Appealing for yet a peaceful election

The 2019 general election hits at its crescendo this weekend, as Nigerians again file out to elect governors and members of the states’ Houses of Assembly.
They are expected to perform the civic duty on Saturday, March 9, electing governors that would pilot the affairs of 29 states where gubernatorial elections are due, for the next four years.
Also, elections into the Houses of Assembly will hold in all the states of the federation and in the Federal Capital Territory, where elections into the area councils are scheduled for same day.
Governorship elections had earlier been held in seven other states in a staggered manner, a scenario occasioned by the denouement of law suits.
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, confirmed the schedule for the second round of the general elections at a recent meeting with stakeholders in Abuja. At the meeting, the INEC chairman also took stock of the Presidential/National Assembly elections held across the country on February 23, as a way of forging ahead with the national assignment of his Commission.
There is no doubting the fact that the experience of most Nigerians during the first round of the elections really fell below expectations as the elections, in most states, were marred by gross irregularities and sharp practices, with real violence and general atmosphere of insecurity recorded in some states.
Though some international observers who monitored the elections have since endorsed the exercise as free and fair, especially as winners had been announced, the facts on the ground, really, point to gross abuse of official powers, intimidation of perceived opponents and practical disenfranchisement of eligible voters in some instances. The case in Lagos was a veritable instance, as lives were even reportedly lost. Elsewhere, properties valued at billions of naira were destroyed in the election crises across the country.
The practical hijack of election materials in some states and the attendant thuggery and brigandage were also some of the ugly sides of the exercise.
All these, notwithstanding, the process must continue and Nigerians must learn one or two things from the lapses and incidents that marred the first round of the exercise. While INEC had possibly learned some lessons from the experience with the Presidential/National Assembly elections, the electoral umpire must guide against a repeat of the ugly incidents in the next round. For the electorate and the candidates for the various elective positions, we implore them to understand that election is neither a battle nor a do-or-die affair. The simple fact remains that there is life after elections.
This is the time for increased tolerance as citizens of the same country, and we must not allow the aspirations and selfish interests of a few politicians divide us. Now is the time to say ‘no’ to politics of bitterness, hatred and rancour. We should all embrace politics as a means for national development.
We want to commend INEC for having the will and courage to face the obvious challenge headlong with a real determination to surmount it, but we would warn the commission against acting as a tool of oppression in favour of any political party. For instance, the hurried announcement of the winner of the last Presidential election, even when elections had not been concluded in many booths across the country, may be misconstrued as one done under duress.
However, one practical lesson most Nigerians have learned from the “wobbling and fumbling” of the initial round is that Nigeria is indeed a big country, which needs the support of all citizens to move it forward. We want to also commend the armed forces and other security personnel assigned various roles and duties for conducting themselves in a professional manner, except in some few instances where these personnel became overzealous.
We sincerely believe that it can always get better, as we implore all Nigerians to put the mistakes of the past behind them and forge ahead with the task ahead.
As Nigerians go all out to vote, again, on Saturday, we wish our countrymen happy elections.