for the election. No political party has nominated a female candidate while one (1) candidate nominated by the African Democratic Congress (ADC) is a person with disability (a paraplegic). The final list also gives the breakdown of the candidates by age and academic qualifications,” according to INEC.
However, as parties commence this critical phase of the election, the Commission once again warned and reminded candidates, agents and their supporters of the provision of the law and the Commission’s guidelines governing such activity.
“For emphasis, parties shall conduct their campaigns with civility and decorum devoid of inciting language, violence, voter inducement and other infractions in accordance with the provisions of Section 92-97 of the Electoral Act 2022,” the Commission warned.
A lawyer and activist, Walton Elendu wants the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu to prove he can still do better after disappointing Nigerians who strongly believed in his promises of conducting free, fair, credible and transparent election last year but failed short of it by not allowing the politicians to deliberately mess up the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States elections.
“The onus to get it right again is on the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu. He should be the sign post of integrity by conducting free, fair, credible and transparent polls in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States governorship elections. Thank God they are off-cycle elections so; he would have adequate of everything he needed to conduct the elections that can match the June 12 we are celebrating today after 31 years. He promised Nigerians and the international community of credible elections in 2023 but we all saw what happened. I’m going back to that but I still believe he can correct those errors that have painted our country in bad colours globally. Before that election, the international community believed so much in the INEC. I know what I am saying. But after the conduct and outrageous results, Nigeria became a laughing stock and unfortunately, Senegal rose beyond people’s expectations with their presidential election, surprising the international community and putting more pressure on INEC and Nigeria. As we celebrated June 12 and poured encomium on the heroes and heroines, Yakubu should take it a step higher by ensuring that the people of Edo and Ondo elect their choice candidates and not forcing candidates as governors on them through rigging and other manipulations.
“The onus to get it right again is on the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu. He should be the sign post of integrity by conducting free, fair, credible and transparent polls in the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.”
“In 1993, some of us were young school graduates, we queued behind Chief MKO Abiola during the election and we had our votes counted till the military destroyed the good job of Professor Humphrey Nwosu. Every Nigerian then knew that Chief MKO won the election. It was not manipulated for him. This is exactly what we expect Professor Yakubu to do in these governorship elections. He should not make INEC an appendage to the political parties by working for the party in power. June 12 has become a legacy and it is only right for us to build on it but unfortunately, these hawks that call themselves politicians do not accept it. They want everything for themselves and nothing for us, but it shouldn’t be so. Chief MKO endeared himself to the hearts of Nigerians with his love for us. He wiped tears off the eyes of students by supporting universities. Why these politicians treat us like rags is because they can buy INEC, the judiciary and even security agencies. Until we have a change of our orientation, June 12 cannot be actualised,” he said.
Jeanbosco Ayuba, a political expert and social critic argued that for INEC to reinstate the spirit of June 12, it must be truly independent by deed not by mere words. He said anyone expecting the Edo and Ondo elections to produce the people’s governor is already living in fantasy.
“How can that be with politicians who have turned our elections to cash and carry? They have amassed so much wealth that they believe they can even by God and unfortunately, the INEC and the courts have proved them right. But MKO was at a time the richest African before he joined politics. He didn’t boast of buying his way with his money. He supported humanity with his wealth and when it was time to reciprocate, there was mass turn up for him. If these crops of politicians were to be Abiola, they would have bought everything and everyone so that they would be unopposed in the general election. If the legacy of June 12 must be sustained then INEC must repent, the judiciary must repent and even the politicians and the electorates, all of us must repent and agree to do the right thing. Countries like Senegal, South Africa and others have toed this line. We can do it if we want to.”