Despite mounting fears, intense anxiety and foreboding predictions, the March 28 Presidential and National Assembly poll has come and gone with Nigeria intact and peaceful but the memories still linger. Even though there is no perfect poll anywhere in the world, last Saturday poll has been said to be satisfactory. Apart from being generally adjudged peaceful and credible by local and international observers, one of best outcomes of the poll is the timely concession of defeat and congratulating the winner, General Muhammadu Buhari, by President Goodluck Jonathan. By all standards, the conduct of this election is closer to that of June 12, 1993 poll, especially in terms of fairness and credibility. But there is still room for improvement, especially the malfunctioning card readers, cumbersome documentation, long hours of being on queue and high level infractions at collation centres and other lapses. All the same, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agents should be commended for a job well done. Let them improve on the upcoming April 11 Gubernatorial and State Assembly poll.
Although, this is the first time in Nigerian history that a sitting president will lose an election, his acceptance of defeat and congratulating the winner is unprecedented in the history of politics not only in Nigeria but in Africa. We want this practice to continue in future elections in the country. Africa is home to sit tight rulers. It is also home to worst dictators and strong men of politics that had made the continent a theatre of wars for decades. For some time now, a new crop of leaders are emerging in the continent that believed in the rule of law and democratic process. The era of Africa’s strong men is giving way to an era of Africa with strong democratic institutions and Nigeria is showing the way. President Goodluck Jonathan has spoken about his firm belief in the rule of law and democracy, especially on free and fair elections and he has kept his words with the outcome of the 2015 presidential poll. Since he has offered to serve when invited, history will be fair to him and surely he would be invited to serve another day.
By this singular act, Jonathan has written his name in gold. He has demonstrated that he is indeed a true democrat and one whose ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian. President Jonathan has shown that he is not obsessed with power. He is aware that there is life after politics. He knows too that the interest of the country is far greater than the interest of any Nigerian. No doubt, his action has greatly deepened democracy in the country. Other politicians should emulate Jonathan’s good example, which largely doused tension among his supporters across the nation. His behaviour since losing the election marks him out as a great statesman and Nigerian.
Although the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) coasted home to victory and ended the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) 16 years hold on power by15,424,921 votes against 12,857,152, all Nigerians are the ultimate winners including the old people, the pregnant women, the physically challenged people and all that endured sun and rain to vote for their preferred candidate. The race as most analysts have predicted was a close one in which the winner could have been any of the two frontline candidates, Jonathan and Buhari. Now that the winner has emerged, let all Nigerians support and work with him in the task of delivering democracy dividends and good governance to all Nigerians irrespective of political, sectarian and ethnic differences.
Now that Buhari has won the poll, he should set up a formidable team that should hit the ground running to fulfill his campaign promises. But before he delves into that, he should try to win the peace now that he has won the electoral battle. He needs a united Nigeria to function effectively. He should know that the election that brought him to power was fraught with hate campaigns and bitterness never seen in Nigerian history. This is the time for him to calm frayed nerves, mend broken hearts, heal the wounds and assure all Nigerians that he will serve their interests without fear or favour.
In fact, the nation’s democracy is fast evolving and developing. We have witnessed transition to power from one civilian administration to another and now from a ruling party to an opposition at the national level. This is indeed a great departure from our usual transition from military to civilian and back to civilian through military coups. We have indeed come a long way. Who says that God is not a Nigerian? Interestingly, the president-elect has promised to run a transparent and listening government, he should do no less. Nigerians have taken notice of all he promised during his campaigns and are equally noting whatever he promised now that he is elected president.
Nigerian will naturally expect much from Buhari because he promised so much during his campaigns. His campaigns revolve around fighting corruption, rebuilding the economy, fighting insecurity, job creation and revamping of road infrastructure amongst others. He anchored his campaigns on the change mantra, Nigerians are eager to see the change he canvassed for. Very soon, Nigerians will start comparing notes between him and his predecessor in office. Let Buhari know that he has no time to waste. Time is indeed not on his side. Nigerians are so impatient and we are so much in a hurry to get results. They even want signs and wonders and even the magical. Buhari must be a miracle worker and magician to satisfy Nigerians now that he has won the poll. We want to see his magic and miracle at work. It should go beyond polemics and rhetoric of campaigns.
As I have earlier stated, no election is perfect and therefore those who feel aggrieved by the outcome of the poll can go to the courts as the president has advised to seek for redress. Therefore, the reaction of former Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Elder Godspower Orubebe to INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega’s alleged inaction over petition to the electoral umpire over some election results at the venue of the presidential poll results announcement in Abuja on Tuesday was uncalled for. His emotional outburst was an embarrassment to the nation but Jega’s mature handling of the situation, which is commendable, saved the day. Perhaps, our politicians need some lessons in anger management. Now that the election has been lost and won, let’s forge ahead in the manner of no victor, no vanquished.
SUN
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