BY BENEDICT NWACHUKWU, ABUJA
What fate awaits the Anambra, Ekiti, Osun and the 2023 general elections? This is the question on the lips of many Nigerians now as the country grapples with insecurity.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, headed by Prof Mahmood Yakubu, has the responsibility to conduct elections in the country. All eyes are now on the electoral umpire, which is manned by great scholars and professionals. But how far can these outstanding Nigerians with intimidating credentials go in the conduct of both the Anambra governorship election that is just five months away; the Ekiti and Osun governorship elections and the 2023 general elections?
“Security is a critical issue that goes along with elections. Elections can hardly be conducted where there is insecurity. Nigeria, as it is today, is facing myriads of security challenges and these have affected all facets of our daily living”
Even as the ruling All Progressive Congress continues to play the proverbial ostrich, bluffing every appeal from all quarters concerning the escalating insecurity in the country, INEC, last week, confirmed the fears of many Nigerians that both the Anambra governorship and other forthcoming elections, including the 2023 elections, might not hold when it raised fresh alarms over insecurity ravaging the country.
It listed activities of bandits, kidnappers and ‘unknown gunmen’, including other sundry violent criminal activities, as factors that could hinder the conduct of free, fair and credible elections.
National Commissioner and Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute, Mohammed Haruna, who raised the alarm in his opening remarks at the Annual Prof Abubakar Momoh Memorial Lecture, in Abuja, said with escalating insecurity, there was every reason to be concerned about the Anambra State Governorship Election, the Ekiti and Osun states elections and eventually the 2023 general elections.
The fact that this is coming from the INEC National Commissioner represents a mark of uncertainty beclouding the conduct of elections in this country except the needful is done.
However, politicians seem to be thinking differently. While well meaning citizens of the country are calling for a solution to the insecurity situation, which is fast making the country look vulnerable, the politicians are busy pursuing their political agenda, strategising for 2023 even when there is bloodletting everywhere.
“The worst threat, however, has been that orchestrated by those referred to as Unknown Gun Men. They kill, maim, abduct civilians, Police and the military, setting the military and Police formations and public institutions ablaze”
Recently, the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan; and the House of Representatives Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, lamented the spate of insecurity in the country. But should that be the best that can come from both the number three and four citizens of the country?
In a related development, Senator Smart Adeyemi from Kogi State, did not only weep on the floor of the Senate, but also urged his colleagues – lawmakers, to tell the President the truth about the nation’s security situation. That was a few months ago. Yet these statements have not translated into action for the Nigerian people to see. And, this is exactly why many Nigerians are worried.
“Security is a critical issue that goes along with elections. Elections can hardly be conducted where there is insecurity. Nigeria, as it is today, is facing many security challenges and these have affected all facets of our daily living,” the National Commissioner said.
What used to be referred to as insurgency has snowballed to unpredictably sophisticated groups of outlaws, who engage in all forms of criminal activities. Apart from Boko Haram, there are nomenclatures like killer herdsmen, bandits, kidnappers and lately, unknown gunmen. Those under the various categories have taken over the entire country, giving rise to agitations by concerned citizens, who feel they can no longer stomach the passive attitude of government to insecurity.
The worst threat, however, has been that orchestrated by those referred to as Unknown Gunmen. They kill, maim, and abduct civilians; setting the military and Police formations and public institutions ablaze.
Just a few weeks ago, the Independent National Electoral Commission took stock of its property vandalised nationwide with the attendant devastating effect. It was enormous. The question is: if the body saddled with the responsibility of conducting elections is crying that its property is not safe nationwide, can the same body boldly claim preparedness to conduct elections in a country ravaged by insecurity?
What would be the fate of the personnel that would serve in one capacity or another during the conduct of such elections when the property belonging to INEC is targeted nationwide?
Election materials are moved from one part of the country to another by human beings. Recent killings all over the country have left everyone in fear. Before this carnage going on in Nigeria, parents had become unwilling to allow their children in the National Youth Service Corps to serve as electoral adhoc staff as many had lost their lives.
In 2014, the Professor Attahiru Jega-led INEC postponed the general elections because of the Boko Haram insurgency. When it was clear that they could not be contained, new dates were rolled out and elections conducted. Comparing the activities of Boko Haram then and now that the country seems to be at “war”, it will be frustrating to hope for elections in the near future.
Interestingly, INEC has been forging ahead nonetheless. In his efforts to convince Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora, who probably have been uncomfortable with developments on ground, the INEC boss praised the efforts of security agencies, saying, “This demonstration of support from security agencies is coming on the eve of the resumption of the Continuous Voter Registration nationwide.
“We earlier assured Nigerians that we shall conclude work on the expansion of voter access to polling units and make the new polling units available to citizens ahead of the CVR exercise. I am glad to report that we have accomplished this task for the first time in 25 years. A comprehensive list of the new polling units will be published.”
This is a bold step forward but the Director-General of the Electoral Institute, Sa’ad Umar, was direct and on point when he said, “Security issues in Nigeria today are highly multifaceted as they are multi-tasking. Before now, what we only grappled with was the preponderance of political violence and thuggery in elections, the trend that led to a situation whereby the citizens of Nigeria were viewing elections and democratic processes with apprehension and anxiety.
“The unfortunate situation we are all facing today is that the security situation in the country has degenerated beyond the above-mentioned reckless manipulations, the politics of brinkmanship and subversion. The constant fears expressed today by the electoral umpire, the electorate and the Nigerian citizens in general are the possibility of insecurity at elections, banditry, kidnapping and the threat of highly dangerous criminal elements over running the country as a whole.”
