Since December 12, 1959 when the first national pre-independence elections were held in Nigeria till today, we have had no election without citizens losing sleep and remaining exceedingly anxious over electoral violence. Even the June 12, 1993 Presidential election internationally recognised as the nation’s best had its own tension. Indeed, the 1993 election was the first to be annulled in the nation’s history. Nigerian elections have always been subjected to a plethora of electoral malpractices featuring political intimidation, vote buying and collusion of the electoral body with interest groups to rig our polls. These anomalies have greatly discouraged citizen participation in elections leading to sequential decline in voter turn-out. With the introduction of technology and flashes of occasional above average performance of the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC voters started nursing the hope that perhaps failed elections were soon to end – an enthusiastic feeling that was dashed by the inexplicable technical glitch that marred the 2023 Presidential contest.
Painfully, the National Assembly that should have rekindled the hope of citizens by redressing the loopholes in the Electoral Act lost the golden opportunity of making history. Its members rather than holding the bull by its horn through a seamless reform of enthroning real time electronic transmission of results decided to play politics. They used a tiny thread to tie the bull’s horn allowing the people to believe that their votes may not count in 2027. Since then, everyone has chosen to embrace self-help. While those in the ruling party are busy intimidating others because they happen to be in control of the instruments of coercion, the opposition parties are tidying up arrangements to muster enough courage to meet force with force. Already, the vow of the opposition parties that the 2027 elections will be won and lost at the polling centres gravely throws a spanner into our democracy with the suggestion that there is nothing just about the official framework for justice delivery.
The summary of what we have said so far is that in 2027, there will be fierce fighting between two elephants which will result in the deaths of not the combatants and their families but the poor and ordinary masses of society. In which case, there is already fear and anxiety among our people over heavy political violence in 2027. Anyone who is in doubt should go back to our media records that are replete with reports of preparations for violence by our political class. One report for example, will show that Nigeria has become the first and most likely the only country where massively voting can kill some contestants. A senator of the federal republic Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East) who said it insisted that he didn’t say anyone should be killed through inflicting bodily harm or physical attack but through massive voting that can easily send Osun politicians into untimely death. Nothing was done to the senator to whom such an unacceptable rhetoric was credited.
In Kuje, an area council of the federal capital territory, the people were lucky that they got an early signal that anyone unwilling to support the APC should just quit the council area. If a leader like Samuel Shekwolo or his type assumes the chairmanship of Kuje Area Council or indeed any of the FCT council areas, then elections in such location would be based on the import of the directive of Shekwolo to citizens that “It’s either you are doing APC or leave the area council.” What would happen to those not supporting the ruling party is more specific in Borno state where the Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development Sainna Buba reportedly used threatening language while addressing an APC-linked political gathering. On the occasion, Buba was quoted to have said that those who “show us a finger” would have their fingers broken and those who refused to follow the government would be “flogged.” Whether in Kuje or Borno, nothing was done to those who have used their might to breach the Nigerian constitution which guarantees to every citizen, freedom of association as well as freedom of expression.
The several pleas by political analysts to higher authorities to call their supporters and officials to order are simplistic because in many cases the same higher authorities are behind the threats. In Kebbi State, the chairman of Gwandu Local Government Area, Alhaji Atiku Ahmad Mandiya, was captured in a video telling supporters that anyone who spoke against Governor Nasir Idris “should be dealt with.” As if to confirm that the message came directly from above, Mandiya also specifically promised to secure the release of any supporter arrested for confronting the governor’s opponents. In Ebonyi State, it was the governor himself, Francis Nwifuru who warned newly inaugurated local government chairmen that they could be removed if they failed to deliver their councils to the APC in 2027. In a swift response to allegations that APC members were harassing and intimidating political critics, Nwifuru said “any chairman who fails to win his council will be removed from office and replaced with a councillor. I want this information to be on the headlines of newspapers because, as politicians, we will not speak in secret.”
The above explains why the newly sworn-in Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Eze Paul Ituma, warned residents in his area who were unwilling to align with the APC to stay away from the area. The media had indeed reported Ituma’s pledge to implement governor Nwifuru’s directive after his warning that opposition elements who wanted to challenge Nwifuru or reject the ruling APC should stay away from the council area. Ohaukwu according to the LGA chair has no room for individuals opposed to the governor or the APC, stressing that such persons would be treated as “enemies” and declared “persona non grata” in the council area.
In nearby Enugu state, the situation was not different. Gunmen allegedly associated with the ruling party had disrupted a meeting of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in Akpugo Ward 3, Nkanu West Local Government Area. According to media reports, ‘canopies, chairs and several other items brought for the meeting were shattered or destroyed by the attackers, while those attending the meeting were said to have fled to safety.’ What other type of evidence do we need to appreciate the fragility of our nation where a set of contestants can determine what their opponents are allowed to do in a supposed democracy where everyone is equal before the law and where there is a level-playing field for all the recognized teams.
To make matters worse, none of those intimidating others has been sanctioned for refusing to play the game by the rules. The only person who is on record to have apologised for his act was the Yobe state chairman of the APC Alhaji Mohammed Gadaka, who had told women at a rally to divorce their anti-APC husbands if they prevented them from voting for the APC. Gadaka made the statement while addressing hundreds of new defectors to the APC in Nangere town. He reportedly promised to personally pay the “new bride price” for any woman who ended her marriage because of her loyalty to the party. The remark as usual attracted widespread condemnation from residents, including Islamic scholars, who described it as provocative and capable of undermining family values.
Following the backlash, Gadaka released a 42-second video on the Facebook page of Mamman Mohammed the Director General, Press and Media Affairs to Governor Mai Mala Buni, in which he withdrew the statement. He said his comment had been misunderstood and was merely a “joking banter” based on a long-standing tradition of playful exchanges between his Ngamo people and their Kare-Kare-speaking neighbours. In Gadaka’s words, “my statement was just a usual joking banter and does not in any way represent the ideals I stand for or intended to encourage divorce among married people.” How come all others who threatened opponents or members of the public had never been questioned?
With the atmosphere that has been painted above, many leaders and relevant institutions deserve blame. The Police for instance are yet to make public statements concerning those who intercepted Peter Obi in Makurdi. They have also been silent over cases where one group disrupted the rallies of another thereby pushing those offended into looking out for revenge. The Abdulsami Peace Committee may not have had a force of law behind it to sanction breaches but having held meetings with political party leaders, it is not too much if it writes letters to offending parties to remind them of the tacit agreements reached. Where such counselling is done the media should be briefed. In all, Nigeria needs to avoid elections where some citizens have to die so that others can be elected.
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