Just like yesterday, another four years have come. The time for our four yearly democratic experiment. This time the presidential and National Assembly polls come first. This is so because those elections will be the first set of elections held on February 16. 2019. Governorship and states’ Houses of Assembly campaign will begin Next Week. November 18 marked the formal commencement of campaign activities that will climax in February next year with the general elections. However, politicians have remained active in the media and behind the scene, plotting strategies and engaging constituents and supporters in methods that are considered not too official. Yes, politicking has never been suspended, it’s just that you cannot put out advertisements for example.
Long before the official campaign flag off by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, activities had reached a crescendo. A lot had happened in the political arena to cause tension in the minds of most Nigerians as to what to expect as the days roll by. Maneuverings by politicians have kept Nigerians concerned regarding security, free and a credible process. Emergence of party candidates, conduct of primaries, instability within political parties and bribery allegations against party officials have dominated the headlines, causing immense concern for the electorate. The confusion is reinforced by the loud noise or outcomes of what took place during the political parties’ primaries. What happened during that exercise, to a large extent, did leave sour taste in the mouths of most observers who are beginning to wonder what will happen during the polls proper.
Since after the primaries, discordant tunes from political actors explain the unthinking resort to character assassination, obscene deployment of money, thuggery, killing and maiming, as well as litigations and counter-litigations. These unwholesome events have left everyone scratching their heads. Many are beginning to worry that a lot more is involved than meets the public eye. Why would anyone indulge in such acts of the macabre if it is all about service? It is easy to understand that power is not served while one waits, as it is taken and not given, still, does it justify the level of bestiality, the unkind bruising of the sensibilities of Nigerians by office seekers during the primaries?
Nevertheless, now campaigns have kicked off. It is time for political actors to either show what they have achieved to support their questions for renewal of mandate or sell a good pitch to win hearts and minds of those that are greenhorns. For most Nigerians, even as mere voters, they are trying to make sense of the near rascality of the politicians who go about creating the impression that they must be in the aspired office or hell will be let loose. On a daily basis, these ordinary Nigerians struggling to eke out a living in the midst of the material obscenity of their so called leaders as well as wake up to words and actions that do not give hope of a Nigeria that will emerge stronger after the polls.
To be fair, we are encouraged by the determination of party candidates, especially at the presidential level to present articulated programmes of action. We salute the major contenders and the discussion their policy documents have spurred in the land. This is healthy. As we have always maintained, democracy is slow but it brings progress and a sense of inclusiveness. We have not had this sense of wanting to get our people to be part of the process. We urge other smaller parties to take the cue and do even better.
Campaigns should be about marketing ideas not bullying opponents or vote buying. We must not allow shenanigans to continue to dominate the political space. The call for issue-based campaigns have also commanded attention in the public space. What are these issues? Let us therefore take advantage of this period of campaign to put the issues in the front burner. We will highlight some of them; the unacceptably of high level of unemployment, particularly among the youth; the dearth of infrastructure – roads, power, schools, hospitals and water. Nigerians want the office seekers to address these issues. They expect them to discuss matters relating to good governance, how to rein in the monster known as corruption. Nigerians want the state of insecurity in the land to be put in the front burner of public discourse and addressed constructively; they want the politicians to proffer solutions to the lingering farmers/herders clashes that are a real threat to food security. Nigerians, especially those who are fortunate to have jobs at all, are asking for a living wage; they also want a reduction in the cost of governance, among other things. Let the debate begins.
