Electoral process that is free and fair

Focus on your mental and emotional side to gain self improvement

2010-07-26T17:12:00.001-07:00

Not everyone believes this but the emotional and mental aspects of a person, when combined, leads to better self improvement.

Emotions love to dominate our actions and reactions, even though we do not want it to happen sometimes. The society often see emotions as a sign of weakness, so people are used to putting them aside and focusing on the rational aspects more and more.

No matter how strict and logical you may be, you will always feel. One way or another, someone or something will get through you.

Positive emotions are a lifelong goal for many of us concerned about emotional health and self improvement. What is more important; the amount of money you made during your life or the times you laughed out of sheer joy?

People tend to put their positive emotions behind their negative feelings. This is one of the biggest problems that people come across during their lives.

There is no clear way to ignore a negative experience and try to replace it with a positive one. Life just does not work that way.

For example, when you were a child, if your goldfish dies, you would be heartbroken. Your parents will probably buy you another goldfish but the sorrow is still there.

Things get even more complex when you become an adult. A fight with your spouse the night before will affect your entire day. You will go to work angry, tired, and your mind will wander. On the way home from work you will not notice the sun shining and you would not be tempted to stop at a roadside stand to pick up some fresh fruits and vegetables.

All this because that one negative thought has contaminated the way you perceive the reality around you.

In this moment you will realize finding a safe place to relax your mind will do wonders for your emotional and mental improvement.

That place is relatively easy to find. It can be an actual place or an imaginary location. The best idea is to totally lose yourself in it.

Let us say you have a problem on your mind and it just would not go away. Go bowling. Do not know how? Just give it a shot.

Get caught up in the game. Your mind will drift away from the negative thoughts that dominated your last hours or days and start processing a whole new kind of information.

A safe haven can take many forms. It can be a song, a movie, even a person or animal. The main thing is allow yourself to get completely involved with this new activity.

You might still get flashes of the problem every now and then. Ignore it and get even more absorbed in what you are doing.

When the bowling game, the song, or the movie ends you will abruptly return to reality. You will probably want to retreat back to the safe place. Do not do it.

The safe place exists only as a helping hand, not as a solution to your life's problems, may it be a small or big. It serves only as an escape route.

You will return from your safe zone with an increased energy level. You will feel better about yourself and gain more confidence. You will see that any issue can be resolved.

This is how a small escape from a harsh reality can increase your emotional and mental health. Try to do this often and you are on your way to better self improvement.

Impossible is Just a Word

2010-03-16T18:33:00.001-07:00

Impossible is Just a Word

Everyone, at some point of his or her life, has dreamed of being somebody special, somebody big. Who hasn't fantasized about being the one who hits the game-winning homer? Who hasn't dreamed of being the homecoming queen? And how many times have we dreamed of being rich, or successful, or happy with our relationships?

Often, we dream big dreams and have great aspirations. Unfortunately, our dreams remain just that – dreams. And our aspirations easily collect dust in our attic.

This is a sad turn of events in our life. Instead of experiencing exciting adventures in self actualization, we get caught up in the humdrum of living from day-to-day just barely existing.

But you know what? Life could be so much better, if only we learned to aim higher.

The most common problem to setting goals is the word impossible. Most people get hung up thinking I can't do this. It's too hard. It's too impossible. No one can do this.

However, if everyone thought that, there would be no inventions, no innovations, and no breakthroughs in human accomplishment.

Remember that scientists were baffled when they took a look at the humble bumblebee. Theoretically, they said, it was impossible for the bumblebee to fly. Unfortunately for the bumble, bee no one has told it so. So fly it does.

On the other hand, some people suffer from dreaming totally outrageous dreams and not acting on them. The result? Broken dreams, and tattered aspirations.

If you limit yourself with self-doubt, and self-limiting assumptions, you will never be able to break past what you deem impossible. If you reach too far out into the sky without working towards your goal, you will find yourself clinging on to the impossible dream.

Try this exercise. Take a piece of paper and write down some goals in your life. Under one header, list down things ‘you know you can do’. Under another header, write the things ‘you might be able to do.’ And under one more, list the things that that are ‘impossible for you to do.’

Now look at all the headers strive every day to accomplish the goals that are under things ‘you know you can do’. Check them when you are able to accomplish them. As you slowly are able to check all of your goals under that heading, try accomplishing the goals under the other header-the one that reads ‘you might be able to do.’

As of the items you wrote under things I could do are accomplished, you can move the goals that are under things that are ‘impossible for you to do’ to the list of things ‘you might be able to do.’

As you iterate through this process, you will find out that the goals you thought were impossible become easier to accomplish. And the impossible begin to seem possible after all.

You see, the technique here is not to limit your imagination. It is to aim high, and start working towards that goal little by little. However, it also is unwise to set a goal that is truly unrealistic.

Those who just dream towards a goal without working hard end up disappointed and disillusioned.

On the other hand, if you told someone a hundred years ago that it was possible for man to be on the moon, they would laugh at you. If you had told them that you could send mail from here to the other side of the world in a few seconds, they would say you were out of your mind. But, through sheer desire and perseverance, these impossible dreams are now realities.

Thomas Edison once said that genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration. Nothing could be truer. For one to accomplish his or her dreams, there has to be had work and discipline. But take note that that 1% has to be a think-big dream, and not some easily accomplished one.

Ask any gym rat and he or she will tell you that there can be no gains unless you are put out of your comfort zone. Remember the saying, “No pain, no gain”? That is as true as it can be.

So dream on, friend! Don’t get caught up with your perceived limitations. Think big and work hard to attain those dreams. As you step up the ladder of progress, you will just about find out that the impossible has just become a little bit more possible.

Attitude of Successful Aramoko Men and Women towards Youth Unemployment

2010-01-19T05:50:00.001-08:00

The topic of this piece would have been better reconstructed as attitude of Aramoko men and women towards Human Capital Development or youth unemployment. To know that there is a little problem with the topic , what is success? And who is a successful man or woman? Success is doing the ordinary things in an extraordinary way and the ability to sustain the aura ( Ilesanmi D.A 2009). Besides success without a successor, they say is no success then the question is: who are the successful Aramoko Men and Women? The answer may not be provided here. I will leave my readers to think about the answer themselves. This is not a pride; but for a right thinking person, the answer is known already. Man could be rich but unsuccessful; but he may be successful without being rich. For the former, the topic under discussion is apt and timely.

Strictly speaking, as an economist, the demography of Aramoko-Ekiti coupled with dangerous politics of indifference played against youth unemployment can be described as an invitation to economic and social anarchy. Forty percent (40%) of Aramoko between ages 18 and 35 are youths who are already in the labour market looking for job that nobody is thinking of creating. The so-called successful men and women of the town prefer to be invited to a night show or discotheque where they will display their wealth to and lavish it on prostitutes to having some job created for our unemployed youths. Some use their wealth as a daggling carrot to catch their prey. And the innocent unemployed young ladies fall easily into their hands.

If this trend continues unabated, I am afraid criminality will get to a level where policemen can no longer confront armed robbers, except they do that through armored cars (God forbid) certainly, it has got to level where people are afraid of walking in their neighborhood because of fear of attack from armed robbers, mobile phone snatchers, shop raiders hungry and angry youths are threatening the so-called ‘successful’ men and women in the community.

For any community like Aramoko – Ekiti to develop, it must be anchored in the development of human capital. Human capital development culminates in societal stability and development. If anyone intends to argue it out with me or disagree with me that the indifferent attitude of our successful men and women at Aramoko-Ekiti is symptomatic of what other communities in Nigeria or Ekiti experience. I would rather say that the assertion is otiose, backward- looking and anachronistic. We have some communities in Ekiti which are smaller and bigger in size and population that are the quintessence for human capital development and the youth employment. Let us take a look at Usi- Ekiti, as though we have many youth developers who are concerned mainly about how the unemployed youths are employed, using their divine position to assist their youths. Let us take Professor Babalola Borisade as a typical example. I mention this man because is a national figure like many of our men and women at Aramoko- Ekiti but a successful man of note. If we go to those places where Prof Babalola of Usi- Ekiti had worked thus far, Usi –Ekiti indigenes are many there through the help of their man for instance, at the Aviation ministry, federal ministry of Education, Power & steel, Obafemi Awolowo University Ile-Ife and other federal parastatals and agencies, Usi –ekiti can boast of its indigenes. That is not all; this same man brought federal science Technical College to his country home at Usi. Let us go to FMC Ido –Ekiti Usi indigenes are many there. What about Afe Babalola of Ado-Ekiti, a literary icon, a philanthropic per excellent, a metaphor for youth development? Afe is a national figure like our ‘chief and chief (mrs)’ Ado-Ekiti youth benefited form his generosity; many Ado indigenes who are jobless were employed through him in various ministries, parastatals and agencies. Similarly, non natives are beneficiaries of his largesse, some of whom are our so-called ‘successful’ men and women. Let us take a look at Efon-Alaaye Ekiti, a neighboring town. Some of its successful men and women of note find places for their younger ones in the federal ministries, state ministries, and federal and state parastatals etc. For anyone to now say that our ‘successful’ men and women have done well in seeing to the betterment of their youths is not to be obvious.

Today at Aramoko, our rich men and women though not successful, shirk their avowed responsibility to fight for the only thing they love. I know a man a national figure, who had served in various federal ministries parastatals and agencies as secretary, chairman, president, etc but to our dismay no single person can point to him at his community that he helped him for job. No wonder when Aramoko and any town are fighting for one particular thing, one ‘crown wearer’ will come out and more than ten ‘crown wearer’ will wage war against us from other town. It is a case of a sheer negative attitudinal complexion towards youth development and empowerment in our community. A man who wears caps like a crown though not a king. He controls everything that gets to the throne. He has houses in big cities of the country; he is very rich and well connected, literate but uneducated, knowledgeable but unwise. He finds it difficult to assist his community people in getting good jobs. He is nothing but a mere ‘chief’ that will never receive the applause and respect of his community people.

As a student of history, the leader who lives abstemious life for the sake of common man continues to enjoy the respect of his people. But the leader who leaves the common man to his penury whilst he lives in an ivory tower and in opulence does not last and he never commands the respect of his people. Similarly, when you are in a place of authority and you refuse to help your people, by the time you leave the place, you will never command the respect and honour of your people.

THE IMPACTS OF SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY ON NATIONAL,YOUTH DEVELOPMENT.

2009-02-02T02:49:00.000-08:00

The bedrock of development to be factual is education. Education is what we can describe as springboard to development in any nation. It is therefore worthy of note that proper education policies in all its ramifications will serve as a breeding ground for a reliable technological development. Rapid economical growth cannot be achieved without proper science technology. Technology has been in existence more than science. It deals with invention and basically a technical method of studying science. It recognizes only those things that can be said or seen with naked eyes. Emergence of science and technology results information technology, engineering, etc
Technology is an agent of transformation with science as that bedrock of technological advancements, youth should rise up to the occasion in order to make the vicious circle better. This will result in numerous existences of transformation agencies, which will contribute positively to the national development. Government should ensure that science technology is given a pride of place in all its policies.
Timely decisions in which tasks are executed without delays, Necessary infrastructures must also be put in place to encourage research and inventions. Secondary school teachers should come up with science oriented extra- curricular activities like clubs and associations. This will stimulate the interests of student by means of catching them young for science. The welfare of teachers and lecturers should also be prioritized.
Youths should be encouraged and empowered properly to be able to contribute positively to this development since they can still work very hard if motivated. Any youth that imbibe technological skills will surely impact positively on the vicious circle. It is therefore high time we knew that globally, the challenge is general!

The exigencies of workable constitution

2009-02-02T02:43:00.001-08:00

It is a popular saying that a land without governing law must have no records of misconducts. It will be grossly impossible in the same vein to live amicably in a land that has no functional documented governing laws (constitution) for its citizens. It is in lieu of this that the current move by the government to rectify the ugly loophole in its system through constitutional review is an indication of sincere patriotism, to all intents and purposes to move the nation forward. Vital to consider are the catalogue controversies, inconsistencies that are evident in the 1999 constitution.
The 1999 constitution, a modified form of the colonial era, to be candid require a total contemporary scrutiny. It is therefore a welcome idea that everything is set to put it all right by the present administration. Nevertheless, the major problem we have in this country is not mainly centered on the constitution or its inadequacies. Constitution of course must be workable; the fact is that we Nigerians need to see reasons for an attitude change. There is need for us to also catch the current that enveloping the world. It should therefore be pointed out that incessant amendments of constitution is not all we need to move our great nation forward, we only need to change our mind, the way see ourselves and our fatherland! It is a fact that we will get it right only when we see ourselves as a nation and not a country; not until we feel within us that we a nation and not a country! Lugard said ‘amalgamate the country not the people’ this indicates we have a lot more than constitution amendments to fix in a timely fashion.
It is matter of attitude and our minds. We must change the way we think and see things, if we are to stand the test of time. With these we will build a nation where peace reign perfectly in an environment where you are your brother’s keeper in a land that is devoid of corruption, religious violence and politics of nepotism.

Feeding program in Ekiti-state: A Paradigm of Village-Urban exposure!

2009-02-02T02:40:00.000-08:00

The feeding program of the federal government in partnership with various states in Nigeria to feed the students in the first six years of compulsory education at least twice a week has been a welcome idea. The idea in all specifications will assist the students in assimilating more quickly in their studies. This program has really made several resounding impacts especially in a state like Ekiti where there is still increased level of poverty. Since the feeding program was introduced several years back, some states like Osun had implemented it then without any iota of bitterness affiliated to political machinations.
In October 2008, the feeding program was introduced to Ekiti state primary and secondary school as directed by federal government, though very belated it seemed, at least the much awaited program has finally begun. According to Ekiti state schedule, each child is entitled to an egg and a cup of tea (sachet sugary cocoa powder). Catalogue of observations revealed that since the inception of the program, it had been plagued with one problem or the other ranging from insufficient supply of eggs, parent- teacher consistent quarrel, some people even submitted that fetish incision were made under the plates. So incredible! There was a case of serious dispute between community a primary school in the suburb of the state capital in which a teacher was allegedly beaten up by irate community member on the flimsy ground that egg given to a pupil earlier in the day had made her fainted . Well, this resulted in instant closure of the school then!
The question that keeps coming is when will Ekiti state be properly developed? This is a state that parades itself as fountain of knowledge in which to be candid, the citizens take pride in their wits. May be the problem of Ekiti is still the commonly announced ‘lack of exposure’ well with time we shall see!

Election Petition Tribunal and Effective judicial System

2009-01-27T01:14:00.000-08:00

A close study of political landscape today on the approach of politicians to politics, convey that a lot still need to be done to enable us have election which is free and fair as referred by sections 15 – 18 of the 1999 constitution of Nigeria. The major set back on our elections has been a direct effect of corruption in the land, which has metamorphosised into a full fledge poverty among the masses in the society. A poor, illiterate citizen is myopic as regards his future. He would rather be contended by accepting #20 bribe from politicians to meet his immediate needs. Section 16(2) (d) of 1999 constitution enjoins the state to ensure that suitable and adequate food, reasonable national minimum living wage, old age care and pensions, unemployment, sick benefits and welfare of disabled are provided for all citizens. In a situation where all these are not in place as we currently have in Nigeria, elections are far from being free and fair!
Since elections are virtually fair, disputes are common aftermath. It is therefore imperative to all intents that aggrieved parties should not take laws into their hands, as the 1999 constitution section 285 provides and established one or more election tribunals to be known as the National Assembly Election Tribunals, which shall to the exclusion of any court of tribunal have original jurisdiction to hear and determine petitions. Its subsection 5 indicates the establishment of the state election tribunal to be known as the governorship and legislative house election tribunals has the original jurisdiction to hear the petition as to whether any person has been validly elected to the office as Governor or as a member of any legislative house.
I therefore agree that election petition tribunals of recent have been so impressive with a lot of disappointments to many. To be factual, it has been spree of unexpected, as most of them in various states of the federation have relatively restored hope in our judicial system. I would however submit that election petition tribunals should work more on fair hearing and justice in a timely fashion because the popular saying that justice delayed is justice denied seems to be an important watchword for effective judicial system.

Nigeria and its short lived satellite

2009-01-27T01:11:00.000-08:00

Barely eighteen months after the Nigeria communication satellite (NigComSat1) was launched from the Sichuan province of China on may 2007,it was observed that the satellite which allegedly gulped a whooping sum of sum of forty billion naira ($256 billion) has malfunctioned and had to be packed in orbit in order to avoid damage to other satellites. The major concern about the NigComSat1 is its negative impacts on the Nigeria economy and perhaps other African countries on its bands; This is because the NiComSat1, a so called super - hybrid geo – stationary satellite was designed to operate in Africa, middle east and southern Europe.
It has been tradition in Nigeria that whenever something of technological and economical importance is done, one must wonder whether it was that sane thing some people somewhere did long ago without a rat in the nest aftermath. We‘ll keep on asking that is it not a satellite like that of Russians and the United States since 1960s, that stood the test of time? This NigComSat1 which was supposed to span about 15years hardly lasts A year plus! May be we should call this another putrid political plan to enrich the pocket of some people!
Questions need to be asked! Explanations are required; government must explain its responses to International Communication union when the latter announced that the satellite was wrongly positioned shortly after it was launched! What is the federal government doing with the China great wall Industry corporation as regards the terms of insurance for the failed satellite? And what about this alternative satellite request (NigComSat2) to cost #59billion billed for orbit by 2010?

CHALLENGES OF THE YOUTH AND NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

2009-01-19T02:32:00.000-08:00

It is of vital placement that the strength for development of a nation is a sole function of its youth. The bright future of any country is always predicated on its present youth force. A society with a mirage youth force is not far form abyss of serious irreparable damage. It is therefore imperative that government should not wait for a soothsayer before embarking on program policies that can impact positively on the youths.
The challenges of Nigeria youths are many. These have grown into a hydra headed trouble which if possible may require a state of emergency. Nigeria youth are the direct victims of the current moribund economy situation. It is no longer news today that most people involved in criminal activities fall in the youth age bracket. Unemployment, unfavorable policies, inefficient education system, lack of basic attitude to think and excel, negligible parental guidance have been the major challenges militating against the youth.
The basic fact about this problem is mainly the parental aspect. Parents no longer spend quality time with their wards. The parents we have these days are mutants. They seem to have forgotten that charity begins at home.
In the same vein, the rate at which marriages hit rocks these days all over the world is fast becoming unprecedented! We no longer see marriage as institution. It is now seen as free to hop in and out thing at will, without considering the impacts on their wards.
Because time will force me to a halt soon, It is high time parents realized they have roles to play in shaping the future of this country and the entire world as a whole by taking time to grow their children in a socially acceptable manner. Parent s should encourage their wards and plant firmly into them the attitude to excel and self confidence. It is also very pertinent that government should put the right conditions in place for youth empowerment.
The most important is the program policy that will benefit the youth, free and fair with no iota of discrimination by any means, in terms of certificate or background. Government must realize that national development is a collective issue that require al hands on deck, with the youth as the springboard.

LOSS OF BAKASSI PENISULA:THE ROUGH ANTECEDENTS

2009-01-19T02:25:00.000-08:00

I watched it live on my afforded cable transmission on 14th August 2008 as the federal minister of Justice Hon. Andoakaa exchanged a signed document with the Cameroon defence minister. I also observed simultaneously as flags were exchanged. Then I mumbled to myself that it has finally happened, the oil rich Bakassi is gone. Nigeria no longer have access to that special area of land almost surrounded by sea and projecting far into the sea. Several citizens of Nigeria believed the international court of justice (ICJ) ruling of Oct 10, 2002 should be reversed which may eventually end up in not really ceding the oil rich region to Cameroon.
What most people that suggested this do not know is that the reversion of the judgments would have serious implications on Nigeria. We will be definitely be seen as international outcast. This is because we are part of the United Nations system and besides, we have submitted to the jurisdiction of the ICJ. Hence we are bound by its verdict, which is very clear that Bakassi peninsula belong to Cameroon. Very vital to be considered also is our government in Nigeria especially the present administration headed by Alhaji Umaru Musa Yaradua has a very stern respect for the rule of law. His unflinching believe in it as the springboard of true democracy, which I must commend, made Nigeria achieved this feat of boundary dispute resolution without even a gunshot! This has really set a record for our great father land globally.
The painful aspect of the process however, is the oil revenue that will be forfeited. Nigeria economy since the oil boom in early 1960s is solely dependent on revenues generated from oil export. Nigerian government should be more parsimonious in budgeting because the revenue generated from oil in the Bakassi region is gone; in the same vein, dare devil militants in the Niger delta are constantly making sieve out of pipes and installations, which is also taking its toll on the nation’s economy. Had it been our past leaders had premonition of what will happened on 14th August 2008, the then military head of state General Gowon would not have allegedly signed out Bakassi peninsula to Cameroon as a gesture of gratitude for not allowing war materials to filtrate through Cameroon to Biafrans in eastern Nigeria during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war of 1967-1970. The agreement they called Morua declaration! May be the government would have been a better necromancer!
In conclusion, mistakes they say have power to correct our past in the present, and they fail in their bid to do so when they are blamed on someone else. The question still remains rhetorically that; how can Nigeria make up for the oil revenue lost from the Bakassi peninsula in this unpredictable international oil market?

National Essay!

2008-07-10T16:10:00.001-07:00

ELECTORAL REFORM IN NIGERIA: CHALLENGES AND OPPORTUNITIES
Since the electoral meltdown in the 1983 General elections, each Election Day has raised new alarms that the foundation of our democracy --- the right to vote in free and fair elections --- remains beset with varied problems. Years after serious problems were exposed to the public, it has become increasingly apparent that our elections system is technologically, legally, and administratively inadequate and unfair.
Over the last three years, INEC, Nigerian politicians, civil society organizations, and the international community have all sought to learn from 1999 and 2003 elections by launching projects that aim to improve the Nigerian electoral process (Carl Le Van, 2006)
In 1992, there were allegations of irregularities and other acts of bad conducts leveled against the presidential candidates but NEC went ahead and cleared them. There were proofs as well as documented evidence of widespread use of money during the party primaries as well as the presidential election. These were the bad conduct for which the party presidential primaries of that were cancelled. Evidence available to government put the total amount of money spent by the presidential candidates as over two billion, one hundred million naira (#2.1 billion). The use of money was again manifested as the major source of undermining the electoral process for personal aggrandizement to clinch the more coveted seat at all cost at the expense of the vast and honest Nigerians (Babangida, 1993).
In his election annulment speech of June 26, 1993, the head of state, General Ibrahim Babangida, boldly came out to the public that the allegations and evidence of 1992 presidential primaries were known to the National Defence and Security Council before the holding of the June 12, 1993 election, the National Defence and Security Council overlooked these areas of problems in its determination to fulfill the promise to hand over to an elected president on due date. The Head of state himself confirmed this in his speech: ‘‘fellow Nigerians you would recall that it was precisely because the presidential primaries of last year did not meet the basic requirements of free and fair election that the Armed Forces Ruling council, had good reason to cancel those primaries. The recently annulled presidential election was similarly afflicted by these problems. Even before the presidential elections, and indeed at the party conventions, we had full knowledge of the bad signals pertaining to the enormous breach of the rules and regulations of democracy elections. But because we were determined to keep faith the deadline of 27th August 1993 for the return of civil rule, we overlooked the reported breaches unfortunately, these breaches continued into the presidential election of June 12, 1993, on an even greater proportion.’’
Given the above corollaries, one would say they are possible scenarios in our electoral process unless necessary actions are taken at the right psychological moment of time. And this is why today’s electoral reform agenda is a welcome development in the annals of nation’s electoral history. There are possible electoral challenges and opportunities in the current electoral reform in Nigeria which I would like to draw the attention of the electoral reform committee (ERC) headed by former chief Justice of Nigeria (CJN) Justice Muhammed Uwais, apart from the adumbrated ones above.
It is axiomatic in comparative politics that political competition presumes a basket of political rights (Dahl, 1971). But then, nowhere in the world in which the practice of democracy is the same, even if the principles are similar and even for countries which share the same intellectual tradition and cultural foundation. Thus, the history of our country is not the history of other country in the world, which is either practicing advanced democracy or struggling to lay the foundation for democracy. Every country has her own electoral problems, not peculiar to Nigeria. Yet, Nigeria has her own electoral peculiarities. In spite of these peculiarities and uniqueness, there are certain prerequisites, which constitute an irreducible minimum for democracy regardless of our political rights. Such essential factors include: free and fair elections; uncoerced expression of voters preference in election; respect for electorates as unfettered final arbiter on election; decorum and fairness on the part of the electoral umpires; and absolute respect for the rule of law. All these must be stressed in the on- going electoral reform before true electoral process can be said to have taken place.
The confirmation of General Babangida in his annulment speech of 1993 concerning electoral irregularities and failures that trailed the 1992 presidential primaries was indicative of a country that has apparently long been notorious for electoral malpractices. Aside the above declarations by him, the General went further to say the there were moral issues, apart from the tremendous negative use of money during the party primaries and presidential elections, which were also overlooked by the Defence and National Security Council.
Given the electoral meltdown in the 1992/1993 national elections, the electoral reform committee and INEC should see to the security situation of the future elections to engender true electoral process in the country. Cultivating a secure and peaceful environment before and on election day is a major issues that requires fresh thinking. For example, in the weeks leading up to the April 2003 elections, It became evident that there were nowhere near enough police to man a sufficient presence throughout the nation. The only panacea to this, for the purpose of future election, is to hire private security group and ‘‘vigilante’’ organizations to serve as security at polling stations. It was learnt that reports by electoral observation groups and domestic monitors did not identify these organizations as a problem in the April 2003 elections. It was also said that most attention was focused on the police, who had received guidelines from the police service commission and were informed that they operated under the direction of the presiding officer at each polling station (Transition Monitoring Group 2003a)
Similarly, the use of arms by private security must be looked into. The 2002 Electoral Act did not appear to anticipate the substantial and visible role that informal security organizations ended up playing. Section 85 prohibited any offensive weapons at political rallies or polling centers unless that person is lawfully authorized member of a security agency to carry arms. And since private security organizations are likely to play an important role again in 2011, it is critical to clarify their chain of command in the polling area. They should be clearly informed of who they answer to through materials and orientation training.
Another challenge is the use of thugs by political candidates, is a case in question, which was also widespread in all elections. Something must be done to address this problem: a code of conduct for the political parties, such as the one advanced in 2003, is an important step towards reducing potential violence. But this will do little to curb the behaviour of paramilitaries operating semi-autonomously. This, for us to have credible elections, INEC should do something to tame the so- called ‘‘area boys’’ or political thugs.
Besides, the area that also needs urgent attention is the molestation of the election observers and those providing democratization assistance. They are guests in Nigeria --- a foreign land; they should not be subject to intimidation or harassment.
Another reform would be to reduce the disproportional of results. Electoral experts define disproportional as the difference between the votes share of a party and its seat share. In the words of Carl Le Van (2006), it is not inherently destabilizing and comparative studies suggest it is an almost inevitable result of Single Member District (SMD) electoral systems such as Nigeria’s (Lijphart, 1999). To explain further in SMD-plurality electoral systems, there is only one seat up for grabs in each district and the candidate with the most votes, whether it is a majority or not, wins that seat; the loser gets nothing.
But in a socially diverse country like Nigeria, this over- representation of large parties and under-representation of smaller parties could contribute to dangerous frustrations among ethnic and political minorities, especially if the parties fail to cut across social differences. For instance, after the 2005 elections Iraq’s parliament was paralyzed by the inability to agree on a prime minister. A little noticed fact is that the party that secured a minority of the seats actually did not obtain a minority of the votes. Such unpleasant (and not unforeseeable) realities exacerbated popular pessimism about the party’s legitimate mandate to rule. I think alternation of power is a natural remedy to these frustrations. But Nigeria has yet to experience even one turnover of power, and its tradition of power shift within parties, potentially undermines the ability for voters to actually punish politicians who do not perform (or to reward those who do) (Carl,2006)
Now, on the INEC, several significant developments are shaping the political environment and threatened political competition. These issues have received less attention because they seem isolated, they do not appear to be within INEC’s responsibilities, or they are on the ethical margins of democratization assistance.
Moreso, the INEC’s guidelines must conform with the constitution. Besides, INEC should accept nomination directly from parties at the state. Given the Electoral law (section 21-23 of the 2002 Act), Political party must submit to INEC its list of candidate prior to the election. Differences between lists produced at the state and national level accounts for many problems during primaries (Legal Defence Center, 2004). With this in mind, the commission might contribute to the decentralization and internal democratization of all parties by accepting nomination of candidates directly from parties at the state level, rather than strictly the national level.
The 2002 Electoral Act gives INEC ability to monitor critical activities of parties, including candidate nomination procedures. Section 75 states, in part : ‘‘ every registered political party shall give the commission at least 21 days notice of any convention, congress, conference or meeting convened for the purpose of electing members of its executive committees, other governing bodies or nominating candidates for any of the elective offices specified under this Act.’’
The commission is also expected to monitor and keep records of the activities of political parties, including activities that might violate electoral law. (This language was retained in the 2004 draft of the new electoral bill as sections 91 and 92, respectively.) This language currently represents a dilemma that is reflected in bureaucratic and political reality; on the other hand, a policy of laissez-faire helps insulate the parties from undue interference.
Furthermore, in Nigeria, previously, the constitution did not include sex (gender) as one of the classifications and therefore it was possible for some states to deny women the right to vote. Whereas, in comparative politics, it is axiomatic that political competition presumes a basket of political rights: either you are a woman or man. Justice Brennan said ‘‘there can be no doubt that our nation has long and unfortunate history of sex discrimination. Traditionally, such discrimination was rationalized by an attitude of ‘romantic paternalism’ which in practical effect puts women not on a pedestal but in a cage’’
Justice Brennan could have been speaking of present-day Nigeria where women are still excluded from bailing people form police custody; are regarded as chattels to be inherited by man under customary law (family); require their husbands’ consent to obtain passports. Although they are now allowed to vote, the inclusion of sex among the prohibited grounds for discrimination was not in the Draft constitution but was introduced by a female member of the constituent assembly. It is necessary to note that ‘‘any law in force in Nigeria ‘’ covers Customary Law, Islamic Law and common law as well as statute law. The complete emancipation of women by the 1979 constitution is reflected in the right which it gives them to vote and be voted for at elections to a Local Government council, State House of Assembly, House of Representatives, Senate, the office of Governor of a state and the presidency of Nigeria (on an equal footing with men); the right to form or belong to a political party, trade union, or other association for the protection of common interest ; the right to participate in the discussion of public affairs; to criticize the actions of government; to campaign freely for public causes; and to agitate for change. It appears now that there is no constitutional discrimination against the women, but what about electoral discrimination? But it appears that the draft Bill submitted by INEC to the National Assembly in 1999 was not gender- sensitive. The electoral Bill has sexist language which is unacceptable in contemporary world. Thus, this Bill must be critically examined by the Electoral Reform Committee (ERC)
It is an opportunity to increase access to by removing existing barriers, changing registration and voting practices, and ensuring voting rights for all Nigerians. Besides, there is need to safeguard our voting systems by passing federal and state legislation to really enhance voting machine accuracy and security to engender electoral confidence and trust in the INEC. Also, the election officials should be held accountable by passing legislation prohibiting partisan activity and establishing strict conflict of interest laws. Furthermore, there is need to support creation of independent redistricting commissions to draw to draw legislative district line, as opposed to the current system that consists mostly of state legislators drawing district lines to protect their seats and pressure their party’s power. In seeking to take the redistricting process out of the hands of partisan politicians and to establish fair criteria to guide the redistricting process, common cause’s goal is to create legislative and congressional districts that are representatives of the population and districting plans that result in more competitive congressional and legislative districts.
I would like to submit and suggest that an open ballot system of voting should be adopted in Nigeria. In the open ballot system, voters queue in front of the picture of the candidate they want to vote for. Indeed, there may be no need for a ballot box. Electoral officers will just count the number of people on each candidate’s queue and the result will be known there and then by both voters and candidates. This cannot be altered thereafter; otherwise there could be civil war! There will be need of machine or manual counting of ballot papers. And huge savings would have been made by not having ballot boxes or printing ballot papers.
By and large, failure to approve budgets and disburse funds in a timely fashion remains a major obstacle to good electoral management which may eventually crush the whole electoral process.
Oyeniran kehinde