For the first time in the history of electioneering in Nigeria’s democracy, one can authoritatively declare that the Federal Government was not involved in any form of election rigging at the State level. Not that it has not happened before, only that now there is no shadow of doubt.
Despite the might of the Federal Government, its control of the armed forces and other parastatals, agencies and bodies, it did not abother to rig the election. One can also now more decisively conclude that the Ekiti polls were not rigged either, Although that is in fact already common knowledge to astute political observers that do not take a partisan view for the sake of political calculations.
President Goodluck Jonathan has obviously kept one 2011 campaign promise, which is probably the most important promise he made Nigerians, to ensure that our individual and collective decisions count at the polls. And many Nigerians are already promising to reward him with their vote come 2015. One Twitter user said, let APC have Osun, because Nigeria is for Jonathan.
The All Progressives Congress, as can be expected of any main opposition political party has been screaming to the heavens about the deployment of soldiers, DSS and other security personnel ahead of elections, but the truth is many Nigerians know that should these forces not be deployed to major towns and cities during elections, then the business of election rigging will continue unhindered (both by PDP and APC faithfuls). President Jonathan has promised to stop electoral malpractice and he understands better than most that the only way to guarantee free and fair elections in a country like Nigeria is to deploy security agents in full force to deter would be riggers.
Only two weeks ago there were reports of a hoodlum in Osun who died whilst testing the efficacy of his bulletproof charms. According to those who knew the deceased, he had hoped to audition as a political thug and ballot box snatcher per excellence to some godfathers ahead of the State election. Should we then not put in place security agents to deter such miscreants if the arm of nature fails to catch up with every single one of them?
The PDP under President Jonathan is a breath of fresh air from the status quo the likes of former President Olusegun Obasanjo institutionalized as far as free and fair elections are/were concerned. Infact it is rumoured that the only reason OBJ could never uproot Lagos from then Action Congress was because Tinubu’s thugs in Lagos state were more powerful and many in number than anything OBJ could throw at him. Thankfully, Obasanjo was not using the military or DSS to supervise elections, because he would have used them in a manner opposite to the way President Jonathan seems to be using them.
The result is free and fair elections. Many Nigerians understand what President Jonathan is trying to achieve by policing Nigerians more efficiently during elections periods and the local and international observers of these elections cannot all be wrong in their verdict that very significant progress has been made under his administration.
For the past few weeks, The Herald has been asking Nigerians who they will vote for in 2015. Almost 50% of Nigerians have indicated that they will vote for President Jonathan. 24% say Buhari is their man, 14% like Kwankwaso and 5% are rooting for Atiku Abubakar. This is after we polled just about 1000 people, 966 at press time to be exact.
Yet the APC keeps shouting that the PDP is looking to rig elections, even after free and fair elections have been conducted to the spectacle of all. The APC Chairman recently threatened to throw Nigeria into anarchy if they dare lose the 2015 elections. He said they will constitute a parallel government. A very serious and approaching felonious if not treasonable statement.
The APC needs to realize that as a party it may not be mature enough to beat the performing incumbent president at the National level. There is time between now and February 14, 2015 when they could spend their time campaigning and making better preparations instead of threatening fire and brimstone upon the very fabric of our social existence as Nigerians.
If they do intend to set up a parallel government, then what would be their parallel armed forces? Boko Haram? It is statements like these that lend credence to claims made by some of their former allies such as Femi Fani Kayode.
Politics is not always by gra gra and people need to respect the gentleman approach of President Jonathan. The truth is that whilst many Nigerians want a change from PDP, not many are certain that recycled APC politicians are the alternative they desire. Furthermore by presiding over glaringly transparent elections in Ekiti and Osun, the President has demonstrated an ability to change the PDP from within, and that is indeed transformation the people can rally behind.
Take the 2015 poll here.