As Nigeria prepares for the 2019 general elections, a few people have already started subtle campaign. Of course, you can be sure that the starting point is in the media as always and the torchbearers are the journalists and writers; hack or hired writers or otherwise.
From what is coming out in the media and self-appointed soothsayers, it appears that the shape of the campaign for the 2019 general elections will not be different from what we have always had, especially what we had in the 2014/15 campaign/election period. It is looking as if it will be full of insults, hatred, verbal attacks, innuendos, mudslinging and all such other negative and archaic political jibes.
As a matter of fact, the campaign is not likely to be issue-based, for the simple reason that none of the political parties, much less the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) can claim to have clearly defined ideology. Not even the Presidential candidates that will emerge from the lot.
It is strangely interesting to know that while President Muhammadu Buhari has not come out to declare his intention to run for a second term, a few writers, preachers and professional hack-writers are already in town churning out hateful comments on why he should not even think of coming out to seek for a second term.
The concern here is not really about what such writers are saying, but the ignorance that is built into the write-ups; I mean ignorant about how democracy works, how leadership emerges in democracy and so on.
One of such write-ups had already expressed fears that the candidate he favours to be President from 2019 will be prevented from winning election by what he called cabals, as if the cabals are a group that installed leader or leaders.
Of course, if the present President has not performed enough to enable him become the next President, it is the electorate across the country that will deny him such privilege with their votes, and it has been made clear time without number that Nigeria had gradually grown beyond the crudity which such writers are thinking of.
This point is made strong with the example which the immediate past President, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan had set, having handed over the reign of power to the winner of the 2015 elections, who happened to come from the then opposition political party.
It will be a clear intimidation and denial of right for anybody to say that President Buhari should not seek for second term or that Alhaji Atiku Abubakar or even any other Nigerian should not contest the next year election. What is important is for us to grow out of our archaic, undemocratic thinking. The thinking that it is a sin for even a none performing leader, this time, President Buhari, to contest election or re-election as the case may be. Or, that by contesting, it means that he is being floated by unseen cabals.
From the example which Dr. Jonathan had set, it will be difficult for any body, even the incumbent leader, to cling to power when the electorates say it is all over.
So, instead of dissipating energy fearing the method of installing the next President, in a clear democracy which Nigeria has long embraced, the campaigners would do well to begin to sell their candidates and their programmes, if any, to those who will vote in 2019.
The issue of cabal or that a section of the country has enslaved the other parts of the country by the mere fact of the man at the helm of the nation’s affairs, should be left where it belonged: political dustbin.
At any rate, by the way, the constitution is designed and being practiced in a way that no candidate from whichever part of the country can be President unless he wins election in not less than 26 out of 36 states of the country, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
As a matter of fact, Article 134 (2) of the Nigerian Constitution stipulates that a presidential candidate will be duly elected after attaining both the highest number of votes cast, and having received at least a quarter of the votes at each of at least two-thirds of the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
If therefore, an Igbo man for example, wins election in at least 26 states of the federation, crossing all the geographical and ethnic boundaries, how, for God sake, would such President be regarded as being floated by cabals or that his part of the country is enslaving the other parts?
The campaigners should learn to know that, despite those hiding under the new social media to spread hateful and divisive political antics, Nigerians are no fools; they understand the workings of democracy and the method of electing President.
What Nigeria wants as the 2019 beckons, are Presidential candidates that would come up with clear idea of how they will address the numerous economic, security, social and other challenges of the country, and how they will bring about job opportunities and other welfare packages, not who is going to contest, why is he going to contest and or reading meaning into where such candidate comes from.
Where anybody comes from ought not to be anybody’s business, in a democracy, because, every adult and educated Nigerian is qualified to contest. [myad]
