One Flaw Too Many

One Flaw Too Many
By Sam Onimisi
If the 2011 general election had not been postponed from January to April 2011 to enable the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) adequate time to prepare for a flawless exercise, one could have taken the botched legislative election lightly.
What happened to all the plans and strategies that the INEC and the government had put in place? Why did election materials never get to the polling booths in most of the States? Who is responsible for the delay beyond the international dimension Professor Jega alluded to? How sure are we that there has not been an internal sabotage by some mischievous INEC Staff? Professor Jega is so sure that between the 2nd and 4th of April 2011, all materials would have gotten to all constituencies for a flawless exercise and by the time you are reading this piece, the Parliamentary and Presidential election would have been held.
The reason given for the postponement was there and latent and a perceptive electoral body would have taken a preventive or pro-active step and could have announced the postponement ahead of the scheduled date. The psychological sense of failure and doubt would have been avoided. Now, there is a general fear that INEC is so inept that subsequent elections may suffer the same if not worse fate. Stakeholders such as political parties, candidates and the Nigerian people are apprehensive that the 2011 elections may be worse than the do-or-die version of 2007. A lot have been lost, in terms of money and payment of ad-hoc electoral staff that must be paid regardless of the postponement or non-performance of their duties. The Security Agencies had deployed their men and materials and everyone knows that movement of men and equipment costs money which is now wasted as the objective was not achieved. The numerous observers and monitors from home and abroad would stay extra days with additional expenses that were not envisaged. The turn-out of voters is bound to be affected as enthusiasm waned and cynism takes over. These and much more are the consequences of the botched election for which INEC must be held responsible. I was writing the last sentence when the news broke that INEC has again shifted the election to Saturday, April 9, 2011. This time, Professor Jega hinged the postponement on the need to get electoral materials to the voting centres, the need to reprint some ballot papers in which names of certain parties, their logos and candidates were earlier omitted, and this happened in several states.
In a country where no one appear to be responsible for anything and in which the buck is passed around and stops nowhere, perhaps Professor Jega needs to be appreciated for publicly admitting the failure of INEC and apologizing to the Nation. However, we cannot immediately quantify the psychological and financial loss to the country as a result of this double postponement. The political parties are already counting their losses in terms of hundreds of millions in party agents’ fees and mobilization or demobilization of personnel. And now, there is the genuine fear that in the few states where election took place on 2 April, millions of ballot papers have already been exposed and susceptible to duplication by unscrupulous elements bent on their election rigging enterprises. Moreover, voters became agitated and were already suspecting foul play by the ruling party and there were some fracas and fisticuffs across the country, thereby increasing the palpable tension enveloping the election. How this development will affect subsequent elections can only be imagined. All these against the background of the general enthusiasm of the people on the appointment of Professor Attahiru Jega, based on his past track records, and his promises of fidelity and efficiency to the contrary.
On two or three occasions, the political parties have had to bail out Prof. Jega and gave him support to enable him achieve his objectives. First, when he needed time to assess the extent of rot in INEC to enable him make adequate preparation for elections, thus the election was shifted from January to April. Again, when he needed more money for the voters registration exercise, the parties rallied to his aid and he was granted what he asked for. Yet again, the political parties through the Inter-Party Advisory Council (IPAC) spearheaded the move to help INEC shift the pre-emptory date of April 4 to April 9 for the Parliamentary election. And yet , political parties are regarded as the greatest headache of INEC and are treated with contempt, whereas these parties are the raison deter for the existence of INEC. There have been complaints against Jega’s style of not granting party chairmen access to see him when requested, although he would always apologize but nothing seems to have changed.
It is not healthy to put decision ahead of consultation. In normal circumstances, consultation ought to precede decision. In the case of Jega’s INEC, it is more of the practice to consult after issues have been decided. This makes political parties feel that they are being used to rubberstamp or validate INEC decisions. The bottom line of this piece is the need to ensure that the sanctity and integrity of the 2011 general election is not compromised in any shape or form. Right now, the rating of Prof. Jega in the minds of the people has fallen from what it used to be. Woe betide the general election the day the chief electoral umpire is perceived to be partial, incompetent or compromising. Now that many people are disposed to grant Prof. Jega the benefit of the doubt, it is high time INEC performs its basic duty of conducting a free and fair election.
The consequences of a flawed or fraudulent election are very evident in Ivory Coast, in Zimbabwe and some other countries that are not even as diverse and plural as Nigeria. The pity is that each time reference is made to the fate of those countries, many leaders often retort that Nigeria can never suffer same fate but lack the vision, knowledge or courage to suggest ways and means of avoiding the dooms day. To continue to trudge on the failed path of complacency and the status quo and believe that is how to get the best result is self delusion. Our leaders also believes that Nigeria is God’s favourite, but the Almighty’s favourite are those who does his will and who exerts their God given wisdom, knowledge, strength and skills to attain greater heights. I wonder if it is not even worse with our religious leaders who now preach as if blessing is not tied to righteousness or holiness.
It is time our Pastors and Imams pray for INEC and Prof. Jega and Nigeria over the general election. Given the level of funds and preparation that went into the election so far, it is a tragedy that Jega failed to get it right at the first try. One of the lessons of and reference to history is to avoid its pitfalls. I am not sure if Dr. Abel Goubadia now of blessed memory ever recovered from the 2003 highly rigged general election. Professor Maurice Iwu is currently leaking his self-inflicted injuries resulting from his 2007 wuruwuru general election and several magomago re-run elections between 2008 and 2010. He is right now embroiled in the dirty mire of a social pariah although his unreasonably high hubris will not allow him to admit it. His place in history is assured- at the very nadir of reproach. It is not unlikely that Prof. Iwu made a lot of material and financial gains out of his electoral shenanigans but when the balance sheet of his exploits comes to be made, Iwu would wish he had not been appointed into INEC’s chair.
It is my wish that Prof. Attahiru Jega leaves INEC with his reputation intact as it is my desire that Nigeria should have a clean and respectable election. If the price to pay is the botched election of 2 April and the non-event of 4 April, we should be patient, forgiving but hopeful that the gains may well justify the costs. However, if the reasons given by Jega are different from what actually happened, it means that he has willingly put his hard earned reputation on the line, and he alone will swim in the resultant odium should he fail again. But where will that leave Nigeria?