Tomorrow, March 28, is a special day in Nigeria. It is a day Nigerians will elect their president, the person that will pilot their affairs in the next four years. Since 1999 when the present political dispensation birthed, the 2015 presidential poll will perhaps rank among the most keenly contested in Nigerian history. There are about 10 contestants for the plum job, the race to Aso Rock is between two hot contenders, the incumbent President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and General Muhammadu Buhari (GMB) of the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC). The presidential poll earlier scheduled for February 14 was shifted for security reasons as well as low distribution of Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in some parts of the country. Those problems have been drastically addressed.
Now that the poll will take place tomorrow, it is certain that only one of the top contenders will carry the day. Electoral contest is such that will always producer a winner and a loser at the same time. The winner is naturally going to be either Jonathan or Buhari. Whoever wins among the two will carry all Nigerians along and deliver on his promises to the nation. Good enough, Nigerians have taken note of their promises and will hold them accountable when the time comes. The earlier the candidates comprehend this reality, the better for them and the polity.
The mounting anxiety over the poll as if the nation is on the brink is uncalled for. Nigerians should not develop fever simply because we want to elect our political leaders. Perhaps one presidential poll that nearly shook the foundations of the country was the annulled June 12, 1993 election. The nation quaked because Nigerians did not expect the cancellation of the election results midway when it was so glaring that one of the contestants, Chief MKO Abiola was coasting home to victory. Never again will general elections be annulled in the country.
For the two leading political parties, it has been a season of intense campaigns in which both parties tried to outwit and manoeuvre each other. The campaigns degenerated from the real issues to throwing banters, mudslinging and outright hate speeches and character assassination unheard of in this part of the globe. There was finger poking as well as muscle flexing sessions. The stakes were too high and everything was thrown into the soapbox. This was truly the season of music, drama, wine and cash or stomach infrastructure. The campaigns were devoid of robust debates of ideas and programmes. Instead, we had banters, name calling, dry humour and inelegant language and diatribe all the way. Unfortunately, the oratory that characterized the first, second and third republics politics was absent. It has gone with the politicians of the old. The new breed of politicians lack the sophistry and oratorical powers of the Azikiwes, Mbadiwes, Akintolas, Adelabus and others noted for their gift of the gab and polemics.
The parties and their candidates have wooed the electorate and tomorrow is the decision day when Nigerians will choose who between Jonathan and Buhari will coast home to victory. But a win by a slight margin is most likely. A vote for Jonathan means stability and continuation of his transformation agenda. It will give him chance to complete the programmes he has started and even do more.
On the other hand, a vote for Buhari means a new government coming on board with its programmes irrespective of its campaign promises. It will translate to the implementation of some of his programmes. But whichever way the pendulum swings, Nigeria will be better for it. Things will never remain the same again. It will never be business as usual. New things will be in the offing whether Jonathan or Buhari wins. I say so simply because the two parties are not ideologically poles apart. They are invariably saying the same thing using different expressions.
The factors that will work in Jonathan’s favour include the power of incumbency, his numerous achievements so far on education, agriculture, power, industry, health, roads, transportation, youth employment and development and women empowerment. His observance of human rights, press freedom and rule of law will attract many votes him.
There is no doubt that GEJ meant well for the country in spite of the insurgency which he has battled in the last few weeks to a standstill. Under him too, our music, films and writings have blossomed and ranked among the best in the world. It appears that another victory song is coming his way.
For Buhari, his anti-corruption crusade, his being marketed as incorruptible and his Spartan discipline are things that will work for him. His performance as a former military ruler and his stint at the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) during the regime of the late maximum ruler, Gen Sani Abacha will attract some votes to him.
If Jonathan wins, he will make history as the second president that has ruled Nigeria for two terms just like former President Olusegun Obasanjo. Jonathan will also be in the league of those that had ruled Nigeria beyond eight years that two terms allowed. If he loses, he will go down as the first incumbent Nigerian president that lost the second term bid.
If Buhari wins, he will join the ranks of leaders that transmuted from military dictators to democratic leaders in the country. His only competitor in this regard is Obasanjo, who has ruled the country for a total of eleven years. But if he loses, this will make it the fourth time he is losing presidential election. And if this happens, it will surely mark his last bid for the plum job and the end to his political career.
As tomorrow comes, let the electorate come out with their PVCs and vote the candidate of their choice. The choice of who leads Nigeria in the next four years is theirs alone. It should not be bungled. They should vote according to their conscience and their choice should be respected. Their votes must count. Their vote is the power they have to elect the person whom they want to rule the country.
Let the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the security agencies ensure that the election is free, fair and credible. This is one election that the electoral umpire and their staff will not fail. The entire world is watching Nigeria. Let us demonstrate to the world that we are capable of conducting our affairs including organizing a credible poll. We have done it before and we can still do it again without violence.
SUN
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