Tomorrow, our people take one more step in the direction of choosing those who would be in charge of their affairs for the next four years. In line with the constitutional brief, those elected are expected to seek the welfare and
security of the people, the only reason that every government is in power.
Tomorrow, our people take one more step in the direction of choosing those who would be in charge of their affairs for the next four years. In line with the constitutional brief, those elected are expected to seek the welfare and
security of the people, the only reason that every government is in power.
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Preparations for this time have been intense and we of the Congress for
Progressive Change commend stakeholders who have been part of the tenuous chore for the three elections that will be conducted, the first of which comes up countrywide tomorrow, April 2, 2011.
Many consultations have been made by those charged with the responsibility of moderating the elections, especially the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC).
We of the CPC have taken part in the briefings of INEC, the State Security
Services and the Nigeria Police Force. We even attended a meeting hosted in the Villa by the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, Dr. Ebele Goodluck Jonathan.
At all the fora, we have boldly made our contributions. As one of the 63
registered political parties, we took part in the formulation, vetting and
endorsement of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties. We have, to the best of our ability, ensured that our followers are law-abiding and take to heart the provisions of the Code.
We know that the hope of every Nigerian is to achieve what has eluded us over the years, the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections that the world will accept as meeting the irreducible minimum standards expected of a polity that decides to travel the democracy highway.
But where we seem to be confronted by decisions that seem to dig manholes on the road taken, we believe we should not just sit down, fold our hands and grumble.
We would prefer to join those who warn of dangers on the way because we believe they have more patriotism in them than those who sit down, fold their hands and grumble.
We are worried by certain decisions being taken as we approach the elections.
These decisions come from security agencies. We will abide by any decision that on the face has security implications, but we would prefer to bound by what we believe is more in the national interest and which the moderators of the elections, INEC, has clearly documented and openly canvassed.
On the elections starting tomorrow, INEC told us in advertised statements in the print and electronic media – “Registration is not an end in itself; keep good custody of your voter’s card and do not sell it; your voter’s card is your choice on election day; vote wisely and protect your vote lawfully; do not walk away after voting; and patiently wait for results to be announced on the spot.”
There seems now to be counter instructions to what INEC, the official conductor of the electoral orchestra is saying. INEC is telling us who must vote tomorrow and the other elections that come up on April 9 and 16: DO NOT WALK AWAY AFTER VOTING; AND PATIENTLY WAIT FOR RESULTS TO BE ANNOUNCED ON THE SPOT.
What the National Security Adviser, retired General Owoye Azazi, is reported as saying is not in line with the advice of INEC that voters should not walk away after voting; that they should wait patiently for results to be announced on the spot. For security reasons, Azazi would prefer that those who have voted should go home. After all, all parties have agents at the voting centres and these agents can be their eyes, he believes.
The truth of the matter is that every voter should be the monitor of his vote.
They trust no one, what with what they have been through since 2003! We will be wrong to ask them to cast their votes and go home. Which home? They would all be told to abide by the code of conduct which all contesting political parties have endorsed. No one should carry dangerous weapons to the voting centre or cause any problem there. They know the consequences of disturbing the flow of operations at voting and collating centres. Those who have been wanting change and working hard to have it would never be associated with trying to undermine the processes for effecting that change.
But one way of frustrating that process is asking the people to go home after casting their vote or being pushed away distances from where the counting will take place. No one should accept this suggestion of the NSA, for it can only be a suggestion that flies in the face of what INEC has seen as part of free and fair conduct of elections by asking people to wait patently for results to be announced on the spot.
One other way people seem to see as capable of undermining the process is what the police has since denied – that cameras should not be brought to the voting centre. Oh yes, people must bring their cell phones to the venue and watch closely while voting takes place. They should immediately after the counting text the results to their offices. INEC chairman even advised this much during his interaction with chairmen of political parties. We would as a party prefer to abide by what INEC tells us than what others believe should be done.
Finally the decision to have the military looking over the shoulders of voters is ill-advised. What are policemen for? If those in charge do not know, perception matters in everything that happens. What people believe is happening is what to them is happening. It may be false but to the beholder, the picture is clear.
People believe that the so-called flash points in the country to which troops would be deployed are the areas marked for massive rigging to secure millions of votes for the incumbent. Yet, President Jonathan has begged those who are known to know no other way of winning elections than manipulating them, that he has not asked anyone to rig for him. He said he would never accept to have the blood of even one Nigerian shed because he wants to be president of Nigeria.
This is the voice of a statesman.
Any attempt to rig will be resisted by Nigerians, and they will do anything to ensure that for once we have free and fair elections that the world can accept as credible.
The test comes tomorrow with INEC’s handling of the national assembly election countrywide. We of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) wish them BEST LUCK.
Being Statement issued by Prince Tony Momoh, National Chairman, Congress for Progressive Change on Friday April 1, 2011 at Abuja.
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