By Ayo Oyoze Baje
"Free, fair and credible elections form the strong foundation on which to build the house of democracy" – Ayo Oyoze Baje (On ‘Editors Forum’, Galaxy TV, May 2011)
When on Saturday, July 11, 2009 the then United States President Barack Obama stated that: “Africa doesn't need strongmen, it needs strong institutions” it was made in total condemnation of tyrants on the continent; especially those who enrich themselves at the expense of the poor people. That is according to ‘International Articles’ online platform. Back then Obama was on a landmark trip to Accra, Ghana.
Going further, he urged Africans to demand for stronger governments, which of course, begins with free, fair, credible, violence-free elections of international standards. Such elections run in sync with the wishes of the people as expressed through their votes cast at the polling units. Unfortunately, what has recently transpired through the Presidential, Senatorial and House of Representatives polls held on Saturday, February 25,2023 is contrary to Obama’s clarion call.
Ordinarily, elections should not be viewed as a war front scenario, to be fought and won by the jungle mentality of might- is- right, or by brute force. No! Also, it should not be won by using the instrumentality of the power of incumbency, by the collusion of those agencies and arms of government entrusted with the mandate to protect the wishes of the eligible voters. That is under normal electoral conditions and more so in a sane society.
But here in Nigeria winning elections by the deployment of slush funds, overt injustice, subterfuge, lies, acts of betrayal and intimidation are becoming the rule rather than the exception. The import is that it is most unfortunate because we seem not to have learnt the bitter lessons from our past mistakes.
For instance, in 2010 ahead of the 2011 general elections a Texas, United States -based manufacturer of armoured vehicles wondered at the huge demand for such high-profile cars by our politicians. And he asked the troubling question:" Are Nigerians preparing for elections or are they getting set for war?" The answer should be obvious to many discerning citizens.
In a similar vein, a report titled: Nigeria's 2015 General Elections: Limiting The Violence made available by the International Crisis Group (ICG), a Belgium-based advocacy organization warned about the influx of wide-ranging firearms, ranging from pistols to assault rifles, portending grave dangers for the conduct of the elections. That was some eight years ago. Fast forward to the current 2023 general elections. There have been several reported incidents of killings of candidates and harassment of voters after the process. For instance, the Labour Party Senatorial candidate, Oyibo Chukwu and five of his supporters were burnt to death in Enugu before the elections!
Similarly, some 13 people were reportedly burnt alive and three others shot to death on Sunday, February 26, 2023 in Tundunwada LGA of Kano state. Also, the campaign office of the New Nigerian People’s Party(NNPP) was set ablaze in the same state. Furthermore, there were incidents of shops burnt in some places in Lagos state after the elections.
But one significant issue that has bedeviled the results as released is that of accusations and allegations of complicity and compromise by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). By its mandate INEC was established by the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria to among other things organize elections into various political offices in the country.
In spite of the allocation of a humongous sum of N305.5bn as its 2023 budget its performance on the field has so far been below expectations. For instance, former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo recently stated that it is no longer a secret that INEC officials, at operational level, have been compromised. He wondered why the electoral body went against the Electoral Act to obtain results by manual means instead of by electronic transfer, as agreed. His observations are reflected in the document titled: 'Don't Set Nigeria on Fire if Your Hands are Clean'.
Not left out Comrade Isaac Balami, the Deputy Campaign Manager of the Obi/Datti Campaign Organization charged INEC to declare true results and not the "fake ones" as collated at the International Conference Centre (ICC), Abuja.
Incidentally, some aggrieved youths had a peaceful protest outside the ICC accusing INEC of reeling out results that are at variance with the votes cast by the eligible voters. On his part, a Human Rights lawyer, Inibehe Effiong accused the presiding officers of INEC of committing a criminal offence by failing to transmit results to the IReV portal, contrary to the new Electoral Act. INEC ought to have transmitted the results real time from the polling units.
In his candid view, renowned Human Rights lawyer, Femi Falana (SAN) demands immediate prosecution of electoral officials, especially those arrested by the police for disrupting the election, those caught for forging results and those who deliberately prevented people from voting.
On the querulous issue of declaring a presidential candidate as the winner, according to Mike Igini, the former Akwa Ibom Resident Electoral Commission (REC) ‘no presidential candidate can be declared winner in the presidential election without winning 25% of the votes in Abuja, FCT’. This is also supported by Barrister Emeka Ozoani (SAN) quoting Section133(b), last paragraph of the 1999 constitution. But was that complied with during the recent declaration of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner? Only the courts will tell.
From the observations of the International observers, the European Election (EU) Observers Mission was disappointed that INEC could not upload election results to the viewing portal IReV despite the use of the Bimordal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) which they had earlier commended.
Another issue of concern was raised by Jonathan Rosen, a researcher of the Committee to Protect Journalists. He revealed that 14 cases of harassment, attacks and detention during the course of the election took place.
From all the above-stated infractions, concerned Nigerians and political parties have called on INEC to comply with the Electoral Act and indeed, cancel the elections held so far. Pa Ayo Adebanjo, the Afenifere chieftain, worried about the collapse of INEC’s web infrastructure called for the immediate suspension of the collation of the results before the winner was declared.
Others include former President Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Godwin Tsa, of the National Human Rights Commission(NHRC), political party presidential candidates such as that of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, Peter Obi of the Labour Party (LP) and Dr. Rabiu Kwankwanso of the NNDP. In fact, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the results as “illegitimate”.
As rightly canvassed by Obama, we do not need strong individuals who would subvert the wishes of the people using the Machiavellian tactics. Rather, we need strong institutions, beginning with INEC to ensure that the people’s votes must always count. The ball is now in the court of the courts and the time to act is now!
Note: This piece is dedicated to Mrs. Bina
Jennifer Efidi, a voter who was wounded by suspected thugs in Ikate area of
Surulere, Lagos during the elections but still went ahead to cast her vote.
*Baje is the President of Guild
of Public Affairs Analysts of Nigeria (GPAAN)
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