Evidently, we have just gone through the most keenly contested presidential election in the troubled history of this nation. At no time has the ruling class been so desperate to carve up the citizenry along the primordial lines of ethnicity and religion.
This was the first time that a viable opposition party slugged it out with the ruling party. Hitherto, it was a behemoth ruling party riding roughshod over minor, often regional, parties too infinitesimal to make any impact.
This election also witnessed the greatest pursuit of peace. We saw the signing of one accord after the other. Yet, the level of mud raked up by the electioneering campaigns was unprecedented. The reputation of the two leading candidates took so much bashing that in the foreseeable future, both men will struggle really hard at damage control measures to repair the dents on their names.
This was the first time that an incumbent government in Nigeria was beaten at an election; it conceded defeat; and is willing to relinquish power. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s earlier reference to “Jonathan wants to Gbagbo us” was an ugly reminder of former President Laurent Gbagbo of Ivory Coast who kept postponing the election till such a time when he felt he would win. When he still went in for the election, he was defeated but he refused to leave office. This had the character of Nigerian craftsmanship but President Goodluck Jonathan has finally proved bookmakers wrong.
Hitherto, defeated presidential candidates proceeded to the tribunals posthaste. But in the case of the 2015 contest, the prospects of the losing parties approaching the tribunals are very slim.
Nigeria has now joined the league of African countries where lame ducks are willing to concede defeat and relinquish power. In April 1991, President Matthew Kereku of the Republic of Benin was defeated by Nicephore Soglo. Also in 1991, President Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia lost to Frederick Chiluba. Last September, Michael Suta of Zambia defeated Rupia Banda who had spent 20 years in office. Africa is on the move, slowly but steadily.
There is a negative trend developing in Nigeria. The Presidential Debates are still so poorly organized that some candidates shun them, thus creating the wrong impression of an inverse relationship between the willingness to debate and the eventual outcome of the elections – those willing to debate don’t win the elections. Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Alhaji Muhammadu Buhari who shunned the debates won the elections; while Chief Olu Falae and Dr. Goodluck Jonathan who, out of enthusiasm for the debates, fell slightly short of going to drag their opponents into the debate grounds lost at the polls. There is something fundamentally wrong with those debates!
In the more advanced democracies, the Presidential Debates are so well organized that candidates earnestly look forward to them. In those climes, elections are won and lost at the debates. They are that important.
Ordinarily, romance is improved after a big fight. Again, anything is fair in war, love and politics. This means that after the bitter exchanges during the campaigns, people must be prepared to forge new frontiers and move ahead. When the sore is healed, the pain is forgotten. Undeniably, what the election has given us is the President of the nation, not of a political party.
One is therefore disturbed to hear some Nigerians threatening to proceed on self-exile just because their party lost at the election. Chief Bode George falls into this category. Hear him: “I‘ll surely go on exile. At 70, what will I be doing here?”
Going by the lessons of history, Senator Uche Chukwumeji is today a living legend. He was one of the outstanding spokesmen on the Biafran side during the civil war. As soon as the war was over, he and many other people of goodwill on that side banished all feelings of chagrin and disappointment and quickly reintegrated into the normal Nigerian life.
In essence, a recuperating Nigeria can easily sharpen the fighting spirit of eminent citizens like Bode George and direct them to most constructive ends. Except those intent on continuing to throw stones, no one should “check out of Nigeria” because of a temporary setback.
One good example: In his burning desire to contribute his quota in the emerging order, General Charles Airhiavbere has just switched from the PDP to the APC. This is how to remain solid rather than chicken out. Only the guilty run when no one pursues.
Yes, winners must jubilate. We have, however, maintained that they must exercise some restraint. After all, no amount of jubilation can develop Nigeria. The task of developing Nigeria requires earnest, patriotic and ceaseless work from all Nigerians irrespective of party affiliation or religious and ethnic differences.
Together, we must face our common enemies – unemployment, bad roads, extreme poverty in the midst of plenty, insecurity, health and educational institutions that are virtually comatose, infrastructural deficiencies and the rest.
If Nigeria is not going to continue in the spirit of that man who wanted to go into the snail-rearing business but all he had was a snail without the shell, every institution must live up to expectation. For instance, a police force that exists for the sole purpose of obeying the master’s voice without regard to the constitutionally-assigned responsibility of protecting the lives and property of the citizenry is not worth the salt. And a judiciary that thrives on the aphorism of “why pay a lawyer when you can buy a judge?” has strayed away from the path of development.
Now that the storm is over, let all hands be on deck! One thing is clear: service delivery, not sloganeering, is the antidote for true success.
