By Olakunle Agboola – It is hard browsing through social media without the story about Nigeria cropping up. Sometimes friends and families will share video links of political analyses on TV or major headlines of the news, and it is difficult not to laugh at Nigerian comedians turning major issues into comedy. The recent 2023 presidential election in Nigeria and the process of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu becoming the president has been a major topic of discussion in Nigeria. The follow-up and updates of the presidential tribunal on social media have created a huge awareness not only in Nigeria but all over the world with the #eyesonthejudiciary.
The introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) and the IReV for the 2023 elections was perceived as an important step to ensure the integrity and credibility of elections and this is the major reason why many Nigerians came out in their masses to vote with the hope that the culture of rigging an election is over and for the first time there will be transparency relying on technology.
The explicit reports of the European Union on the 2023 general election falling bait of expected standard have generated serious arguments and hot debates on social media causing a political theatre. The Chief Observer of the EU Election Observation Mission, Barry Andrews, stated that “the 2023 general election exposed enduring systemic weaknesses and therefore signalled a need for further legal and operational reforms to enhance transparency, inclusiveness, and accountability.” He said the shortcomings in the law and electoral administration hindered the conduct of well-run and inclusive elections and damaged trust in INEC. Therefore, the EU EOM offered 23 recommendations for consideration by the Nigerian government that would improve future elections.
The six priority recommendations highlighted the need to; remove ambiguities in the law; establish a publicly accountable selection process for INEC members; ensure real-time publication of and access to election results; provide greater protection for media practitioners; address discrimination against women in political life, and impunity regarding electoral offences.
This did not augur well with the Presidency as the European Union’s final report, which highlighted fault lines in the February 25 presidential elections in good faith was refuted. “We strongly reject in its entirety, any notion and idea from any organization, group and individual remotely suggesting that the 2023 election was fraudulent,” a statement signed by the President’s Special Adviser on Special Duties, Communication and Strategy, Dele Alake.
The European Union is not the only observer group that had a press conference and presented reports that the general election lacks transparency and is marred by electoral rigging, manipulation and violence. Commonwealth Observer Group, A coalition of international election observers, The Joint Election Observation Mission, the African Union, and ECOWAS pointed in the same direction that the general election fell below the expected standard.
A civic organisation, the Resource Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) expressed dismay over the uncharitable wave of attacks by some Nigerians especially the presidency and APC party on the European Union Election Observation Mission (EU EOM) over its report on the 2023 general election which pointed some irregularities that undermined and tainted the credibility of the poll. Former aviation Minister, Femi Fani-Kayode and Festus Keyamo, former Minister of State for Labour faulted the EU’s report saying it is fake news and should be disregarded.
Nigerians have continued to react to the EU’s report which the Presidential Election Petition Court (PEPC) admitted as an exhibit. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Labour Party (LP), and other political parties recently slammed the Federal Government for rejecting the European Union’s (EU) final report on the February 25 presidential election. The PDP flagbearer in a statement signed by his spokesperson, Phrank Shaibu, said the EU’s final report on the 2023 polls showed that the outcome of the election was not a true reflection of the people’s will. In the same vein, the National Publicity Secretary of LP, Obiora Ifoh, said that the presidency’s comment is a face-saving measure.
It is an interesting time in the history of Nigeria with concerned citizens both at home and abroad waiting patiently for the outcome of the presidential election tribunal and hoping that the court will deliver justice and ensure the rule of law prevails. Bamidele Ajayi, a social commentator and UK lawyer, is expecting the judiciary to stand tall and save the boat of Nigeria that is presently drowning in the hands of a brigand.
‘The thought of good governance for the betterment of all and development of the nation is often a distant and lesser consideration to most Nigerian politicians. The good thing about it all is that most Nigerians are accustomed to the politicians just as they are used to the brazen manners that they rig and manipulate their ways to power at all costs. From independence till the current moment, politics in Nigeria and Nigerian politicians have both become dangerous components of our collective life that continue to threaten our existence as people and as a nation. We can’t continue to parade thieves in power and I think the end has come to bad politicians including state apparatus and INEC officials who are known to rig elections. I hope justice will be served having all that have contributed to rigging the 2023 general election behind the bar as it will serve as a deterrent to strengthen our institutions’.
It is obvious Nigerians are fed-up and tired of seeing the wrinkled and lying faces of recycled politicians that perennially pursue their ambitions and interests at the expense of Nigerians and the nation. It has become a cyclical endeavour for Nigerians to seek redemption from the failures of successive governments in the hands of new faces that turn out worse. The rascality and daylight robbery of the ruling class is horrendous, and I hope many Nigerians will think beyond ethnicity and religious bigotry and demand a better Nigeria for the future of the yet unborn generation.
Kindly follow us on twitter:@AfricanVoice2
