The fighting spirits of Raila Odinga (the opposition leader) and his army of supporters helped to suppress the vicious mindlessness and totalitarianis

Elections and docility of the Nigerian electorateBy Orji Kalu (Kalu Leadership Series)Saturday, July 19, 2008
It is a common adage that God helps those who help themselves. Unfortunately, this adage means nothing to some Nigerians, especially the electorate, who file out every four years to elect their leaders. The attitude of an average Nigerian voter, to say the least, is that of docility, lethargy, or indifference, or all of the above. For how else can one describe the audacious and, often, phlegmatic disposition of our elected leaders to the sensibilities of Nigerians who voted them into power. We talk about reforms in our political system, but, expectedly, nobody is saying anything about reforming the electorate themselves. Reforming the electorate is as important as reforming the electoral system itself. This is true, because the major albatross in our systematic and recurring effort to put in place a near flawless electoral system is voter apathy. Voter apathy is as destructive as electoral violence, which precipitates rigging and emergence of imposed leaders and general subversion of the people’s wishes. It can safely be stated, therefore, that the Nigerian electorate appear the most docile and compromising when compared to the vivacity and activeness of their counterparts in other climes, particularly in Europe and Africa. Even nearer home, countries such as Kenya, South Africa and of recent Zimbabwe have witnessed better robust voter-participation in the electoral process. Let me use Kenya and Zimbabwe as classical cases to underscore the significant role robust voter activism can play in the emergence of a responsible and responsive leadership. In these two countries the voters had lived up to their billing by ensuring that their wishes were respected by standing up to defend their votes. What happened in Kenya was quite exemplary and instructive. In fact, the fighting spirits of Raila Odinga (the opposition leader) and his army of supporters helped to suppress the vicious mindlessness and totalitarianism of President Kibaki, who was later forced to agree to a power-sharing formula with the opposition. Even though the effort led to wanton loss of precious lives and properties it, nonetheless, fostered greater stability and respectability of the wishes of the voters. The lesson here is that it will be foolhardy for anybody to attempt to rig elections in Kenya in future. Already, the leadership of the country are working out a more functional and foul-proof approach to election-conducting in future. The situation in Zimbabwe presents an interesting dimension, nevertheless. Despite the initial adamant bravado and arrogance of Robert Mugabe and his die-hard cohorts to agree to power sharing with the opposition there seems to be a subtle change of heart. It appears the octogenarian despot has at last been forced to some kind of submission, even when the international mass action against the regime is yet to commence. This, like the situation in Kenya, is coming after the loss of several lives and properties. It is important to point out here that the conduct of the elections in Zimbabwe was almost flawless even though this has never been an issue. What was, however, in dispute was the inability of the Electoral Commission to announce the results as due. The electoral time-table gave a specific period for the results to be announced. I find it puzzling that a country, such as Zimbabwe could conduct elections and get the results ready the same day. This is one lesson Nigerian election organizers must learn. It is unfortunate that the greed and vaulting ambition of Mugabe have set that country on the brink of anarchy. The courage of the opposition to stand up against the repressive attacks of the ruling ZANU-PF is also quite commendable. Of greater significance was the exceptional fortitude of the leader of the opposition not to flee the country in the face of mounting threats to his life. He had to rather stay put to fight for the restoration of his mandate.Nonetheless, I do not advocate civil disobedience to constituted authority. It is not the import of my postulation. What I preach here is nothing but courage in the face of adversity. The recklessness with which elections are rigged in Nigeria puts me off and makes the Kenya and Zimbabwean options increasingly inevitable. I do not see anything wrong in voters taking measures to secure the votes they cast in an election, particularly when those charged with such a responsibility are not forthcoming. The annulment of the 1993 presidential election and the brazen rigging of the 2007 elections without any consequences for the perpetrators were too much to bear. Both best capture the dormancy and docility of the Nigerian electorate. One could imagine what the consequences would have been if such an abuse of electoral process had happened in Kenya or Zimbabwe or even Ukraine!I know, for certain, that the consequences would have been catastrophic. The resort to violence by the voters of these countries was the only way to vent their indignation and correct the observed anomaly. This is true when we consider the reluctance of African leaders to accept defeat. They think they could always use state terror machines to subjugate the will of the electorate and perpetuate themselves in power. Let me state unequivocally at this juncture, that there is no way we can have a responsible government in place without paying a price for it. It is sad that many Nigerians desire change but they are not brave enough to fight for change. It is our prerogative, as voters, to determine who governs us. The malleability of the voters in Nigeria has not helped matters either. Our voters are so gullible that they can be bought with a pot of porridge. This is why bribery and all kinds of manipulations go on unstopped at every election.It is sad that part of the preparations of any political office seeker in Nigeria is how to bribe the voters. This ‘requirement’ is given such priority as if his life depends on it. And it seems to work for those who engage in it, going by the ease with which they cruise to power. Consider the 2007 elections: The elections were mindlessly rigged and unpopular candidates produced, thereby making it the worst in the annals of our nation, yet the results have been allowed to stand. In each of the re-run elections the ousted governors have always found their way back through the same flawed system. The cases of Sokoto, Kebbi, Kogi, Adamawa and Bayelsa states readily come to mind. In each of the states, the PDP had used its machinery of intimidation and coercion to railroad them back to power. Why then annul the results in the first place? Conducting the re-runs when it was certain it would be invidiously manipulated was not only a waste of scarce resources but also a suppression of the will of the voters.The degeneration of the Nigerian state into goblin spectre is the making of the electorate, many of who place premium on immediate pecuniary gains. Many of us would want to go to heaven, no doubt, but how many would want to die? There is no way one can go to heaven without, first, having to die. If we want a progressive, prosperous and people-oriented government we should be ready to make sacrifices. It is common logic that if somebody buys his way to power his loyalty is no longer to the electorate but to he himself. This is what is happening to our nation. Again, how far have the electorate gone with the use of the instrument of recall vested in them by the constitution? Since the birth of our current democracy in 1999 no single person has been recalled. The few cases of threat of recall only fizzled out as soon as they started. Recall is one option and if properly exploited by the electorate it can help to sanitize our electoral system and put our elected leaders regularly on their toes.I must not fail to commend the judiciary, which has contributed immensely to the maintenance of the semblance of peace we have in our country today. There would have been total breakdown of law and order if the judiciary had not intervened, considering the large-scale infractions committed during the 2007 elections. It has, by its actions, demonstrated rare courage and patriotism. Imagine what will happen should the electorate, INEC and law enforcement agencies show equal zeal! In any case, there is hope that the ongoing reform of the electoral process will incorporate functional measures aimed at strengthening the judiciary as a veritable tier, making INEC more autonomous, equipping the law enforcement agencies, and giving the voters greater leverage to exercise their rights.It is only by so doing will Nigeria move forward as a nation.
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