UK Election And Lessons For Nigeria

By Casmir Igbokwe

As a master’s degree student in Cardiff, United Kingdom (UK), between 2006 and 2007, I voted in an election that took place in that country. The poll was devoid of any militarization, thuggery, ballot-box snatching and other ills that bedevil similar elections in Nigeria. The general election that took place in that country last Thursday made me have some nostalgic memories about the democratic culture of the UK and some other advanced multicultural societies.

The result of that parliamentary poll, which was announced the following day Friday, July 5, 2024, showed that the Labour Party won a landslide. This ended 14 years of being in the saddle by the Conservative Party. A few hours later, Labour Leader, Mr. Keir Starmer, effectively replaced Rishi Sunak in 10 Downing Street as the new Prime Minister of Britain. Soon afterwards, he announced his new cabinet. No court case. No threats. No technical glitches. No long convoy of exotic cars. No renovation of official residence. No inauguration committee.

It is interesting to know that in that election, about 30 politicians of Nigerian origin participated as candidates. Six of them were elected into the House of Commons. No one insulted them profiled their ethnic origin, or even threatened to deport them for daring to contest an election in a European country.

The reason for this is obvious. In advanced societies, voters consider your pedigree and capacity as a leader, not where you come from.  Once you don’t measure up as a leader, they show you the exit door because their votes count. It does not matter who you are or the party you belong to.

This is why President Joe Biden of the United States (US) is sweating now. The country will go to the polls in November to elect a new President. Recently, Biden and former President Donald Trump had a debate. The President performed woefully in that debate. This elicited concerns across the country and prompted calls on the Democratic Party to replace him. The Democrats know that they may be shown the way out of power if care is not taken. Trump first ran for a second term on the platform of the Republican Party in 2020 and lost to Biden. He may take over from Biden again, all things being equal. There is nothing like the power of incumbency; nothing like hijacking the electoral umpire and declaring fake results.

Even some less advanced African nations have left us behind. Elections were held in Liberia, Senegal and South Africa recently. Just like the UK election, there was no vote-buying, no thuggery, no declaration of false results and no long litigation in the tribunals. In Liberia, the then incumbent President, George Weah, lost his re-election bid late last year. The then opposition party candidate, Joseph Boakai, won and has since been sworn in as the President of that West African country.

In March this year, it was the turn of Senegal to show us how to conduct a presidential election. The then-opposition party candidate, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, defeated the candidate of the then-ruling party, Amadou Ba, and has since been sworn in as the President. The most recent example was the May 29, 2024, parliamentary election in South Africa. Cyril Ramaphosa almost lost his bid for a second term in office. His party, the African National Congress (ANC) lost the parliamentary majority. What saved Ramaphosa was that the ANC went into a late coalition deal with the Democratic Alliance and some other smaller parties to return to power.

For 25 years since the fourth republic came into being, Nigeria has been pretending to be practising democracy. One major thing that gives this impression is that civilians, not the military, are in charge. Aside from that, every other element of democracy has been bastardized.

For instance, we hardly conduct free and fair elections in Nigeria. Be it local government, state or national elections, politicians stockpile money not just for campaigns but for vote-buying, hiring of thugs and compromising of election officials and the judiciary. If they can’t get it by votes, they get it through other crooked means. At all costs, we fight for political power, grab it, snatch it and run with it.

That is why a former governor of Rivers State and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Nyesom Wike, could threaten to unseat the Senator representing the FCT in the Senate, Senator Ireti Kingibe, in 2027. Kingibe is of the Labour Party while Wike, who is still a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), now works for the All Progressives Congress (APC) government. Wike knew what he did in the 2023 presidential election to manufacture victory for the APC in Rivers State. He hopes to perform the same magic in 2027 in Abuja.

The worst is that the checks and balances that define a true democracy are almost dead in Nigeria. The legislature is a rubber stamp. The judiciary has been seriously compromised. The executive behaves as an emperor, dictating what it wants and how it wants it at every point in time. In simple terms, Nigeria has been captured and there is no redemption in sight.

The opposition as we know it is gasping for breath. The PDP that could have challenged the shenanigans of the ruling party is beset by intrigues and divisions. The Labour Party sprang surprises in the 2023 elections because of the influence of Mr Peter Obi and the ‘Obedient’ Movement. Now, some fifth columnists are making every plan to throw a spanner in the works for that party knowing that it poses a formidable threat in the future general election. The party has been contending with an internal leadership crisis that could pose a serious threat to its success in the next elections.

Meanwhile, Nigerians have resigned to fate, not knowing exactly what to do. They stay in their cocoons and lament, yet incapable of taking any serious action to redeem their country. As the new British Prime Minister, Starmer, succinctly put it in his recent speech outside 10 Downing Street, “When the gap between the sacrifices made by people and the service they receive from politicians grows this big, it leads to a weariness in the heart of a nation, a draining away of the hope, the spirit, the belief in a better future.”

We commended Kenyan youths who trooped to the streets to protest the finance bill the government of William Ruto wanted to introduce. The bill would have milked them of their little resources in the name of taxation. However, their resistance led to the cancellation of the plan. A number of these youths paid the supreme sacrifice in their bid to challenge poor governance in their country. We appear handicapped to do a similar thing in Nigeria. But for how long?

Nigerians have been seeking divine intervention. But God cannot do everything for us. Heaven helps those who help themselves. Until we take the bull by the horns and confront our problems, our lamentations will remain what they are – inconsequential. Meanwhile, let me quickly go and buy some foodstuffs and keep them before the prices jump again. Nigeria we hail thee!

Re: Atiku should forget the 2027 presidency

While Nigeria and Nigerians have shown a pathetic preference for Gerontocracy since the advent of the present democratic dispensation, except for the period 2007 – 2015, continuing in that retrogressive path in the next election cycle – 2027 – will automatically sink the ship of the State. It is not a matter of what Atiku will prefer or do. For a man like Alhaji Atiku Abubakar who has been around in all the democratic ventures of the country since 1992 and has in so doing acquired statesmanship by his participation, the overall health of the country should be paramount to him. On several occasions, he has professed the need for equity and fairness in the polity, it is expected he should walk his talk come 2027. Trying to be the Abraham Lincoln of Nigeria’s politics is puerile more so when such will cause more damage than restoration to the polity. Aside from the need for equity and balance in the politics of the country, Nigeria desperately needs a more virile, resourceful and futuristic person to take the reins of power in 2027.

Unfortunately, Atiku and his generation lack these qualities in alarming proportions and they should stay off the lane. Again, let him, Atiku, be reminded that the masquerade which overstays in the arena always exposes his feet to kids. Nigeria is not a normal country, anyway.

–Aloy Uzoekwe, Awka, Anambra, 08038503174

Casmir, on the national platform, it is still the turn of the South to produce the president. But politics is not that straightforward and your opinion is simplistic but not unassailable! Circumstances of the incumbent vis-a-vis his performance can change the dynamics; more so, in the peculiar situation of PDP which favours presenting a northerner as her candidate. The South via PDP has produced two presidents (Obasanjo & Jonathan) against one (Yar’Adua) from the North. Besides, the South produced the last PDP president in Jonathan. Jonathan & Obasanjo had 14 years to Yar’Adua two and half years. PDP North is feeling short-changed or marginalised. PDP will not hand her ticket to a Southerner until a Northerner has ruled to compensate for the lost 2nd term or years under Yar’Adua due to death. Tinubu’s poor performance (economically & security-wise) is going to aid Atiku’s ambition. Obi has to go back to PDP for the VP slot. Otherwise, the present status quo will be maintained come 2027. To tell Atiku to forget the 2027 presidency is to infringe on his constitutionally given franchise; which is ‘the right to vote and be voted for’. Rotation is only an ‘unwritten gentleman’s settlement pact’. Ideally, the presidency should be on a merit basis.

-Mike, Mushin Lagos, 0816 111 4572

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