Writer: Olayinka Alaya
Topic: Conducting acceptable
election in 2015 and the need for Nigeria Politicians to play politics for the
future of Nigeria.
As
the 2015 general election approaches, divergent views had been made on the
conduct of the election by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)
by Nigerians and those in the Diaspora. Some called on INEC to ensure a free,
fair and acceptable election, while some called for change of the election
time-table due to the rising insurgency in the Northern part of the country.
In
view of the dreaded attacks emanating from the insurgents where thousands of
people have been feared dead, where schoolgirls from Chibok, Borno state were
also abducted coupled with the emergency rule in the three troubled northern
states of Borno, Adamawa and Yobe, conducting election in 2015 has become a
doubt.
Even
if election is going to hold, can election be conducted in states under
emergency rule? This has become an enormous task for the Umpire, the INEC, in
its mission to ensure that election holds in all parts of the country as
stipulated in the timetable of the Commission.
As
the general elections draw nearer and with the election coming up in June in
Ekiti State and August in Osun State, Politicians had been heating the polity,
attacking people, especially parties violence, trading abusive and defamatory
words which are not good for Nigerian politics. Most Nigerian Politicians have
taken election as a do or die affairs, showing how desperate they are to secure
political powers and public offices.
It
is very sad that some of our Politicians are not vying for political or public
offices in the interest of the masses but to satisfy their yearnings and
aspirations, as majority of them sees political offices as investments to
enrich their pockets.
Before,
politicians used political offices for the plight of the masses and development
of the country, showing the zeal and commitment to make Nigeria a place for
all. One believes our politicians must cue into this and forget about their
selfish interest.
The
politicians are also accused of toying with the security of the country by playing
politics of bitterness and endangering the country's democracy in the process.
Speaking
recently while receiving the United States Under Secretary of State for
Civilian Security, Democracy and Human Rights, (SARAH), the INEC Chairman,
Professor Attahiru Jega, reassured the nation and the international community
that the Commission would conduct free, fair and credible elections which would
be acceptable to all and sundry.
Professor
Jega added that the Commission was prepared technically and personnelwise to
conduct credible polls in the country in twenty fifteen. According to him, with
all the reforms and innovations being introduced into the system by the
Commission, it is certain that the forthcoming election would be better
organized, when compared with what happened in twenty eleven.
At
this period, what Nigerians need most are visionary leaders that have the
vision and zeal to take the country to the promised land, not corrupt and self
centred politicians that will be after their pocket.
Many
things need to be addressed in the country of over one hundred and seventy
million people, especially the issue of corruption and insecurity bedeviling
all the sectors of the economy. This is time for the futuristic politicians to
come out and unveil their agenda to Nigerians and tell the world that Nigeria
has the capacity to surmount its challenges particularly security.
Nigerian
leaders need to have an open mind and establish a transparent platform and
mechanism for collective aim of resuscitating and tackling all the woes betiding
the country. They should also be minded of the need to sustain the unity of
Nigeria.
Our
leaders should remember that what they do today, history will recall it
tomorrow, just as the people remembers the likes of our forefathers like, Sir
Ahmadu Bello, Nnamdi Azikwe, Obafemi Awolowo, Tafawa Balewa, Anthony Enahoro
among others.
