NIGERIA’s presidential election has come and gone. Expectedly, a winner and losers emerged. However, the ultimate winners are all Nigerians and the nation’s democracy notwithstanding the political party that won. Political parties will someday pass away, but Nigeria’s flag remains flying. In fact, everyone who participated in the exercise deserves encomium irrespective of outcomes. Hence, unsuccessful participators should civilly sheathe their swords, cheer their successful contenders and look forward to the future while winners show magnanimity in their victory.
Interestingly, President Muhammadu Buhari, on sportsmanship, enjoined his supporters not to mock the losers, along with assurances that the new administration would strive to strengthen unity and inclusiveness so that no section or group would feel isolated. As the stage is set for Buhari’s ‘Next level’ packages having been reelected at the poll, let hostilities that largely manifested in the first term be eschewed.
Numerous innocent lives were lost over unrestrained behaviours and rabble-rousing. Political killing in whatever guises, which culminated to sending countless people to early graves is nauseatingly condemnable. Thus, politicians should opt for decorum in the interest of the nation. Let the political party that received the people’s mandate be allowed to run its government for the betterment of the citizenry. In any democracy, the majority will always have the way while the minority, their say.
Essentially, let oppositions, this time be characterized by maturity and constructivism instead of pull-down syndromes. The Democrats and Republicans in the United States are good examples. Remarkably, Hilary Clinton was defeated by Donald Trump amidst alleged irregularities, yet faces her private life; allowing Americans to freely and fairly assess the Republican’s administration. That’s patriotism personified.
Furthermore, by the numerous challenges that confronted the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) particularly logistic problems that led to the postponement of the poll few hours to the schedule alongside infernos at some of its offices and other administrative issues, it is pertinent that the commission should prudently ponder on advanced technology like other countries towards getting rid of such issues permanently.
In similar vein, Card-readers and Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) could be upgraded, configured to work akin to ATM cards which will enable registered voters to simply go to any polling units with digitalized PVC; slot in, scroll the political parties and exercise the franchise. With such mechanism, the issue of exclusions or conceiving that a particular group may vote in a certain direction will be overtaken by technology as electorates can use any preferred polling unit.
Furthermore, the alarming number of mushroom political parties for presidential election that usually withdraw after wasting tax-payers money in printing lengthy ballot papers demands the umpire to necessarily review the requirements. Possibly, a precondition of political parties having at least a seat in the National Assembly or a state government may suffice for presidency, whilst governorship; a LGA or a seat in the House of Assembly. Such review will bring decency against the ridiculous gimmicks of presenting candidate for a high position without capability to even win councillorship position in the ward.
Government cannot justifiably continue to waste public funds on printing election materials for political parties and their candidates only for them to abscond after emerging candidates under the cloak of stepping down or adopting another party’s candidate.
Carl Umegboro,
08173184542-SMS
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