Ekiti Election: Matters Arising

Even as the ovation that greeted the
outcome of the Ekiti Governorship
Election across Nigeria was yet to die down, the All Progressives  Congress (APC), whose candidate finished second at the polls said it would challenge the outcome of the election.
While the party reserves the right to pursue what it considers to be an infringement, many Nigerians would have liked to use the Ekiti election as a template for future elections in Nigeria. This is because developments during and after the election presented the picture of what the new Nigeria should be.
It was most unlike any other election in Nigeria, it was a sharp deviation from the usual expression of bitterness and the threat of endless electoral litigations that leaves the politicians, the parties, the electoral process and the country as a whole worse of.
But with this threat by APC  to head for the tribunals, the gains of the Ekiti election may yet become another loss for the enthronement of a decent democratic culture in Nigeria. Indeed, if the party would walk away from this plan, they would endear themselves to more Nigerians and give Nigeria the one example that democratic minded citizens would celebrate.
As a matter of fact, The Tide was going to sing the praises of Ekiti and its political class for what had been described as the best election in Nigeria so far. Incidentally, everybody appeared to agree on the conduct and result, including independent monitors from within and outside Nigeria.
Clearly, we were also going to commend the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the security agencies and the two major parties for giving Nigeria something to be cheerful about. Indeed, compared to the elections of Anambra and Edo States, the Ekiti election was world-class.
It is already on record that the Ekiti election which had all the signs of potential crisis went down without an incident because of the adequate provision of security. Similarly, not only did the people go out to vote, INEC also was on ground early with all the materials, as never before.
But for us, the icing on the cake was the maturity of the incumbent who lost to concede defeat and congratulate the Governor-elect. That was not all, they also started talks on how to take the State and its people to the next level. Unbelievable!, but it happened in Nigeria.
The Tide thinks that if other States would borrow as leaf from Ekiti, not only would more decent people take interest in partisan politics, the authorities would also not have the reason to deploy so many soldiers and other security agencies to man electoral duties.
Another wish, we came up with was for INEC to convince the authorities to stagger elections in Nigeria. This is because the level of success achieved at Ekiti would not have been possible without the concentration of forces, facilities and focus that cannot be replicated all over the country at the same time.
Even before the National Conference takes up the merit of staggered elections, the National Assembly can actually amend the Electoral Act to accommodate this initiative. Clearly, elections can be done at geo-political zones at weekly intervals. Yes, it would have its disadvantages, but it will make elections safer and more credible.
The beauty of this plan is that both INEC and the security agencies will not be overwhelmed, as forces from other regions can be deployed to enforce order and allow the Nigerian to participate at elections without fear and enjoy the privilege of electing their leaders and not those imposed on them.
We think that the political class has played politics enough with elections. The truth is that majority of Nigerians are now more enlightened and desire a change. That feeling that ran through Nigeria when Dr Kayode Fayemi, Governor of Ekiti State and Peter Ayodele Fayose, the Governor-elect of Ekiti State embraced each other is what everyone want to experience again.
Over the years, election matters have not served the best interest of Nigeria. Even as the attainment of justice is still of grave concern, election matters have resulted in waste of time and money; creation of bad-blood, distracted governance and compromised the judiciary.