A piece of advice
- Details
- Category: Philosofaith
- Written by M. U. Ndagi
- Hits: 837
This column, as it has always done when necessary, finds it imperative at this moment of our journey to 2011 general elections to comment on major political developments in the country, at least, in the past few weeks. It is important to carry out this obligation not only because we are observers and public commentators of events but also because, as Nigerians, we are stakeholders in the political future of our nation. More so, man is by nature a political animal with political sensitivities.
The primary elections so far conducted by some of the major political parties in the country including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) illustrate the poor quality of internal democracy in nearly all political parties. Without sounding too pessimistic, the brazen and undemocratic manipulation of electoral processes in the emergence of aspirants as party flag bearers for the upcoming general elections do not give us better hope that the elections would produce credible leaders. Unless all the factors that seem to threaten the credibility of electoral processes are genuinely and collectively addressed, our desire for good governance from the results of the 2011 polls might remain a mirage. Media reports indicate that primary elections were won by the highest bidders, which yet makes money a primary denominator in Nigerian politics. This, of course, precludes poor Nigerians from active participation in partisan politics.The aggressive desperation illustrated in the huge expenditures incurred by political aspirants to become winners in the just-concluded primary elections is another justification for the fear that if necessary measures are not put in place, money will play prominent role to defraud the remaining electoral processes of the 2011 general elections. We wonder at how politics in Nigeria is still wrongly perceived by money-bag-politicians who are in the majority as a means to accessing their own share of the “national-cake”, rather than an opportunity to serve their people. We are similarly prompted by the same fear to suggest that the chances of “peoples’ choice” candidates emerging as winners in the elections are plausibly limited. We consider delegates in the primary elections at all levels of the electoral process who allowed themselves, for self-centered reasons, to be induced by aspirants, as worse enemies of democracy and good governance in Nigeria. Their actions indeed portray them as a people without conscience; working against the wishes of Nigerian for credible elections. Their recompense for betraying the trust and confidence of the entire Nigerian voters, we pray and hope, shall duly be handed down by God, here or in the hereafter.
What, perhaps, we find more disturbing is the violence that characterized the primary elections in some part of the country. It was reported, for instance, that the primaries in to the Niger state assembly left one person dead while the PDP chairman of Edati local government was reportedly lying in coma at the Federal Medical Centre in Bida. This also indicates that the garrison style of “democracy” introduced by its proponent, former President Obasanjo, in to Nigerian politics is still very much relevant to and serving wicked politicians who see it as “a do or die” affair. Another violence which claimed the life one Datti Ahmad of the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) was recorded in Dutse, Jigawa State. Datti Ahmad, according to media reports, was engaged by some PDP supporters in a debate; and in the course of the argument, was stabbed by one of the PDP supporters.
In view of the foregoing, we consider it crucial to offer some pieces of advice to all stakeholders in the 2011 general elections; if only we cherish to have free, fair and peaceful conduct of the polls. The appointment of partisan politicians by government as electoral commissioners casts some doubts in the minds of Nigerians over her promise to conduct credible elections in 2011. If the appointment of General A.B Mamman (from FCT) and others as electoral commissioners were withdrawn on grounds of their being card-carrying members of the ruling PDP; we find it ridiculous that the appointment of an electoral commissioner (Enugu State) who is also a card-carrying member of PDP has not been withdrawn. This makes us doubt government’s sincerity in her pledge that 2011 general elections would be free and fair. In order, therefore, to restore the confidence of Nigerians, we advice government to, without delay, terminate the appointment of the electoral commissioner under reference and replace him with a non-partisan politician.
Because of the general loss of confidence and the poor image suffered today by the Nigeria Police as a result of corrupt practices that bedeviled the force over the years, we suggest to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, when and where necessary, collaborate with the military for the possible use of their personnel with a view to ensuring that votes casted as well as the results of elections are adequately protected. We counsel eligible Nigerians to, as a first step towards achieving credible elections, register during the upcoming voter registration exercise. We advice all eligible voters to, after registration, keep good custody of their cards. They should equally, on election days, protect their votes lawfully; and encourage others to act lawfully.
We urge political parties in the country, especially those in opposition to the ruling PDP, to beware of the season of defection in the party that once vowed to “rule for fifty years”. The intrigues of betrayal played by Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State in the 2007 general elections are enough lessons for the leadership of opposition parties, particularly the CPC, to be cautious in their admission of decampees from other parties. Leaders of such “hot-cake” parties should be informed that decampees could be carrying political viruses that may be difficult to democratically scan or quarantine. Partisan politicians are encouraged to remain guided by the provisions of the law and to desist from manipulating religion to further their political ambitions as is being purportedly done in Jos, Plateau Sate. They should also imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship where losers channel their grievances to appropriate quarters by seeking redress in the courts of law.
The Nigerian Judiciary should endeavour to restore the confidence of Nigerians in the administration of justice in the country. A situation where cases challenging the results of governorship elections would be allowed to drag on for as long as three years before judgment is delivered does not augur well for the survival of democracy in the country; especially if the judgment were to be against the sitting governor who probably came in to office through fraudulent electoral processes or results. The controversial judgment delivered in some cases by the Court of Appeal, at a time, rather made the judiciary a liability to Nigerians. May Allah (SWT) make today’s piece a useful guide to credible electoral processes, from voter registration through general elections, amin.
A piece of advice
Category: Philosofaith Written by M. U. Ndagi Hits: 837
This column, as it has always done when necessary, finds it imperative at this moment of our journey to 2011 general elections to comment on major political developments in the country, at least, in the past few weeks. It is important to carry out this obligation not only because we are observers and public commentators of events but also because, as Nigerians, we are stakeholders in the political future of our nation. More so, man is by nature a political animal with political sensitivities.
The primary elections so far conducted by some of the major political parties in the country including the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) illustrate the poor quality of internal democracy in nearly all political parties. Without sounding too pessimistic, the brazen and undemocratic manipulation of electoral processes in the emergence of aspirants as party flag bearers for the upcoming general elections do not give us better hope that the elections would produce credible leaders. Unless all the factors that seem to threaten the credibility of electoral processes are genuinely and collectively addressed, our desire for good governance from the results of the 2011 polls might remain a mirage. Media reports indicate that primary elections were won by the highest bidders, which yet makes money a primary denominator in Nigerian politics. This, of course, precludes poor Nigerians from active participation in partisan politics.The aggressive desperation illustrated in the huge expenditures incurred by political aspirants to become winners in the just-concluded primary elections is another justification for the fear that if necessary measures are not put in place, money will play prominent role to defraud the remaining electoral processes of the 2011 general elections. We wonder at how politics in Nigeria is still wrongly perceived by money-bag-politicians who are in the majority as a means to accessing their own share of the “national-cake”, rather than an opportunity to serve their people. We are similarly prompted by the same fear to suggest that the chances of “peoples’ choice” candidates emerging as winners in the elections are plausibly limited. We consider delegates in the primary elections at all levels of the electoral process who allowed themselves, for self-centered reasons, to be induced by aspirants, as worse enemies of democracy and good governance in Nigeria. Their actions indeed portray them as a people without conscience; working against the wishes of Nigerian for credible elections. Their recompense for betraying the trust and confidence of the entire Nigerian voters, we pray and hope, shall duly be handed down by God, here or in the hereafter.
What, perhaps, we find more disturbing is the violence that characterized the primary elections in some part of the country. It was reported, for instance, that the primaries in to the Niger state assembly left one person dead while the PDP chairman of Edati local government was reportedly lying in coma at the Federal Medical Centre in Bida. This also indicates that the garrison style of “democracy” introduced by its proponent, former President Obasanjo, in to Nigerian politics is still very much relevant to and serving wicked politicians who see it as “a do or die” affair. Another violence which claimed the life one Datti Ahmad of the Congress for Progress Change (CPC) was recorded in Dutse, Jigawa State. Datti Ahmad, according to media reports, was engaged by some PDP supporters in a debate; and in the course of the argument, was stabbed by one of the PDP supporters.
In view of the foregoing, we consider it crucial to offer some pieces of advice to all stakeholders in the 2011 general elections; if only we cherish to have free, fair and peaceful conduct of the polls. The appointment of partisan politicians by government as electoral commissioners casts some doubts in the minds of Nigerians over her promise to conduct credible elections in 2011. If the appointment of General A.B Mamman (from FCT) and others as electoral commissioners were withdrawn on grounds of their being card-carrying members of the ruling PDP; we find it ridiculous that the appointment of an electoral commissioner (Enugu State) who is also a card-carrying member of PDP has not been withdrawn. This makes us doubt government’s sincerity in her pledge that 2011 general elections would be free and fair. In order, therefore, to restore the confidence of Nigerians, we advice government to, without delay, terminate the appointment of the electoral commissioner under reference and replace him with a non-partisan politician.
Because of the general loss of confidence and the poor image suffered today by the Nigeria Police as a result of corrupt practices that bedeviled the force over the years, we suggest to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to, when and where necessary, collaborate with the military for the possible use of their personnel with a view to ensuring that votes casted as well as the results of elections are adequately protected. We counsel eligible Nigerians to, as a first step towards achieving credible elections, register during the upcoming voter registration exercise. We advice all eligible voters to, after registration, keep good custody of their cards. They should equally, on election days, protect their votes lawfully; and encourage others to act lawfully.
We urge political parties in the country, especially those in opposition to the ruling PDP, to beware of the season of defection in the party that once vowed to “rule for fifty years”. The intrigues of betrayal played by Governor Isa Yuguda of Bauchi State in the 2007 general elections are enough lessons for the leadership of opposition parties, particularly the CPC, to be cautious in their admission of decampees from other parties. Leaders of such “hot-cake” parties should be informed that decampees could be carrying political viruses that may be difficult to democratically scan or quarantine. Partisan politicians are encouraged to remain guided by the provisions of the law and to desist from manipulating religion to further their political ambitions as is being purportedly done in Jos, Plateau Sate. They should also imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship where losers channel their grievances to appropriate quarters by seeking redress in the courts of law.
The Nigerian Judiciary should endeavour to restore the confidence of Nigerians in the administration of justice in the country. A situation where cases challenging the results of governorship elections would be allowed to drag on for as long as three years before judgment is delivered does not augur well for the survival of democracy in the country; especially if the judgment were to be against the sitting governor who probably came in to office through fraudulent electoral processes or results. The controversial judgment delivered in some cases by the Court of Appeal, at a time, rather made the judiciary a liability to Nigerians. May Allah (SWT) make today’s piece a useful guide to credible electoral processes, from voter registration through general elections, amin.