2015 marks another transition year in Nigeria. Yours comradely is personally proud to witness this historic democratic process. Yours sincerely is even more inspired to vote because, thanks to INEC, I have my Permanent Voters Card (PVC). While I keep adding my voice to the remaining million others to have their voting cards like me, I salute the resolve of INEC under the leadership of Atahiru Jega to deliver outstanding cards of other compatriots.
Even more commendable is insistence of INEC that the time table for the February polls is sacrosanct and that there will be no postponement of elections as dangerously insinuated by the National security Adviser (NSA) from the rooftop of Chatham House in UK. Having witnessed military dictatorships of varying hues with their notorious restrictions on liberty and freedom, alterations of rules, and violation of trade unions and workers’ rights, it is exciting to be part of the ongoing 4th uninterrupted democratic transitions at Federal, states and legislative levels.
As Nigerians, we can legitimately deserve some self-praise for keeping abiding faith with democracy (with all its imperfections!) for almost two decades, precisely 16 years. With close to 70 million registered voters (almost the population of Egypt!) Nigeria is the biggest democracy in Africa and indeed among the global top 10 democracies. With almost four milestones of four Federal and State elections as well as hundreds of local government elections, Nigeria is truly a democracy destination, comparable to South Africa, Brazil, India and Indonesia.
We must refuse to see political doom in the forthcoming elections despite the political fireworks and partisan star-words . On the contrary, we must see democratic hope. All we need is to consolidate on our democratic gains and minimize democratic losses through zero level tolerance to rigging and violence. We must commend notable statesmen like Chief Emeka Anyaoku who initiated the Abuja peace accord.
In the fullness of time, the presidential, National Assembly and state elections are here. The on going democratic enthusiasm and anxiety compare favourably with the presidential 1993 election during which SDP and NRC just like PDP and challenging APC are rightly mobilizing the electorate. We must build on the gains of that historic election of 1993 and avoid its pitfalls that included contrived disputations and criminal annulment. Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must reproduce its recent good work in Ekiti and Osun at the national global levels. Votes must just count. After experience of four transitions from one democratic federal government to another, I am optimistic that 2015 will be a success. All we need are; the credibility of the electoral register, sanctity of the election time table and rules, independence of INEC, and transparent democratic behavior of all the contestants. Let there be contest of ideas and policies not battle and conquest of contestants.
These elections are not short of candidates. But these elections are as much as with the candidates no less they ae with the voters. The forthcoming elections are about us all; Nigerians; uninterrupted electricity supply, physical security of lives and property, social and economic security through job creation, stable exchange rate of the Naira, lower inflation. Furthermore, when a quarter of Africa’s total population vote, these elections are also about Africa.
These elections are about Nigeria’s position in the world. Yes all politics are local. However in a globalized world with imported terrorism like Boko Haram serious presidential candidates should also show knowledge of the global political economy. What happens to our foreign policy which for now is all time low? Nigerians must task the candidates on their vision for Nigeria on topical global issues such as world trade, fairer distribution of world resources, Africans in diaspora, senseless war in South Sudan, independence of the Palestinian State, etc
Issa Aremu, mni
