Kudos To Attahiru Jega

By Odunayo Joseph

Going by the preparations already put in place by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) under the headship of Prof. Attahiru Jega towards the conduct of the 2015 general elections for Nigerians, it can safely be said that so far it is well and good.  It is evident from the various newly introduced steps taken to ensure that the elections will be devoid of rigging and manipulations that characterized the 1999, 2003, 2007 elections including even the 2011 elections which Prof. Jega has assured Nigerians would be improved upon in the conduct of the 2015 elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11.

From all intents and purposes, the alignment and configuration of card readers with Permanent Voters  Card (PVC), the coding and colour differentiation of ballot papers on local government basis, the configuration of polling units with card readers, distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) which by Friday, 13th March, 2015, as reported, had attained 81% collection by voters, voter education and enlightenment programmes for all stakeholders, are indeed signs of readiness of Prof. Jega to satisfy the yearning of the millions of electorate, who are more than ready to constitutionally exercise their voting rights come March 28 and April 11 in the presidential/national assembly and governorship/state assemblies polls respectively.

The stance of Prof. Jega on the controversial deployment of the military for the 2015 election is commendable and would no doubt enjoy the support of the majority of the electorate, taking cognizance of the declaration/admission of Senator Ken Nnamani in his capacity as a Senate President to international observers mission led by former US Secretary and Chairman of the National Democratic Institute (NDI), Mrs. Madeleine Albright that “the PDP used mobile policemen and soldiers in the highly rigged governorship and state assemblies elections that were held on April 14, 2007, prior to the Presidential and National Assembly” that took place on April 21, 2007, as reported on page 7 in ThisDay newspaper of Friday, April 20, 2007 and the disenfranchisement of a large number of electorate who, owing to the fear engendered by the intimidating presence of fierce looking, gun-wielding soldiers made a large number of registered voters to remain indoors during  the June 2014 Ekiti governorship election.

Prof. Jega’s efforts at establishing a template for a lasting free, fair, credible and transparent election in Nigeria deserves the support of well-meaning Nigerians. It would be recalled that the  Chairman of the Senate Committee on Rules and Business, Senator Umar Tsausi, while contributing to the protracted debate on the Independent National Electoral Commission Bill on the floor of the Senate on Wednesday, April 21, 2005, openly admitted that “most of us came here (Senate) through electoral malpractices and widespread irregularities that characterised  the 2003 elections”, with a warning to fellow Senators to be mindful of how they handled the bill, as reported on page 9 in The Punch newspaper of Thursday, April 21, 2005.

From all indications, the 2015 election have gathered momentum with enthusiasm showing on the faces of the millions of the electorate who are eagerly looking forward to March 28 and April 11, when they will file out to cast their votes. But whether this will be carried out under a civil atmosphere or an atmosphere that is prone to intimidation of helpless electorate, brutalization or brow beating and militarization as was the case during the June 2014 governorship election in Ekiti State is another ball game entirely. Once bitten, twice shy, so says an adage. All forms of actions that can result in rigging of the 2015 elections through disenfranchisement of the electorate should be avoided.  One fact that should remain firmly in the minds of all Nigerians is that when the electorate are disenfranchised through apathy or fear of the unknown, the result is the emergence of unpopular and unacceptable people at the helm of affairs and it can be better imagined what kind of governance leaders that get elected under this kind of arrangement will give to the people when they assume the position of leadership.

Prof. Jega is therefore enjoined not to relent in his efforts at meeting the yearnings of the electorate for the conduct of a free, fair, transparent, credible and acceptable election. He should, together with his Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) refuse to be distracted by the antics of desperate politicians who, in the face of imminent rejection at the polls, have heat up the polity through thuggery and harassment/intimidation of political opponents.

These politicians want to do everything possible through well-orchestrated, artful and articulated plans to place hurdles in the path of INEC to prevent it from conducting credible election that will lead to the emergence of true representatives of the people.

God Bless Nigeria!

•Joseph is the Publicity Secretary, Lagos/Ogun State Branch of Okun Dev. Association. Email: [email protected]; Tel: 08053488121