Ingredients for a Credible Election
On Friday, a little-known civil society group, Zamfara Unity Forum, issued a press statement raising the alarm that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was trying to interfere in the 2019 governorship election in Zamfara state. The allegation is that the anti-graft agency has arrested Mallam Dauda Lawal, the consensus governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), and kept him incommunicado for over a week. This, the group alleged, was to force Lawal, a former banker, to drop out of the governorship race in favour of an unnamed anointed candidate. Unfortunately, the INEC deadline for substitution of the candidate has passed.
Zamfara presents a unique case in Nigeria. The incumbent Governor, Alhaji Abdulaziz Yari, had reportedly wanted his commissioner for finance, Alhaji Mukhtar Idris, to be his forward rather than backward. And President successor. However, he could not get his way Goodluck Jonathan put an icing on the cake through. Some of the aspirants reportedly by conceding while the final result was yet met and decided to endorse Lawal for the to be officially announced. He also did not governorship ticket following the inability of challenge the outcome at the tribunal. the party to hold a primary election in the We should be making progress from state. Zamfara had been a fierce battleground there — by taking several steps forward, during the primary, with reports of violence by adding what can make the elections more and gunshots rocking the state. Nobody transparent and credible — instead of going would expect such a virulent contest in a backward. The Zamfara case, if true, will state considered to be one of the poorest represent a step backward. No state institution in Nigeria. But so it goes. should be involved in trying to influence
To make matters worse, INEC is yet to the outcome of any election. The police accept the candidature of Lawal. As far as tried to arraign Senator Ademola Adeleke the electoral umpire is concerned, APC did over allegations of examination malpractices not hold any primary election in Zamfara before the Osun state governorship election and can therefore not present a candidate but backtracked at the request of President in the March 2, 2019 governorship election. Muhammadu Buhari. Many Nigerians had The APC, on the other hand, says it will field accused the police of trying to influence a candidate because its constitution, a copy the Osun governorship election in which of which is in INEC’s possession, allows Adeleke was the main opposition candidate. the party to pick its candidate either by a As things would later turn out, Adeleke still primary election or through the consensus lost the election and has now been charged to option, depending on the circumstances it court by the police. Of course, police could, finds itself. There seems to be a logjam there. technically, argue that they were doing their My opinion is that this would be eventually job. You cannot, convincingly, argue against resolved by a court of law. I won’t worry that. But it’s not all things that are lawful about that. that are expedient. The moment politics is
What I really worry about is the implication in the mix, the official argument would only of EFCC arresting Lawal at this point in be weakened. If EFCC had arrested and time. Ever since I read this press statement, detained Lawal months before the Zamfara issued by one Comrade Usman Bungudu primary election, it would have been difficult who was described as the convener of the to build a case of interference against the forum, I had been expecting the EFCC to anti-graft agency. But coming right in the deny it. No such denial is forthcoming. I middle of an electioneering process, this found this disturbing. The arrest of Lawal, move will certainly and justifiably raise dust. for whatever reason, is ill-timed. Even if We desperately need credible elections the EFCC has any serious case against next year. We should not have to be arguing him — which we do not know yet — it is over legitimacy again. It creates moral and going to be very difficult for the agency to political setbacks. We need to focus on the explain to the public that it had nothing key ingredients for credible elections: absence to do with Zamfara politics. The ordinary of violence and corruption; an unbiased interpretation would be that EFCC is being electoral body; transparency; and neutrality used to decimate Lawal. of state institutions. When there is violence,
Why am I worried? As we prepare for the credibility suffers. When there is inducement 2019 general election, I would say the greatest of voters, the system is distorted. When challenge ahead is the test of credibility. the electoral umpire is less than unbiased, Whether or not we like it, the 2015 elections the cause of a credible election will not be remain among the best we have organised. served. When state institutions, such as the It was not as if they were perfect; far from security agencies, perform their duties in it. The figures still looked incredible in at a way that influences election outcomes, least six states across the country. There were credibility crumbles. reports of “communal voting”, underage President Muhammadu Buhari has voting and disenfranchisement in key places. consistently maintained that he wants us But, by and large, 2015 represented a step to have credible elections in 2019. He has
THISDAY Newspapers Limited. said it at every turn. In fact, I have lost count of how many times he has praised Jonathan for conceding the 2015 presidential election. This is what is called legacy. You don’t have to be a fan of Jonathan — but anywhere people discuss 2015 elections today, his name is mentioned in positive light for the way he reacted to his loss. If I were Buhari, I would do everything possible to create my own legacy so that history would be kind to me too. One legacy is to ensure that state institutions are not working, overtly or covertly, under political influence.
By all means, 2019 must be better than 2015. That is one sure way of evaluating our progress as a democracy. I shivered recently when the chief of army staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, said the army will replicate its success in the Ekiti and Osun elections in 2019. No, that does not sound right. To start with, APC was vehemently against the deployment of soldiers for election duty when PDP was in power. What changed? Also, statements such as this lead to accusations of partisanship against the military. There were allegations of intimidation of voters by security agencies in Ekiti and Osun and the cases are now before tribunals. The army shouldn’t be talking about “replication”.
INEC, under the scrutiny of Nigeria’s development partners and civil society organisations, has sought to be above the fray. Just as APC subjected INEC to intense pressure ahead of 2015 apparently to exact neutrality from the umpire, PDP seems to be copying the same strategy. No pressure can be too much on INEC because it is the body that can make or mar the elections. The way it handled the Osun governorship election has been criticised by the PDP, which believes it won and has headed for the tribunal to seek justice. We leave that to the judiciary to determine. But INEC must not just be fair, it must be seen to be fair. This is the least expectation of all neutrals.
Above all, Buhari must consciously work for credible elections as part of his legacy. He needs to review his decision to withhold assent to the electoral amendment bill, which many activists think will instil more transparency in the process — especially the aspect on electronic transmission of results from polling units. Enhanced transparency could be a win-win for everybody. Buhari should point out the new provisions he does not agree with in order to reach a compromise with the national assembly. I have not seen any provision that cannot be further amended in the national interest. We must not throw away the baby with the bath water.
Buhari saw himself as a victim of tainted elections in 2003, 2007 and 2011. What reforms has he promoted to make our elections more credible? What would history record against his name in electoral reforms? He needs to sincerely ask himself these questions. Jonathan gave us the popular slogan: “My ambition is not worth the blood of any Nigerian.” Buhari must give us his own by way of absolute commitment to credible elections. Also, he must let it be known to the security agencies that their role is to help the process run smoothly and fairly. He must let it be known to the EFCC and other anti-graft bodies that they should not meddle in the elections. Progress.