The run-up to the Presidential election that held on February 25, 2023 had been tinged with expectation and excitement. For some, it was the birth of a new dawn and the rekindling of hope in our political system. The repeated assurances from the Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that elections would be free and fair only served to heighten the expectation around this election. The Presidential elections have now come and gone with two of the leading parties rejecting the outcome of the polls. Reports from independent international observers would appear to lend credence to the protests by these parties. So what went wrong. Like most Nigerians, I went to my polling unit at Dowen College in the Lekki Phase 1 area of Lagos. I arrived the venue at about 10am and for the next 8 hours, sat patiently awaiting the arrival of INEC officials. They finally showed up at 6pm and I was able to cast my vote at 7.30pm after almost 10 hours of waiting. Mine would appear to have been one of the milder irritations as reports from other polling centres indicated active voter suppression, harassment and in some instances destruction of ballots and other election materials. As the days progressed, reports of result manipulation started to take centre stage. The inability of the electoral umpire to uphold one of its guidelines for the election by undertaking the live transmission of results from polling centres, drew sharp criticism from Nigerians across the country. The subsequent release of results has done little to assuage the feelings of those who feel that the announced results do not reflect the wishes of Nigerian voters. The populace has started gearing up for the legal fireworks that are sure to follow as both parties have stated their resolve to challenge the outcome of the polls in the courts. The Nigerian Judiciary would once again be put in the spotlight in adjudicating on the reliefs being sought by the claimants.
Nigerians return to the polls this weekend for the gubernatorial elections and the sentiments of a lot of people is a return of voter apathy. A number of people spoken to complained that it was unlikely that their votes would make a difference so would rather stay at home. This is a sad turn for our developing democracy given the momentum that had been gathered in the weeks trailing the Presidential election. The beauty of democracy lies in the full participation of citizens in the process of selecting its leaders. A return to apathy does not bode well for the country. This can be clearly seen given the inherent impact of leadership on the generality of Nigerians. INEC needs to redouble its efforts and do all it can to restore public confidence in the electoral process. The gubernatorial elections this weekend presents an opportunity for INEC to salvage whats left of its image and restore public confidence in our democracy. The world is watching and we must not lose the opportunity that this election presents to be a role model to other countries in Africa.
