Growing Uncertainties
The lead up to the rescheduled elections is even more tense, write Shola Oyeyipo and Ojo M. Maduekwe
The lead up to the rescheduled elections is even more tense, write Shola Oyeyipo and Ojo M. Maduekwe
From some of the developments that followed the postponement of the 2015 elections to March 28 and April 11 respectively, it is easier to tell that it was entirely not about the security issues that have ravaged some parts of the country. But since according to the law, insecurity is critical reason an election can be postponed, proponents of election postponement had to use this in making their case. In fact, the Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh recently confirmed that security was part of the reasons the elections were shifted.
However, the real issue, many believed was in the shoddy distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), including the fact that a larger chunk of the PVCs had not arrived the country at that material time. There were reports and allegations of theft as well as the destruction of PVCs from states controlled by both the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC).
In Lagos State, for instance, the governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, at a campaign rally in Shomolu, told supporters that, “The fact that the Lagos State INEC owned up to the sack of two of its staff who were engaged in non-issuance of PVCs to non-indigenes confirmed our fears that both APC and INEC are colluding to rig the forthcoming election.”
Several newspapers also reported a certain PDP councillor in Katsina State that was caught buying PVCs. According to reports, Ahmadu Narayya, who represents Dunkun-Agala ward of Baure Local government area of the State, was caught by members of the APC with no fewer than 21 cards, most of which was said to belong to women in the area.
The above reports prove that both the PDP and APC have been complicit in the PVC racketeering, which indirectly was what necessitated the clamour for the elections to be postponed. Now, from the look of things, it appears there might be another postponement, even though stakeholders and major institutions are more than prepared to rebuff any such move because now, it is clear INEC is very ready for the exercise with more than 80 per cent of the PVCs already given out.
Ironically, Young Democratic Party (YDP), a newly registered party obtained a court judgment last Wednesday ordering the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to register and include it in the 2015 elections. YDP later demanded that it be accommodated by INEC or the elections be postponed.
Addressing reporters in Abuja after its National Executive Committee meeting, the National Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Ugo Nwofor said: “If INEC does not have the appropriation for logistics to reprint its ballot papers, then INEC ought to within the constitutional provision further re-schedule the general election to accommodate our party.”
Before the YDP happened, there had been allegations from the APC that the election might be postponed again. The party had accused the PDP of not only plotting to postpone the elections for a second time, but that there were plans to frame and remove the INEC national chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, and put in his stead someone amenable to the ruling party.
“The plan is to use the same bogey of insecurity in the North-east to push for another postponement in the elections,” a statement by the APC National Publicity Secretary, Lai Mohammed stated. The statement claimed that the plan to remove Jega was to seek more time to organise the polls or simply jettison the plan to use card readers.
The APC press statement was in response to calls by 23 political parties calling for the postponement of the elections in Borno State till September of this year. The parties had also asked for an interim government to be put in place to run the affairs of the state when the tenure of the present government expires on May 29, 2015.
At a press conference, the parties, under the name, Inter Party Advisory Council, Borno State chapter, in Maiduguri, called on INEC, “to extend the conduct of the 2015 general election for six months; that is from March 28 to September 26, 2015.”
According to reports, the chairman, Babagana Musa, said the group of parties took the decision to call for the postponement after a careful consideration of the situation in Borno State. He pointed to the non-distribution of the PVCs in 175 polling units in the state and the insecurity of opposition party official in the State.
Other reasons deduced by Musa was the vandalism of opposition party facilities; the need to resettle the Internally Displaced Persons back to their homes and the indecent activities of the youth vigilance group. Musa alleged that the thugs, whom he claimed were sponsored by the state government, had been on the prowl against opposition politicians.
The allegation by the APC that Jega may likely be framed and sacked seemed to have been corroborated by the Ekiti State Governor, Ayo Fayose who reportedly said, “President Goodluck Jonathan can sack Jega if he wishes and if he does, heavens will not fall… Removal of Jega and any other appointees of the federal government is a prerogative of the president, which no one can question, provided laid down rules are followed.”
Even though the PDP disowned Fayose’s comment, knowing full well that he has been rascally lately and sometimes inane in his arguments, the governor had raised some points that suggest that the first postponement of the elections was not because of the issue of insecurity, but the sloppy and alleged bias in the distribution of the PVCs by INEC.
“By his actions and utterances, Jega had already demonstrated his bias in support of the APC. For instance, how can Jega explain the 80 per cent distribution of Permanent Voters Card (PVC) in Boko Haram ravaged Borno and Yobe States while less than 40 per cent distributed in Lagos as at February 7 that the election was postponed?” Fayose questioned.
The laid down rules for Jega’s removal can be found in Section 157 of the 1999 Constitution. The first paragraph of that provision stipulates that Jega can be removed by President Jonathan,
Even though the PDP disowned Fayose’s comment, knowing full well that he has been rascally lately and sometimes inane in his arguments, the governor had raised some points that suggest that the first postponement of the elections was not because of the issue of insecurity, but the sloppy and alleged bias in the distribution of the PVCs by INEC
“acting on an address supported by two-thirds majority of the Senate praying that he be so removed for inability to discharge functions of the office (whether arising from infirmity of mind or body or any other cause) or for misconduct.
At the recent presidential media chat before the elections were postponed, President Jonathan had said with a caveat that he appointed Jega, and could sack him if he felt the INEC chairman was not doing well. “There are constitutional provisions on how to remove him, but I have not even contemplated it. I have never thought about removing the INEC Chairman, though I have the constitutional power to do so.” The Descent to Dogfight Some of the foreboding signs that the 2015 election would be hotly contest have been on, long before the electioneering started. From the onset, the opposition has made it clear that it was out to take over power from President Jonathan.
Since then, the party has continued to highlight what it regarded as the inadequacies of the President Jonathan administration, especially in the area of insecurity and corruption allegations. Little wonder when it held its national convention at the Onikan Stadium, Lagos, those issues were the focal points raised by members of the party as reasons they are determined to salvage the nation from the incumbent president.
When reacting to criticism of the administration by opposition leaders at the convention, Senior Special Assistant to President Jonathan on Public Affairs, Dr. Doyin Okupe, at a press conference in Lagos condemned the opposition’s penchant for denigrating the government. He described General Muhammadu Buhari, presidential candidate of the APC and Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu as “heavily burdened political liabilities.”
Such vituperations soon gained momentum on both sides. Tinubu, in his reaction to the PDP tagging him as a ‘political liability,’ wondered what grounds qualified him to be he ranked as such, part of his response to that read:“Governor Tinubu and General Buhari are flattered by the attention. But Nigerians must heed the warning signs about this government and its anti-people policies.
“If they would only do their work as they should, the opposition and indeed millions of Nigerians would have very little to say but to congratulate them. Instead, they chase after the opposition leaders like street kids running after a moving car. We have left them behind. They will soon be past history.”
The APC national leader described the PDP as lacking confidence in what their track record in governance could offer them, noting that Nigerians have been saddled with a government that lacks the presence of mind and the discipline to serve the people.
“The cluelessness of the current government needs no announcement. Their incompetence needs no contestation. It is writ large in the policy somersaults, misspeak and economic and security malaise now prevalent. Nigerians are currently saddled with a government asleep at the switch.
“This is a government engaged only in dynamic inactivity - motions and gyrations without moving Nigeria forward. Nigerians are eyewitnesses to history and will be the judge when the time comes. They are possessed by the greatest political fear of them all – not that people will mistake who they are but that the people truly know who they are,” Tinubu had said.
The presidency did not take kindly to that statement. Okupe dimissed the assumption that President Jonathan was clueless, saying that instead, he has achieved more than any president in the history of the country. Both parties have since fired several salvos at each other from all cylinders. There have been various name callings and threats too.
The opposition spared no effort in designating the ruling party as encouraging corruption and decimating it. The administration got a lot of bashing for allegdly condoning corruption. For instance, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon. Aminu Tambuwal once said: “The president’s body language seems to be encouraging corrupt practices in the country.”
Amidst very intense opposition and condemnation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo whose relationship with his ‘godson’ went awry somewhere along the line has persistently castigated President Jonathan for his poor understanding of the Boko Haram insurgency, accused him of elevating corruption as if a norm in government and crashing the economy. He also accused him of training snipers where former military leader, late General Sanni Abacha allegedly trained his, among others.
Though his weighty allegations are often met with spontaneous rebuttal once in the public sphere, they become matter of public discuss and they modify public opinion. So when the likes of former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Prof. Tam David-West said Nigerians should not expect any serious fight against corruption from the present administration since the president has said“stealing is not corruption,”it is a further affirmation of such allegations.
Taking advantage of the Obasanjo allegations that President Jonathan is training snipers, the APC urged the Jonathan administration not to take Nigeria back to the dark days, when perceived opponents of the government become targets of rampaging murderous gangs and Nigeria was turned to a pariah nation through unbridled human rights abuses.
The name calling continued and both parties were obviously on the receiving side. In what many thought was orchestrated character assassination, forces within the PDP continued to target the personality of General Buhari.
At a press conference in Abuja, the Director of Media and Publicity of the presidential campaigns, Mr. Femi Fani-Kayode said,“It is our full intention to expose General Muhammadu Buhari for what he really is, what he stands for and the great danger that his candidacy portends for the unity of the Nigerian state and the peace and well-being of the Nigerian people.”
He assured the people that the PDP Presidential Campaign Organisation (PCO) is poised to reveal the true identity of the APC presidential candidate, as a corrupt Nigerian going about as a honest man without any blemish.
Often, the ruling party has made unsubstantiated efforts to classify the opposition party as the brain behind the dreaded Boko Haram sect. At the same time, General Buhari has had to go the extra mile to disabuse the minds of Nigerians from his coloration as an Islamic fundamentalist and high-handed authoritarian.
The attacks were unabated till recent times, but it peaked lately when the Ekiti State Governor, Dr. Ayodele Fayose published his ‘death wish’ advertorial that was globally condemned.
Despite the unfavourable predispositions of some Nigerians to Fayose’s unguided utterances, considered as politics taken too far, the governor has shown no remorse whatsoever. He has continued to describe Buhari as unfit. In fact, he goofed publicly after he was proved wrong having alleged that Buhari’s recent trip to Europe was for health reasons, when it became obvious that the former military Head of State was hale and hearty and went on the trip for other reasons.
Before the issue of his health, Buhari’s reputation as a military general was called to question when he was alleged of not possessing school leaving certificate, an allegation he denied as untrue, having sworn to an affidavit that the
Worse still is the possibility of another postponement that stares Nigerians in the face. Though President Jonathan had emphatically assured Nigerians about the sanctity of the May 29 handover date, there are growing fears that the March 28 and April 11 new dates are not feasible and there have been various reactions to that extent
document was missing.
In addition to that, African Independent Television (AIT) and the Nigerians Television Authority (NTA), have at various times aired sponsored documentaries deliberately designed to disrepute Buhari.
Piqued by the development, Buhari who had vowed to sue the NTA and AIT, in a letter addressed to the Director-General (DG) of NTA, Shola Omole, through the APC legal director, Chukwuma-Machukwu Ume (SAN), said: “I refer to your curious, unguarded, mischievous, fabricated, defamatory and hate documentary broadcast against All Progressives Congress and particularly its presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari.
“In the hate documentary, you were goaded into carefully and intentionally turning your respected television station into a ready tool for hate groups that do not wish Nigeria well.
The opposition party demanded a letter of apology to All Progressives Congress and its presidential candidate, General Buhari, a meeting with the APC National Publicity Secretary Alhaji Lai Mohammed with a view to packaging a retrieval broadcast and the disclosure of the real sponsors of the hate documentary to the All Progressives Congress, threatening that the APC would not hesitate to “take drastic court action” against the national television, if its demands are not met.
Besides, some notable persons who have made statement not considered ideal include a former militant leader, Alhaji Mujaheeden Asari-Dokubo, who said his kinsmen in the oil-rich Niger Delta region are prepared to burn down Nigeria if President Jonathan did not secure a second term ticket in 2015. He also warned the APC against picking a Northern candidate if they do not want trouble.
“If it is war the North wants, we are ready for them because Jonathan must complete the mandatory constitutionally allowable two terms of eight years. At home, we have regrouped and we have put our people at alert.
“In less than one hour, the way we would strike, the world will be shocked. If anybody does anything against Jonathan, we will retaliate. What we will do will shock the whole world. We will cripple the economy of the country, not only in the creeks, but also on the nation’s territorial waters. No vessel will be allowed to enter Nigeria’s territorial waters.”
Asari-Dokubo also vowed that the defeat of Jonathan in a free and fair election would trigger crisis.“Jonathan cannot be defeated. They cannot defeat him. They don’t have the right. Every part of the country must have equal stake in the presidency of the country. Let them go and sleep in their houses. If they don’t, they are looking for trouble and we are going to give it to them.”
In apparent response to Dokubo, some prominent leaders in the North like Dr. Ango Abdulahi, Northern Elders Forum and other respected personalities have said “The North is not afraid of Nigeria’s break up.”
Niger Delta leader, Chief Edwin Clark at various times has taken swipes at the duo of Obasanjo and Tinubu and to some, it is part of why Obasanjo and Tinubu who were formally enemies resolved to work together against Jonathan.
The wife of the president, Dame Patience Jonathan is also believed not to be helping matters either. She is fond of making uncharitable statements against the opposition. She was recently quoted as saying “Buhari is brain dead” and that whoever chanted Change “should be stoned.”
Considering the religious and cultural diversity of the country, such statements credited to the First Lady, many argued will fan the ember of disunity and spark regional hatred, if she is not called to order as suggested by the APC and the like of Prof Wole Soyinka.
The hostilities between the two main parties however assumed a different twist last week when some of the victims of the personality attacks started suing one another in court.
After Fani-Kayode’s allegation that Tinubu and the APC vice presidential candidate, Professor Yemi Osinbajo swore to an oath to transfer the office of the vice president to him after APC’s victory, Osinbajo, in a letter dated February 28 addressed to Fani-Kayode, issued a seven-day ultimatum to Femi Fani-Kayode, to apologise over his “defamatory statements” against him and demanded N2billion as damages.
On the other hand, Fani-Kayode, also issued a letter demanding an apology and N5billion damages from the National Publicity Secretary of the APC, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, for questioning his “mental state” over alleged substance abuse.
“We are seriously concerned that Mr. Fani-Kayode may have unhinged, perhaps as a result of a relapse into an unhealthy lifestyle of substance abuse. Our concern stems from the series of incoherent statements, outlandish claims and inconsistent behaviours exhibited by Mr. Fani-Kayode in recent times, which call into question his state of mental health,” Mohammed said.
On his part, Tinubu asked Nigeria’s highest regulatory body for broadcasting, National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction AIT for airing malicious documentary against his person.
In a petition titled: ‘Petition on Libelous Documentary on Bola Tinubu on African Independent Television on Sunday, March 1, 2015’ and addressed to the NBC Director General, Mr. Emeka Mba, by his solicitor, Mr. Tunji Abayomi, Tinubu alleged that the broadcast station erred on the part of ethics in the documentary.
“The said documentary is offensive, derogatory, unethical, destructive, and politically motivated to serve the interest of the anonymous ‘sponsor’. You may wish to particularly note that although AIT wrote ‘sponsored’ when broadcasting the documentary, it never during or after the broadcast revealed the ‘sponsors’, an indication that AIT had something to hide.
“AIT has failed to follow and obey rules and regulations guiding such content. We demand that the NBC enforces its regulations by first restraining the AIT and any other media organisations from producing or reproducing in any form of defamatory publication especially the documentary titled, ‘Lion of Bourdilon’.
“We also demand that Africa Independent Television (AIT) be sanctioned according to the laws guiding their practice as a deterrent to others. We hope that the NBC will act swiftly in this matter to safeguard its integrity and secure the reputation of media practice,” he said.
The Lagos State Publicity Secretary of the APC, Mr. Joe Igbokwe has also urged Nigerians to treat information emanating from AIT as falsehood fabricated to distort the truth by the PDP.
“Information from AIT is falsehood and desperate propaganda by the sinking PDP to remain in power. It is a reflection of the desperation to lie, slander and fabricate for the PDP. It is worrisome to Nigerians who know AIT’s shady
background and its legendary antics to corruptly gain from the ravaging corruption the PDP has promoted for sixteen years,” Igbokwe said.
Unfortunately, such indecent propaganda is beginning to take its toll on the socio-economy of the nation’s fabric. Local businessmen are now complaining that their foreign counterparts are worried about this development and as such, are not putting their money in any investment in the country.
Also worse is the possibility of another postponement that stares Nigerians in the face. Though President Jonathan had emphatically assured Nigerians about the sanctity of the May 29 handover date, there is a growing fear that the March 28 and April 11 new dates may not hold and there have been various reactions to that extent.
Former president of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA), Mr. Olisa Agbakoba said: “I don’t think Nigeria can survive another postponement,” adding that “Calls for cancellation of elections is unconstitutional. If the proposal is to be considered, it would need constitutional amendment by the National Assembly. I do not support it.”
His position is in sync with that of foremost constitutional lawyer, Prof. Ben Nwabueze, who said there was no constitutional provision for the initial call for an interim government.
The Lagos State coordinator, Buhari/Osinbajo Campaign Organisation, Hon. James Faleke in his reaction to the issues said: “I don’t see any reason why they should be thinking of postponing the elections again. The military has recorded victory against the Boko Haram and have pushed them back and INEC has been distributing the Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs).
“I do not see any reason the ruling party should be afraid of going into an election. As far as we are concerned, we are ready for the elections. It is the first time a ruling party is afraid of conducting election. Buhari who had said the first postponement enjoyed constitutional backing considers further shift in the date of the election as a “coup against democracy.”
Above all, the indications that Jega might be sacked have heightened fears for the possibility of another shift. Where this takes pace, its consequences will be felt in all sectors of the country. Aside making the country a laughing stock in the comity of nations, not anyone can say for sure the immediate reaction that could trail such a decision, irrespective of the bluffing by Governor Fayose that “heaven will not fall if Jega is sacked.”