The 2023 general election in Nigeria like the past few national elections after 1999 have been relatively competitive and highly emotive. What most of these elections have achieved is projecting the country’s fault lines rather than uniting the country.
However, it’s worth asking why Nigerian elections always throw up old wounds wrapped around ethnicity or religion? A close look at the country’s political elite shows a group that is largely incoherent ideologically and lacks a common ground on what should be the core values of political discourse and practice. The lack of a well articulated “political rule book”available for politicians to refer to, has made it possible for all manner of weird characters to bestride the electoral and political landscape and in many instances hijack the aspirations and hopes of their constituents and the generality of the people.
The art of governing requires being knowledgeable and deliberate in delivering tangible results which are meant to have a positive and lasting impact on society. These attributes are missing among a very large chunk of Nigerian politicians. Thus there is no real sense of accountability towards those they assume to represent.
After elections, rather than accepting the verdict, which of course would favour one political party over other, politicians have made it their mission to disregard voting and head for the courts. This has become habitual and unfortunately with such acts, undermines the country’s political journey and casts deep aspersions on us as a nation.
The aftermath of Nigeria’s recent national elections created a situation where those that lost out have found it difficult to offer constructive solutions to national issues. An effective opposition will present its unique position and provide solutions to challenges facing the country. This scenario gives the electorate a choice in future elections. What the current government faces are rather cat calls and abuses. Such behaviour doesn’t make the opposition look serious to those with a good sense of discernment.
Politicians on both sides leave their minions to throw spats at one another using social media platforms and conveniently the main actors sit back and sometimes would occasionally come out with knee jerk comments on government policy. With this setting, the government doesn’t seem to feel the heat to engage as vigorously as it should.
As long as politicians in Nigeria know that they are still able to wriggle round an electorate, by virtue of a selection process which doesn’t put them on their toes, a culture that snares at accountability, then literally they will continue to get away with murder figuratively.
Olugbenga Adebanjo
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