21 June 2015 By Raheem Oluwafunminiyi The 2015 election has come and gone, yet leaves plenty in the
mouth to talk about. There is no doubt that the recent national election will
continue to be debated by scholars of history, sociologists, political
scientists, international relations experts among others for a very long time.
The reason for this is not far-fetched – the election is seen as a further
reminder that Nigeria's democracy has evolved and it can only take a matter of
time before our elections are fully strengthened to suit global electoral best
practices. Furthermore, this election will be the first where an incumbent at
the centre would lose election since 1999 and willingly concede defeat at the
polls even before final results were announced. It will also be the second time
two former military heads of state will preside over the country's democracy,
the first being former President Olusegun Obasanjo and now Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.
Despite the ominous signs that showed Nigeria was not going to
get it right by 2015, Nigerians today have been vindicated by their unmitigated
commitments to the electoral process. We have not only shown that we can hold
our own anywhere but also continue to remain true to our collective effort for
change through the ballot. At a time when Africa is lampooned daily against the
backdrop of electoral crisis and sit-tight-mentality among its leaders, Nigeria
has shown against all odds that its democracy can thrive when the peoples'
wishes are respected. It is instructive to note that with the recent yet sad
political events in Burundi, African leaders must begin to learn that power is
transient. They need to bow out when the ovation is loudest. It is quite sad
that a number of African leaders continue to skew the constitution in order to
perpetuate themselves in office even when it is obvious they have contributed
little or nothing to the development and economic uplift of their countries. The
long and suicidal migration of Africans by sea to Europe in recent times should
serve as a reminder that African leaders need to start getting it right by
seeing the larger picture. Africans continue to lose hope of survival in their
motherland, one which today has led to the rise in the number of horrific and
long migrations by sea, most times claiming hundreds of lives, of young men and
women who otherwise would have largely contributed to the development of their
home countries. Rather than plunge their countries into civil unrest and
unending wars through unnecessary ambition to remain in power, African leaders
should learn to concede defeat and leave the stage. Africa remains a continent
that can attain global political and economic power if its leaders take the
initiative towards developmental policies that will uplift the African and
remove him from the woes of hunger and poverty. Even as Burundi returns to the trenches of civil unrest after
just few years of relative peace, Nigeria has refused to toe that line. From
former President Goodluck Jonathan's altruistic actions, we have come to
understand the dangers in not conceding defeat in a national election,
especially when the implication of such action could plunge the country into yet
another crisis even when we are still battling with one in the North-East. Above
all, Nigeria's recent election has shown that there could be African solutions
to African problems if only we are willing to explore that line. The
introduction and use of card readers and PVCs in the 2015 election to counter
the hydra-headed monster of election rigging is a typical example. Having said this, it is important for us to begin to re-assess
some, if not most, of the issues raised before, during and in the aftermath of
the 2015 elections. We need to set a whole lot of records straight so that we
and the next generation do not fall victim of the wrong interpretation of our
recent political history. We need to begin to gather and put into proper
perspectives all the events that happened, the issues raised and most of the
discourses that emerged throughout the electioneering process so as not to
ingrain the wrong messages into our national consciousness. This is important
because we are not a historically conscious people and nation and as such may
likely come to stamp a wrong historical occurrence as a historical fact. It is
however, imperative for us to begin to tell it as it is and correct those who in
their bid to score cheap political gains skewed history for the wrong reasons. The reason for the above view stems from the fact that history
should be seen as what it is and not what a few think it must be because of
politics. This argument is primed on the series of wrong facts tabled by a
number of commentators that former President Jonathan was the first person or
politician to concede defeat in the history of elections in this country. While
there is an element of truth in the argument, if the series of election
petitions held in this country since the days of yore is anything to go by, we
must however be careful not to attribute such ''first'' to former President
Jonathan. Although it may have occurred under a different electoral platform, it
would still be wrong to say former President Jonathan was the first to call to
congratulate his opponent in an election. Not even the amiable former Ekiti
state governor, Dr. Kayode Fayemi, who shocked as much his own party by openly
congratulating and conceding defeat to the current governor, Ayo Fayose could be
said to be the first politician to have done such. Since the beginning of our nascent democracy in 1999,
candidates have always disagreed with or challenged the outcome of every
election. If we have to go back to both the First and Second Republics too, one
would not be wrong to assert that our elections at all levels have always faced
one form of dispute or the other. In the process, disputing candidates flood the
tribunals with one petition or the other. The courts are not left out, as they
too listen to cases candidates not satisfied with the judgements given at the
election petition tribunal bring along. Many of these cases eventually end up in
the Supreme Court were final judgements are given and case closed. Many of these
cases which eventually go to the Supreme Court go in favour of the so called
winning party or candidate while quite a few go in favour of the petitioner. The
case of Governors Kayode Fayemi and Rauf Aregbesola are quick reminders here.
Not even the presidential election since 1999 has been spared. Chief Olu Falae
had challenged in the court the victory of Chief Olusegun Obasanjo soon after
the 1999 election. Gen. Muhammadu Buhari whose penchant for disagreeing with the
outcome of all presidential elections since 2003 also challenged his defeat
until it got hearing at the Supreme Court. The outcome of the 2015 election, both presidential and
gubernatorial and of course, the legislative at federal and state levels has
changed it all. While the presidential election didn't go to the tribunal, first
of its kind for 16 years, the gubernatorial and legislative elections have also
followed the same line except in few cases like in Imo, Rivers etc. However,
while one must give kudos to all those who had at one point or the other
conceded defeat, starting from former President Jonathan, we must also look back
at 2011 where like in 2015, national elections were held. While the aftermath of
the presidential election had brought with it post-election troubles in selected
states in the north, and success recorded by many incumbent governors of the
ruling or opposition political parties depending on the state, someone was
already making history. While results were being announced, many defeated
candidates already dissatisfied with the conduct of the election condemned the
electoral body and process and headed straight for the tribunal. It was,
however, not so in Lagos, Oyo and Ogun states. It would be recalled that after the 2011 gubernatorial
election in Lagos, Dr. Ade Dosunmu, a former D.G NIMASA and PDP candidate had
not only conceded defeat but openly congratulated the winner Babatunde Fashola
on the latter's victory. Same could be said, the same year, of the PDP
candidates in Oyo and Ogun states, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Chief Adetunji Olurin
who quickly congratulated the winners Abiola Ajimobi and Ibikunle Amosun
respectively. Even Alhaji Rasheed Ladoja of the Accord Party was humble enough
to have said he was ''prepared to work with Ajimobi to provide the change the
people [of Oyo state] desire''. That was just about four and half years ago, yet
many have suddenly forgotten. For the sake of history and to lay the facts bare, former
President Jonathan would not be the first person to concede defeat in an
election. Not even former governor Kayode Fayemi. Both would only be known to
have continued what very few had started way back in 2011. Truly, the positions
with which these candidates contested may have been different – one a sitting
president contesting for president and the others as governors – yet we cannot
but situate the argument within the ugly and sad realities that would have arose
if these individuals had not conceded defeat and congratulated the respective
winners. It is therefore, the reason when the history of the 2011
election is recalled; bloody as it seemed in some parts and revolting in others,
Dr. Dosunmu, Rasheed Ladoja, Adebayo Alao-Akala and Chief Adetunji Olurin will
never be forgotten. These individuals will serve as a pointer to this generation
and the next as those who belled the cat where many failed. Their humane actions
and political maturity will forever be a lesson for future leaders to emulate.
They have taught many that one can be gallant even in defeat just like former
President Jonathan and governor Fayemi. Comments 💬 التعليقات |