The 2015 Nigerian Presidential election has come and gone and General Muhammadu Buhari has been declared the President-Elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. This is the first time in the history of the most populous black nation that an opposition candidate will unseat the incumbent for the presidency.
The roads leading to his victory have been rough. At a point, many Nigerians anticipated war. There were deadly accusations and counter-accusations from the ruling party, Peoples Democratic Party, and its main challenger, the All Progressive Party. To make matters worse, Boko Haram continued on their objective to establish an Islamic Caliphate in the northern part of the country. It took the postponement of the election and help from neighbouring countries before Nigeria can thwart the terrorists’ drive.
At the end, Muhamadu Buhari became the next president of Nigeria, riding to victory on the back of his message of change. What are the salient issues to be deduced from this triumph?
1. There is a Limit to what citizens can tolerate:
The outcome of the 2015 General Elections – Presidential Election in particular – has clearly shown that in a democratic society there is a limit to what citizens can endure and tolerate. For quite some time after the 2011 Presidential Election which citizens across the length and breath of the nation voted massively for President Jonathan, there were series of complaints about some policies of government which were and are still unfavourable to the people. They include among others:
• Increase in the pump price of fuel
• High level of corruption by government officials without any visible concerted effort to bring the culprits to justice
• Decaying infrastructure in virtually all sectors of the economy e.g. power (electricity), roads, etc.
• High rate of unemployment leading to social unrest, youth restiveness, high crime rate (kidnapping, armed robbery, etc.)
• Lower or falling standards in education
• High or massive rate of poverty by the masses while government officials live in opulence and stupendous wealth
• Insecurity arising from the Boko Haram insurgency
The insurgency was the last straw that broke the camel’s back. Citizens cried out for decisive action against the miscreants to no avail, the international community were not left out – they cried, sympathized with the nation but no swift action or response came until it was too late. The hero of 2011 had by 2014 became the villain, no thanks to the abduction of the over 200 Chibok school girls which invoked worldwide outcry but which the President ignored and went “political dancing” in Kano the day after.
The advent of Maj. Gen. M. Buhari (rtd) on his 4th shot at the presidency after his nominations by his party, the All Progressive Congress, to contest the presidential elections and his slogan of “change”, coupled with his untainted public record quickly caught the citizen’s attention. To them the change they yearned for has come at last.
2. Nigeria is still divided on Ethnic and Religious Line:
In 1967 Nigeria fought a bitter, almost 3-year civil war where millions of people died, mainly from the eastern region of the country which was trying to break away. The ethnic and religious tensions that led to the war still persist 45 years after the declaration of peace. This can be seen in the buildup to the election and the way the people voted. Electioneering campaigns were used to incite people along the lines of ethnic and religious bigotry. Subsequently, the mainly Muslim north voted for Buhari, a northern Muslim, while the majority Christian south-east and south-south regions voted for Jonathan, a southern Christian.
3. Power is still with the People
Nigerians are so used to election rigging that they constantly tell themselves "Our votes don't count". In this election, the people’s will actually ….. Though there were instances of electoral malpractices, the elections were widely adjudged to be free and fair. The people voted as political experts had forecasted. This is a new dawn in Nigeria where the people believe in the electoral process.
4. Political Thuggery is a Menace to Democracy in Nigeria
When Godsday Orubebe, a former minister, took over the microphone during the live broadcast of the collation of results from the states and verbally attacked the Independent National Electoral Commission chairman for several minutes, many people watching all over the world were shocked. A couple of weeks to the election, a prominent Ijaw leader, Asari Dokubo, from the same region as the outgoing President, declared that there would be war if President Goodluck Jonathan is not re-elected.
This is typical of most Nigerian politicians. They court and fuel violence perpetually. Many of them have armies of unemployed youths on their payroll ready to unleash terror on perceived opponents. Until Nigeria, as a country, develop a way to eradicate thuggery in its politics, democracy still has a long way to go.
5. Persistence trumps Talent, Gift and Luck
Muhammadu Buhari has tried to be president of Nigeria 4 times, excluding his military rule. If he had given up on his third attempt, his name would not be all over the news presently. At above 70, he believed he still has something to offer his country. His age and ‘imminent death’ were constant objects of derision in the camp of the ruling party during electioneering campaigns. Still, at this last attempt, fortune smiled on him.