Notes on Nigeria's elections (6)
By Reuben Abati

THE post-mortem of the 2007 elections is assuming interesting dimensions; the aftermath of the process, putative as it is, is worth considering for clues about the temperature of the Nigerian society a week later. Both INEC and government spokespersons have begun a reconstruction of history in a manner that beggars belief. In Nigeria's tradition of the loudest man invariably always winning the argument, every possible measure is being deployed, including name calling, labelling and intimidation. There can be nothing more dramatic in this regard than the fulmination by the Chairman of the National Electoral Commission on Wednesday, May 2, at the occasion of the issuance of the Certificate of Return to Alhaji Umar Musa Yar'Adua, the President-elect.

Umar was characteristically sober, and he promised that his government will embark on electoral reforms. But Professor Maurice Iwu was in a combative mood. He accused critics of the 2007 elections of "mischief", and international observers of "shallow thinking" and sought to offer what he calls "the correct perspective of the election". According to him, given Nigeria's peculiar situation with its "largely underdeveloped political system" , the conduct of the elections could not have been expected "to flow like natural river", nonetheless it was a "success". The problem was not so much Iwu's self-congratulation, but his tone. He dismissed anyone holding any contrary view as "callous and inhuman" , "disingenuous and playing to the gallery"; "posturing", "insincerity", "self-serving".

In his acerbic remarks, Professor Iwu brought to the fore all the revisionist comments that have been made to justify the electoral process and its imperfections. He continuously hinted at sabotage. He also repeated the official line that the fact that the elections took place at all deserves "full commendation." Then, he brought God into it: typical Nigerian mode of blackmail; this is immediately followed by a comment about "unconscionable ingratitude to one's fatherland." In one word, Professor Iwu's verdict is that INEC did nothing wrong. In fact, the country should be grateful to INEC for delivering what had been thought impossible. I consider Professor Iwu'a angry response inappropriate. In the course of the televised interviews he granted during the elections, he had displayed some degree of tolerance. But now, he is practically asking everybody to go to Hell!

He does not even want to be criticized, and in spite of criticisms, he has chosen to rationalize INEC's performance and blame the people instead. He is the one who has missed the point about the magnitude and the importance of his assignment. Rather than fight critics, Iwu and his team should be taking notes to help document for the country, lessons that have been learnt in the course of these problematic elections. They should be more concerned about how electoral institutions can be re-built to ensure greater efficiency. And they should be humble enough to accept criticism in good faith. Incidentally, the first line of Iwu's presentation contains the word: "humble" . The Chairman of the Electoral Commission needs not engage in a shouting match with critics. It is a sign of desperation. He and his men should take a second and more sober look at the reports of the election monitors, local and foreign.

Even if Professor Iwu was making a speech to impress the President-elect, he overdid it. He betrayed partisanship when he descended on other Presidential candidates in the 2007 elections and launched into the equivalent of a panegyric on Yar'Adua, and a diatribe against other candidates. Hear him: "May I also remark that when we release the report of the 2007 election campaign which INEC monitored as provided in the 1999 Constitution, it will show you that you were the only candidate that covered all parts of the country during your campaign, that eighteen out of the twenty-five candidates who contested in that election did not even have a single campaign poster in the major cities of the federation, that twenty of then had no single advertisement in the dailies, and that one of the contestants spent more time attacking the Commission than in telling Nigerians why they should vote for him" Could these be the comments of an impartial umpire?

Professor Iwu decants: "there is no fundamental human right guaranteeing success in an election". Please there is. The right to the dignity of the human person, the right to the freedom of expression, the right to the freedom of association, the right to freedom from discrimination, and the freedom of choice, all of which were violated in many ways through the crises of logistics, violence, legitimacy and integrity which characterized the April 2007 elections. And please Professor, an election does not deserve "full commendation" just because it has taken place; the true test is that of fairness and credibility and the extent to which it is a true representation of the people's wishes.

President-elect Umar Musa Yar'Adua may have assumed a different attitude at the occasion of his formal recognition by INEC, but since his declaration as winner, certain issues have developed around his emergence as well. Shortly after the elections, he was said to have attended a meeting of the Federal Executive Council. What was he doing there? Political pragmatists may argue that he went to have a look at the Executive Chamber and perhaps to understudy President Olusegun Obasanjo. But what is he being eager about? If the winner of the Presidential election had been the candidate of another political party, would he have been allowed to eavesdrop on the Federal Executive Council meeting?

The President-elect has also since taken up residence at Akinola Aguda House, within the precincts of the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Aguda House is the official residence of the Vice President of Nigeria. Here, the President-elect has been holding court and receiving visitors and well-wishers. These include members of the Northern Union, diplomats, President Obasanjo himself and all kinds of emergent groups: Associates of Yar'Adua, One Million Youths for Yar'Adua, the Council of Ulamas, traditional rulers, delegations from the states... There is never a shortage of well-wishers in Nigeria. The same crowd that used to troop to Aso Villa to genuflect before Obasanjo is gradually relocating to Yar'Adua's doorstep. And believe this: Nigerians can be very pragmatic but brazen in their pursuit of opportunities.

But what is Yar'Adua doing in Aguda House? He should be in Government House in Katsina where he is still Governor until May 29. He should be in Katsina preparing hand over notes for his successor. And if he must be in Abuja, why is he not staying in the Katsina State Liaison Office? As President-elect, he will need security, fine, that could be arranged but he cannot begin to act as President until he is sworn in on May 29. There was also a report that he may soon embark on a world tour before his inauguration. What world tour is that? In what capacity? Could this be a euphemism for another appointment abroad because clearly what kind of tour would he be embarking upon as President-elect? But if he must travel abroad, then he should do so on his own account. And instead of attending to an endless stream of well-wishers, now is the time for the President-elect to come up with a proper articulation of what he wants to do as President. It is not enough to talk about continuity. Continuity of what? Or the PDP manifesto. Who has seen it? Or that he will address the problem of the Niger Delta. How? Or that he will reconcile with the opposition. Meaning what?

If there is anything that the 2007 elections have created, it is the spread of malice and bad faith in the land. Much hope is being invested in the election petition tribunals, and the judiciary is being asked to correct INEC's mistakes. Whatever the tribunals do at the end of the day, it is a pity that the manner of the 2007 elections has further poisoned the country's political space. In Rivers state, the mother of the Governor-elect, Mrs Cecilia Omehia was abducted and later released by unnamed hoodlums. In future elections, candidates would be under pressure to arrange special security not just for themselves but their immediate relations as well.

Meanwhile, the Progressive Peoples Alliance (PPA) North West zone has suspended the party's Vice Presidential candidate in the April elections, and the North West zonal chairman for paying a solidarity visit to President-elect Umar Musa Yar' adua of the rival PDP. Nigerian politicians are bad losers and terrible winners. How does a solidarity visit amount to anti-party activity? In Lagos State, the Action Congress dominated House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against the state Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro for anti-state activities. It is common knowledge that Pedro's offence is that he had the audacity to run for Governor of the state in the last elections on the platform of the Labour Party, against the Action Congress candidate who had the blessing and support of the incumbent state Governor.

Pedro more or less stood up to his own boss, and insisted on his right to make a choice. He lost the elections and now he is up against a vicious power game in the face of which he is almost totally helpless. He is being accused of insubordination. Should a man be crucified for expressing his right to seek office and be voted for? There is a spread of bad blood in the National Assembly also with the lawmakers finding it difficult to review the 2007 elections. The National Assembly is divided between those who want a discussion of the polls and those who insist that the matter should be left to the election tribunals.

The professional political class in the matter of the 2007 elections has deepened Nigeria's moral turpitude. The message that is being sent to the younger generation of Nigerians is that it is perfectly in order to steal, cheat or rig, that the end alone justifies the means, and that whatever happens a bold-faced rationalization can be offered subsequently. The international community, which Iwu accuses of "shallowness" must be astounded by the very peculiar nature of the Nigerian society, its institutions and leadership. But as long as the oil wells continue to flow, and they are allowed access to Nigeria's extractive resources and its enlarging, import-dependent markets, the international community will play along and accept us the way we are.

Robot  # 1 | 04.05.2007 08:35

Both INEC and government spokespersons have begun a reconstruction of history in a manner that b...Read the full article.

emmanuel majebi  # 2 | 04.05.2007 10:35

I wonder if Maurice Iwu has someone who manages him? Every person who holds such sensitve position needs a person who mananges his public appearance. Here is a man who has been variously accused of siding with the ruling party and monumentally rigging the elections in favour of the ruling party and rather than do everything to try and debunk that notion of being a partial arbiter he rather goes all out to prove that he is a PDP hired gun!? What biz of his is it to tell us how hard the PDP candidate campaigned? He may in the end just be a very well paid mercenary who was hired to come and carry out the dirty do-or-die job of returning PDP to pwer by hook or crooK. Here is a man who in the beginning said that he would not even allow observers to observe the elections! You can now see why he wanted to keep observers at bay? If INEC could commit all the atrocities it commited right under the nose of obervers onlyGod know what they would have done without the observers? The Americans recently did their mid term elections, the French have done their pRESIEDENTIAL elections and the run off are on sunday, the British are doing thier local election presently. In all these countries did you ever hear the voice of the head of their electoral commission? Do we even know thei names? But here our own electoral boss spends his time fighting opposition paties, fighting court battles with the opposition and endless man hours in the public eye. We need salvation in this country Initially one had thought that inspite of the putridity of the elections, maybe , just maybe Yaradua may be able to exert his personality on the volatile situation, but I think the PDP machinary may be too strong for him; at least in these first few days. He has told us that the most of the current Ministers of Obadsanjo would remain - tenure elongation? And that he would continue the reforms - our source of utter pain! So what has changed? It may just be a matter Obasanjo moving the Presidential palace from Aso to Ota and putting a sttoge in Aso to make believe that their has been a change! But if Yar'Adua knows what is good for him he better start to bring out his own perspective of things. The truth of the matter is that Nigerians are tired of Obasanjonomics and any attempt at sustaining it would earn Yar'Adua a siddon look reaction from Nigerians and we would right from now begin to look to 2011 for our slavation.

Auspicious  # 3 | 04.05.2007 10:49

Maurice Iwu was a disgrace the other day. We already reported on the same HERE. As for Mr. Yar'Adua's first wrong steps.. We just hope these are not warning signs.. Of more wrongs steps to come. Especially when we know he's come to stay. Auspicious.

ocnus  # 4 | 04.05.2007 12:09

The bray of a donkey is recognised in every society.

Sincere Brillow  # 5 | 04.05.2007 13:54

Nigeria may never experience free and fair election Again. Reason;if we failed as a nation to insist on the 1993 Presidential elections which has been adjudged the freest and fairest.who are we to demand that this wuruwuru election be cancelled. 2011 will soon be here and we shall be treated to another interesting meal of electoral fraud in another immeasurable magnitude and i can assure you nothing will happen.Nigerians will leave by it.Or is it Dr Abati that will go protest and recieve the butt of gun on his head.Neither Uche Nworah nor Auspicious even the man who calls himself I Love Nigeria will not want to dare our Ehindero Police More than Minimun=Maximum Force. Just Recently,South Africans went to the streets protesting the renaming of their streets after ANC heroes.It can never happen in Nigeria. gOD HELP US yOURS sINCERELY.

Auspicious  # 6 | 04.05.2007 13:59

=Sincere Brillow;173497>Or is it Dr Abati that will go protest and recieve the butt of gun on his head.Neither Uche Nworah nor Auspicious even the man who calls himself I Love Nigeria will not want to dare our Ehindero Police More than Minimun=Maximum Force.. ILN? You mean the same ILN??? Hahahahahaa! He'll be there praising the government of the day.. Saying they tried their best against all odds, To execute another electoral perfidy. Auspicious.

oluye  # 7 | 05.05.2007 01:23

Reuben Abati wrote: "President-elect Umar Musa Yar'Adua may have assumed a different attitude at the occasion of his formal recognition by INEC, but since his declaration as winner, certain issues have developed around his emergence as well. Shortly after the elections, he was said to have attended a meeting of the Federal Executive Council. What was he doing there? Political pragmatists may argue that he went to have a look at the Executive Chamber and perhaps to understudy President Olusegun Obasanjo. But what is he being eager about? If the winner of the Presidential election had been the candidate of another political party, would he have been allowed to eavesdrop on the Federal Executive Council meeting? The President-elect has also since taken up residence at Akinola Aguda House, within the precincts of the Presidential Villa in Abuja. Aguda House is the official residence of the Vice President of Nigeria. Here, the President-elect has been holding court and receiving visitors and well-wishers. These include members of the Northern Union, diplomats, President Obasanjo himself and all kinds of emergent groups: Associates of Yar'Adua, One Million Youths for Yar'Adua, the Council of Ulamas, traditional rulers, delegations from the states... There is never a shortage of well-wishers in Nigeria. The same crowd that used to troop to Aso Villa to genuflect before Obasanjo is gradually relocating to Yar'Adua's doorstep. And believe this: Nigerians can be very pragmatic but brazen in their pursuit of opportunities." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Oga Reuben, I think you answered your questions by yourself. Why do we choose to mourn over what should make us rejoice? Have you ever wondered why several millions of Naira disappear and several projects are not followed up when there is a change of government? Personally I think it is a good development that the president elect and the outgoing president can spend time together in office and outside office. Like you suggested, for the one to understudy the other. Unless we want to fool ourselves, every party has its own agenda and ways of doing things. The republicans in the US have their own ways different from the democrats. For some of us, there was a real fear that the country may be set back many years as a new set of leaders begin to re-invent the wheel. YarAdua is towing the line of not questioning what works but moving on to address what doesn't work yet. As to his journey abroad, I would rather he goes there on Katsina's time than on the National time, there are things to be handed over abroad too. It is dangerous for a newly appointed President to globe trot when there is no serving president on seat. The present arrangement seems to ensure that the new president would have done some of his globe trotting before he resumes. That to me is good for Nigeria.

Mikky jaga  # 8 | 05.05.2007 12:15

It is not always good for writers to digress. The little digression by the writer has introduced an element of complication in the otherwise well written piece. See what I am refering to below: How does a solidarity visit amount to anti-party activity? In Lagos State, the Action Congress dominated House of Assembly has commenced impeachment proceedings against the state Deputy Governor, Otunba Femi Pedro for anti-state activities. It is common knowledge that Pedro's offence is that he had the audacity to run for Governor of the state in the last elections on the platform of the Labour Party, against the Action Congress candidate who had the blessing and support of the incumbent state Governor. With all due respect, the solidarity visit was ill timed, ill concieved and totally calculated to embarrass PPA and its Presidential Candidate. Why should a VP candidate congratulate an opponent when his party and presidential candidate have not conceded victory. If that is not antiparty activity, I do not know what else is. As for Pedro, I think AC have really shown great magnanimity to have allowed him thus far. He has tested his popularity against a party that brought him to limelight politically and has failed woefully. There is nothing wrong if he is allowed to taste the bitter side of failure. What AC is doing in the case of Pedro is what well meaning Nigerians advocated during OBJ/ATK wahala but OBJ, being a non believer in due process and Rule of Law, decided to declare his VP's seat vacant thereby garnering undeserved support for the man. Let politics be played according to the rules and it will be very enjoyable.

Godwin  # 9 | 06.05.2007 04:19

=Mikky jaga;173705>It is common knowledge that Pedro's offence is that he had the audacity to run for Governor of the state in the last elections on the platform of the Labour Party, against the Action Congress candidate who had the blessing and support of the incumbent state Governor. ... As for Pedro, I think AC have really shown great magnanimity to have allowed him thus far. He has tested his popularity against a party that brought him to limelight politically and has failed woefully. There is nothing wrong if he is allowed to taste the bitter side of failure. AC is actually the renegade AD. AD was the platform that brought the now AC members into prominence. If Femi Pedro had stayed with AD and actually contested the last election on its platform, I think he will be subjected to the same situation.

ebasain  # 10 | 07.05.2007 19:13

Maurice Iwu, hopefully one day will ask for some one to manage him when he's tied to the stakes. But, then it'll be too late!