Date Published: 02/09/10

THE ANAMBRA GUBANATORIAL ELECTION, OSHIOMOLE’S ROLE AND THE FUTURE ELECTIONS IN NIGERIAN By Comrade Anavberokhai Isah and Momoh Leonard 

Democracy is the government of the people, by the people and for the people and as such, the people should be allowed to determine who governs them. The super impositions of candidates as well and governmental officials on the populace lead to godfather’s and diversion of funds meant for developmental projects into private pockets. The just concluded Anambra Gubernatorial election has helped to redefine electoral process in Nigeria showing that there is a brighter future ahead of future elections to be conducted.  

Unlike the past elections where ballot boxes are snatched at different polling centers, electoral materials intercepted and prevented from getting to the polling centers and the police and INEC officials aiding the manipulations of results with the assistance of community members, traditional rulers and hired tug’s, the idea is gradually changing and as such we must give kudos to international organizations that have discredited past elections in Nigeria, individuals and some Nigerians who stand firm on the need for electoral reforms and true democracy. 

The electoral process in Nigeria is gradually taking a different dimension and Kudos should be given to credible Nigerians who wish this to be so. We must give credit to the Governor of Edo state Comrade Adams Oshiomole who has helped redefined electoral process in Edo state and standing of the words that one man one vote, one woman one vote. This he demonstrated at the Akoko-Edo house of Assembly re-election in Edo state as well as the House of Assembly re-election in Etsako Central local government. During his campaigns, he continually repeated that the votes of the masses must count and every vote will be counted at polling centers collated and announced. Comrade Adams Oshiomole even at the National levels has continually called on all Nigerians to defend their votes. 

Despite the logistics lapses related to miss-up of voters register observed at the just concluded gubernatorial election in Anambra state,  the election stands as a text of transformation towards a successful election in the future in Nigeria. During the electoral campaigns by the different political parties including P.D.P, ANPP, AC, APGA etc, the different political parties continually hammered on the point that every vote must count and that one man one vote, one woman one vote which is a representation of Adams Oshiomole’s political transformation slogan.   

The rebranding of Nigeria should be aimed at this and a leave should be borrowed from the election to improve on future elections in Nigeria. It is now observed that the Nigeria Security system comprising of the military, police, civil defense etc can be trusted if mandated to do their job by keeping peace and security if they are not financially infused by greedy politicians. Also the Anambra election has also shown that if elections in Nigeria are conducted at different dates just like it is in United States of America and the police are properly mobilized to keep peace and security, the Nigeria electoral process will definitely take a total transformation. On the contrary, the manpower of the Nigeria security agencies comprising of the police, military, civil defense etc should be increased in order to ensure that there is adequate manpower and security for electoral policing and monitoring.  

The time has come in Nigeria where we should not allow individuals select our leaders leaving the political process to so called godfathers whose motive and intension is to siphon public funds meant fir developmental purposes. We as followers should be fully involved and ensuring that credible persons are elected into political offices and they will be accountable to the populace and not a political party or a particular person or group pf persons that have imposed him into power