#NigeriaDecides #VoteNotFight: Credible and peaceful elections, duty of all Nigerians

Jonathan (l) and Buhari (r). Credits: Punch

It took the United States President Barack Obama about 400 words in two minutes and 30 seconds on Monday, March 23, to remind over 170 million Nigerians of a home truth: The general elections scheduled for March 28 and April 11 presented the country with a great opportunity to stand united and secure the country’s future through the ballot box.

In his special broadcast, Obama mentioned ‘peace/peacefully’ thrice. He also mentioned ‘democratic’ thrice.

Simply put, Obama’s message drove home the importance of a peace, democracy and maintaining democratic structures in the growth and development of any society.

This is the more reason why, like Obama noted, all Nigerians must be able to cast their votes without fear or intimidation. He said, “I call on all leaders and candidates to make it clear to their supporters that violence has no place in democratic elections, and that they would not incite, support or engage in any kind of violence, before, during or after the votes are counted.

Obama also said, “By casting your ballot, you can help secure your nation’s progress. And this process must be done peacefully.” He also noted that, for elections to be credible, they must be free, fair and peaceful.

Indeed. While the Independent National Electoral Commission must do everything possible within its constitutional powers to ensure it organises free, fair and credible elections; it is not the sole responsibility of the electoral agency alone.

While it is the responsibility of the Nigerian military, the police and all the country’s security agencies to uphold the law and ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order during and after the elections; while the bulk rests on the leaders and candidates to ensure that their supporters do not engage or support any form of violence; it is also the choice of that supporter to choose peace over violence, to choose patriotism over ethnic, religious, political and regional sentiments.

Going by previous elections in the country, it is almost impossible to say categorically that there would not be any kind of violence during the elections. However, it would be fair to say all Nigerians have a choice to decide if they want to be part of a largely peaceful election process.

Thus, ensuring free, fair and credible elections should not only be the sole responsibility of INEC, leaders, political parties and their candidates, it should also be the collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

After decades of military rule and then 16 years of uninterrupted ‘home-grown’ democracy, the upcoming elections come at another critical junction of our nationhood. It is a litmus test of our democratic structures and our national character.

This is the more reason why every Nigerian must see himself as a Nigerian first, before one’s ethnicity, religious or party affiliations. Every Nigerian must work for the collective good, to ensure that the country consolidates on her democratic gains by exercising their constitutional rights peacefully during the elections.

This is another historic opportunity for Nigerians to write the next chapter of Nigeria’s progress by not only voting in the upcoming elections, but also by exercising their constitutional rights peacefully.

“A government of the people, for the people, by the people,” a quote widely accredited to the 16^th US President, Abraham Lincoln, is the least Nigerians deserve. Whoever wins the elections should uphold this timeless tenet of democracy.

As a patriotic duty, Nigerians should choose to go about casting their ballots peacefully during the elections, and also maintain the peace after the elections; no strong and enduring democratic structure was ever built on the foundation of violence, political deceit and selfish interests.

Like President Obama rightly quoted from the famous rallying slogan of Gen. Yakubu Gowon (retd.) during the civil war, “To keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done.”

This journey begins again with free, fair, credible and peaceful elections. Electoral violence should become a footnote on the pages of our history as a great nation, not a recurring decimal.

Nigeria should become a great nation indeed, where peace and justice truly reigns.

God bless Nigeria.

LETTER TO UNCLE GRINGORY by Sam Umukoro

Dear Uncle,

Congratulations on your pyrrhic victory. A major achievement for your administration, now you have every reason to pop champagne and dance to the music of Dr Sid.  You have saved the country from the throes of economic ruin and in the words of your favourite youth, “Ose”. Indeed gratitude is a small word to say for what you have done. In fact when I woke up this morning and saw soldiers on the streets, my heart was filled with pride. Your show of strength is a warning to those disgruntled protesters that you are not a weak ruler.  That you would crush any opposition, save for those people who hate western education. Uncle, don’t listen to the critics encouraging you to take them on, don’t they know that you are from the Delta, and as we say there is no “Mumu” from our region. Please concentrate on the matter at hand; a matter of urgent national attention. This is a very important assignment, a divine task to transform our country economically. You should be commended not condemned by the people, but please forgive them, they don’t know what is good for them and where the shoe “pinches”, after all most of them wore shoes to school and you didn’t.  Now that you are in a position to wear one, you can truly tell where it hurts. Pray uncle what is your shoe size?  A very good friend of mine who is into oil and gas business would like to know. He told me in confidence that as part of his efforts to ensure he secures a lucrative deal and also in appreciation of your fight against corruption, he is willing to buy you 365 pairs of shoes. He promised that as long as his contract run, you would not lack shoes. Trust me sir, I told him to jump into the Lagos lagoon with his offer. If shoe were a problem, there would have been budgetary provision for it. If you could budget close to six million dollars for food alone, then you would have done the same for shoes if it were absolutely necessary. My friend is a jester and is highly recommended for a political appointment. Every king needs jesters in his court.  Sorry, I digress, back to the crux of the matter.

Truth is, the new policy of your administration is welcome development. We know that there is a wicked cabal bent on pushing the country to the edge of the precipice and you have displayed exceptional courage hitherto lacking in your administration in confronting these economic saboteurs.  Well done sir, I shall move from neighbor to neighbour asking them to come out en masse to celebrate the country’s new messiah. I have personally earmarked huge sums of money for musicians who are willing to wax lyrical about your achievement. Better still; a concert will be organized to herald this new era for our country. It is truly the dawn of a new era. We would witness unprecedented growth and development. With the revenue that would accrue to the country from your new policy, our streets will be paved with gold; every village would have a refinery; healthcare will be free for all and sundry; hospitals will have the best facilities in the world consequently top government officials will no longer travel abroad to treat headache and constipation; epileptic power supply would be history; manufacturers would reclaim warehouses from churches. This new policy would take our country to her apogee. I can see your name written in gold in the annals of the country’s history.

However sir, I am worried. So to allay my fears, can you please tell me if your subjects would be alive to see the glorious future? Wont majority of them have died from the burden of the new policy? Just asking and if my questions are provocative, please forgive me; blame it on the naivety of youth. And I don’t want you to call out an entire battalion of soldiers to deal with me.