Nigeria And 2011 Elections

The promise by the Acting President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan restating federal government’s commitment towards conducting a free, fair and transparent elections in 2011 should, as a matter of utmost national interest, be taken seriously.

Dr. Jonathan told   former US President George W. Bush and his British counterpart, Tony Blair, of government’s resolve to hold credible polls which would be generally acceptable by all contending parties.

Details of how government intends to make good its resolve are still very sketchy, especially against the backdrop that the elections will hold in the next twelve months or thereabout.

As much as one will not want to doubt the acting president’s determination to, for once, prove our critics wrong that Nigeria can hold elections that would be acclaimed worldwide as “fair and credible”, we really need to ask ourselves  whether or not the enabling environment has been put in place for a smooth, credible and transparent elections, come 2011.

I thinks that for Nigeria to hold credible elections, we need institutional and legal reforms as well as administrative amendments to realise the desired goal.

Proclamations and policy statement by the presidency, National Assembly, the electoral body (INEC) and other relevant stakeholders are not enough. We need the political will and commitment to depart from the ugly past to actualise our dream.

Nigerian leadership needs to purge itself of partisan politics and go for patriotism and national interest if we must succeed in this direction.

Besides, the political will on the part of the presidency, and the National Assembly must as a matter of necessity facilitate the process of reforming our electoral system and law in tandem with realities on ground and  conventionally acceptable global norms.

Besides, INEC, as an umpire must be made to be unbiased and independent and not necessarily taking tall “orders from above” to subvert peoples choices of candidates.

The voters register must be reviewed as the existing one no longer conforms with current realities. Rules, regulations and guidelines on elections must be rigidly adhered to and not bent to suit sectional or partisan interest.

Electoral officers need re-orientation and a complete departure from the existing order which they think that power of incumbency and the ruling party interest must be protected always.

The security apparatus needs to be overhauled, especially those involved in monitoring and supervising elections. Our security officers tend to naturally align with the ruling party or person in power either for gratifications or other considerations.

The police, State Security Service (SSS) and other military or paramilitary officers  to all during elections.

involved in elections must realise at all times that Nigeria is far greater than those temporarily in power and therefore must exhibit neutrality and fairness to all during elections.

The judiciary also has a major role to play towards a fair and credible electoral system. Apart from avoiding unnecessary injunctions and avoidable adjournments on electoral cases, the judiciary as the last   hope of our fragile democracy must ensure that electoral disputes are dispensed off on time, possibly before winners are sworn into public offices.

Similarly, voters have a major role to play in our crave to achieve credible polls. They need not mortgage their conscience but insist on credible candidates with good credentials.

Hence, as the 2011 general elections draw closer, the presidency and other stakeholders must ensure that this time around, Nigeria evolves an electoral process that is transparent and credible and which will leave a lasting legacy in our political history.