‘‘Elections are supposed to be about the people, about their collective resources, but today existential problems persist among the masses in the polity i.e. putting food on the table on daily basis’’- Quoted in Nowinta’s book, 2009: Where We Are (page 135)
Pebbles with Igbotako Nowinta
Democracy is truly a learning process! From the ancient city states of Greece to the sprawling fascinating God’s own country- United States of America.
From one of the most populous democracies in the world – India, to one of the most turbulent nations in Africa – Somalia, the story has never been static.
Democracy remains one of the greatest practical and social evolutions in human history.
Even for the 67 years or so that the Union of Soviet Socialist Republic (USSR) withstood the menacing antagonism of the capitalist United States of America and its allies in the western world true democracy was bottled up within the boundaries of the Soviet Union.
Prieye Buyoya, former Burundian strongman after successfully dislodging the civilian government in that country years ago acknowledged the fact that democracy can never be put in a cooler forever.
Hard as the military rulers in Nigeria tried to put democracy away in our clime, with the likes of Generals Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and Sani Abacha engaging in the most ruthless tactics to prolong their stay the spirit of democracy still overwhelmed and triumphed over them.
My point is simply that democracy and its twin sister called elections are very critical in any sane society.
Therefore, there is no alternative to democracy and the process of selecting or picking individuals to represent the people in a society where it is operateable.
Now coming to the inconclusive Governorship Election in Kogi State, the present constitutional crisis brewing is not unusual as long as democracy is concerned.
The only unusual thing is that this is the first time in our nascent democratic set up that a Governorship candidate died in the middle of an electioneering process.
It is quite unfortunate for Prince Audu Abubakar, the late gubernatorial candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) that just when victory was at the corner he succumbed to the cold hands of death.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has called on APC to substitute the name of Prince Audu Abubakar with another candidate, a problem which the party is grappling with at the moment.
The Peoples Democratic Party has been quite busy since the debacle reared its ugly head in Kogi State, accusing the Presidency and the leadership of Independent National Electoral Commission under Prof. Mahmud Yakubu of trying to manipulate the democratic process to the advantage of the ruling party.
Even as the APC is grappling with the reality of how to organize fresh governorship primaries to replace the late Prince Audu Abubakar before the rescheduled gubernatorial election, the local APC is spoiling for war that his son must replace his father on the ballot papers.
Quite interestingly, this is the first election to be conducted by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration since the March 28th 2015 election.
And this is the first election to be handled by Prof Mahmud Yakubu since he emerged the substantive INEC boss after the glorious exit of Prof. Attahiru Jega.
My take on the present election debacle in Kogi is that in the name of the sustenance of democracy the nation’s Supreme Court should be allowed quickly to make a pronouncement according to the spirit and letters of the constitution.
I believe that is the only way that all stakeholders will be satisfied, just like how the case of the former Governor of Rivers State, Rotimi Amaechi was amicably resolved by the Supreme Court.
Nowinta wrote: Where We Are – A Call for Democratic Revolution in Nigeria.
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