What did we take away from the elections in the US, France and that of the United Kingdom which took place last Thursday? All the elections were peaceful and the results announced almost immediately.
Not in any of these elections did we know the name(s) electoral umpire and the collation of results did not take place in a single location. Each wards and districts simply announces it result as it comes in. We did not see any unnecessary overt display of protocol in the announcement of the results. And we are yet to hear of killing of voters, ballot snatching, compromisation of security operatives and other shenanigans that usually characterized election in Nigeria and Africa.
Everything was in an orderly manner right from the time of campaigning. Did you see how the losers graciously accept defeat and the magnanimity of the victor? No incitement of violence. No burning of houses. The contestants did not share money or gift to the electorates. The Federal Reserve Bank of the US and the Central Banks of both France and UK were not emptied to fund electioneering campaign. Election is purely about pitching yourself and your policy.
The political thugs and miscreants popularly called ‘Area Boys’ are not in view to intimidate, harass or scared voters away. The process is well streamlined that you wouldn’t see any uniform person in the polling booth. Not here. Our movement will be restricted like prisoners, police and Army will be everywhere armed to their tooth, yet the Area Boys will still have their ways. The desperation and win-at-all syndromes that characterized our elections are not visible in all of these elections.
While the constitution of electoral bodies both at the federal and state levels are big issues in Nigeria, in these countries it was nothing, absolutely inconsequential. True democracy start from the parties and evolved on. In Nigeria, intra-party democracy is just a tantalizing mirage. Imposition of candidate, favourism and nepotism is the order of the game. Bribery, arm twisting and assassination tools freely used. The Nigerian political space is occupied by lowlifes, people with questionable source of wealth, hence the insatiable desire to perpetuate in political position. Except you are ready to become a pig, then you can contest for elective position in Nigeria and most African countries.
The task of reforming our electoral system is not a nuclear science but those who are using it to either stay in power or put their minions in power who let it happened. One very striking thing about the British election on Thursday was the active role of young people in voting and the collation of the results. I was thrilled and prayed it was Nigeria. Those handling collation were given white t-shirt and they are as young as 14. They were happy doing it and nobody molest or disturb them. Can we even do that here? The conduct of the electorate was something to behold and they don’t have two heads.
Above all, the vote of the people count. No here where figures can be conjure up with a whisker, making a loser a winner.
The British election is much closer home to we Nigerians as seven of our kins were successful on the night. Chi Onwurah of the Labour Party will represent Newcastle-Central in the parliament. Onwurah was born April 12, 1965 and was first elected on the platform of the Labour Party in 2010. Other British born Nigerians victorious on the UK election include; Chuka Umunna elected to represent Streatham, Bim Afolami represents Hitchin and Harpenden, Olukemi Adegoke to represents Saffron Walden, Fiona Onasanyo won the seat to represent Peterboborough constituency and Kate Osamor who will represent Edmonton.
Of the seven, five are female. How many female are in the our National Assembly? The few that are there are either wives of a former governor or daughters of a prominent politicians. In most cases, these lady does emerge through democratic means, they are imposed. We need more women in our political space but they emerge through open and democratic means. These ladies in the UK did not become their party’s’ candidates through crooked and undemocratic means. They simply merit it. We say congratulations to the 7 parliamentarians, hopefully their success will lead to a positive spiral effect here in Nigeria.
