Why Nigeria’s general election is crucial to the world —Anthony Sani, ACF general secretary

Anthony Sani, the general secretary of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF), highlights major factors that ought to sway voters during next Saturday’s general election, in this interview with KUNLE ODEREMI. Excerpts:

THE Presidential and National Assembly elections are just a few days away. How would you analyse the character and trends of the campaigns for the elections and why?

Of the 91 political parties, Nigerians seem more concerned about the candidates of the two major political parties, namely, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and the main opposition, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). There is emphasis on the candidature and no more on politics of identity often symbolised by ethnicity and religion. This is precisely because these cannot confer advantage on any of the two candidates, since they are northerners and Fulani Muslims.

Unfortunately, instead of the campaigns to be issue-based, they are not doing much in that regard. Instead of the opposition party to dwell on the performance of the government, to question if it justifies reelection, all we hear are echoes that Nigeria wins gold medals in misery indices and takes the rear in Human Development Index (HDI), without them telling Nigerians how things will be done differently for better performance.

The sitting government is expected to let Nigeria know where they are coming from, where we are today and what we hope to be for the better. This should be backed with facts and figures. As a result, the electorate are not properly educated for purpose of informed judgment.

But I think all these are because most Nigerians ignore the place of political parties in a multi-party democracy. Most Nigerians do not know that there is always national consensus on the problems besieging the nation. But often, there is no corresponding national consensus on method of solution. We must not lose sight of the trite that multiparty democracy allows political parties to represent distinct methods of solving national challenges as contained in the manifestos of the political parties which use them to canvass for electoral mandate needed for execution. That is why we refer to the victorious political party as the ruling party. And if the government performs or fails, it is the political party that is accountable, because the mandate is given to the political party and not the individual candidate. For example, I expect those political parties wishing to restructure the country to reflect the specifics in their manifestos so that the ensuing debates will help enlighten the voters for the purpose of informed judgment. It is not enough for some elite to gather in Ibadan or Enugu and try to foist their vested interest on the rest of the country. That is not the working of multi-party democracy.

To what extent do you think the two leading presidential candidates have been addressing issues bordering on national development, especially security, youth unemployment, infrastructure, healthcare, education, economic diversification and poverty reduction?

Both candidates and their political parties are expected to use fact-check on socioeconomic indices, security situation, poverty, unemployment, infrastructure, healthcare, education and the economy as obtained under the immediate-past government and compare it with the situation today for fair and realistic appreciation of whether there have been progress or not.

The opposition is expected to tell Nigerians how it will do things differently for better performance, while the ruling party should tell Nigerians how it hopes to improve on the current records. However, as you can see, most politicians are not concerned about what political party can deliver on the promises, but about which political parties can win the elections. It is the dearth of ideology in the political parties that causes the challenge where the ruling party is at war with itself leading to defections and a situation where the minority controls the National Assembly against practice of democracy, since the majority rule. This has led to the topsy-turvy in the polity.

But I hope we shall learn the tenets of multi-party democracy as time goes on and enthrone democracy that is premised on tripod of justice, liberty and common decency, as against plutocracy and kleptocracy examples of which were experienced at the recent PDP primaries in Port Harcourt and parallel congresses of the APC in many states.

Democracy may differ in form across nations. But when it comes to its three elements listed above, democracy is the same and universal. Those who wish to redefine the elements of democracy may as well redefine the truth.

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What are those factors and issues you believe should sway voters; why and how?

Voters should consider the level of attacks and killings by insurgents in the past across the North, compare high-profile killings of the past with what obtains now, in order to make fair and realistic comparison as to whether there have been improvement or not. The opposition should let Nigerians know what they will do differently to exceed the present level of performance. Some of these analyses will enable the voters to make informed decisions as to whether to re-elect the government or not.

As for the fight against corruption by this government, there has been recovery of loots. There have been some arraignment and there have been some convictions. There have been Treasury Single Account (TSA), Bank Verification Number BVN as well as Integrity Personnel and Payroll System (IPPIS) used for preventive measures. Today, many Nigerians know corruption is the major stumbling block on the path to socioeconomic development. The practice of cash-for-peerage is yielding to credibility, integrity and honesty. There are efforts to diversify the economy from dependence on oil wealth which is not result of hard work. As a result, the non-importation of rice has saved foreign exchange for deployment in other areas of needs. There has been some improvement on infrastructure. Political analysts should help voters make informed choices between the ruling party and the opposition who should let voters know how they will do things differently for better performance.

What would you make of the keen interest being shown by the UK, US and the EU countries in the coming election, which warranted the warning by the Federal Government that Nigeria would not tolerate undue external interference because Nigeria is a sovereign state following the suspension of the Chief Justice of Nigerian?

Nigeria is the largest black democracy whose influence straddles not only West Africa, but also Africa as a whole. Such influence cannot be discounted by the comity of nations. This is because should there be any problem in the world, the ripples will be felt by not only by the neighboring countries, but also the developed countries; hence, their concern about any action that can wreak havoc on the forthcoming elections.

I want to believe the response by the Federal Government has dispelled any misconception and put to rest their fear.

Various regional groups, including Afenifere, Ohanaeze, Northern Elders Forum, Pan-Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and the Middle Belt Forum have endorsed Atiku Abubakar of PDP, just as some former military generals, acting as a pressure group, said they are supporting President Muhammadu Buhari. What is the significance of such endorsements? How far do you think their action can go in swaying the critical mass of the more than 74 million voting population?

The socio-cultural groups which have endorsed the presidential candidate of PDP, former Vice-President Atiku, expressed their democratic right which nobody can take away from them. That is democracy in action. But there is nothing new about the endorsement because apart from Northern Elders Forum, most of them endorsed and worked for PDP in 2015. What seems to be new is the fact that most of them are in factions. For example, only factions of Afenifere, Ohanaeze and NEF have endorsed Atiku. And if we agree that a faction is not the whole organisation, it follows that their endorsement could not be representative of their platforms, let alone their regions which they profess to represent.

I, therefore, do not see how the endorsement can affect the outcome of the election substantially. You may wish to know that ACF, which is the umbrella body for the North, does not share the view by the faction of the NEF led by Professor Ango Abdullahi. The endorsement of President Buhari by about 71 Generals has put paid to the rumour bandied about that retired Generals are determined to unseat the present regime electorally.

There is fear in certain quarters about the sincerity of INEC to deliver free, fair and credible elections. Former President Olusegun Obasanjo recently expressed this fear. What does this scenario portend for the election, INEC, Nigeria and democracy?

Former President Obasanjo cast doubt on the credibility of INEC to conduct free and fair elections. Many of us had wanted the former president to let the nation know the basis of his concerns which were omitted from the content of his letter on the subject matter. But former President Obasanjo attended the meeting of Council of State where governors of both the APC and PDP were in attendance. During the meeting, the INEC chairman briefed the council and assured it of the commission’s preparedness to conduct credible, free and fair elections. The council applauded the INEC chairman with the former president in attendance. One expects the PDP governors and Obasanjo to seize the opportunity and challenge the INEC chairman about their concerns. But they did not do so. That explains why Nigerians kept silent, meaning the allegation had no credible and verifiable basis.

The presidential campaign appears to have submerged that of candidates for seats in the National Assembly. How healthy is this trend for good governance, competence and integrity, in view of the serious and deep concern Nigerians often express about the poor quality of representation at the National Assembly over the years?

That the presidential campaign has submerged the National Assembly’s is normal. This is because most Nigerians are more concerned about the person of Mr. President who heads the government that makes things happen. But that is not to suggest they will not make judicious use of their democratic rights and ensure that their votes count so that the ensuing legislators will be accountable.