The results of the Presidential election and those of some state Governorship elections have confirmed to a large extent that Nigerians it seems have come off their lethargy to their political consciousness taking their destinies in their own hands.
The outcome reveals to me that gone are the days when politicians could easily sway the electorate to win their votes.
For me, one of the defining moments in the whole electoral process was the Independent National Electoral Commissionís (INEC) innovation in its introduction and use of the card readers at the elections which to a large extent actually vested the power to decide who emerges from the contest in the electorate.
In spite of the few reported cases of malfunction of the card readers, it did reduce cases of electoral fraud. My thinking is, if improved on, is capable of eliminating rigging and will ensure fairness as well as guarantees the electoratesí votes in the electoral process.
No doubt there were pleasant surprises in the outcome of both the March 28 Presidential/ National Assembly elections and the April 11 Governorship/ House of Assembly elections
It was a process where the electorate decided the ‘fateí of several of the candidates, a clear departure from past elections where the will of the people was either subverted or flagrantly skewed for selfish reasons.
While political commentators and students of History have applauded the confidence and determination with which Nigerians for the first time in many years refused to be cajoled by the sweet talking and deceitful politicians, by taking the driverís seat and decided the politiciansí fate. This is hurray for our democracy.
I think this action is sending wonderful signals to those set of Nigerian who still see politics as a means to an end rather than an opportunity for service.
It has clearly shown that it is no longer business as usual when political office seekers could easily hoodwink the electorate to sell their rights for a pot of porridge
This noble action by Nigerians has demystified the age long practice where some few individuals for a long time have arrogated to themselves the toga of “kingmakersíí and who have with ignominy manipulated the psyche of the people to the detriment of the nationís development at every electoral process.
Reading in between the lines, Nigerians through the results of these elections have risen to condemn and call for the total stamp out of corruption in our society and have indeed portrayed that elections have started to wear a more human face as being practiced in other more civilized climes of the world.
For me, their actions have started to represent the fact that integrity and service can also be rewarded by a popular peoplesí mandate to represent and pilot their affairs.
However, I wish to restrict my discourse and analysis of the issues that played out in the electoral process to Edo State for obvious reasons.
One of them being that Edo state is among the very few states where governorship election did not take place because the serving Governors are yet to serve out their tenures.
Here in Edo State, as we get set and prepare to shop for a candidate for the 2016 governorship election, these signals, will no doubt, become the political barometer political parties should use to determine who becomes their party flag bearers.
The outcome of these elections has shown that Edo people may never again be swayed by either political, religious, traditional, ethnic sentiments or reliance on some peoples past glory to decide who their next governor will be in 2016.
From the foregoing, one important revelation is the need for the National Assembly to quickly amend the constitution that allows for independent candidature for any of the elective positions.
This will further weaken the enormous powers of some politicians and their cohorts across the nations who use their positions to determine who gets what and who goes where.
If perfected, it will certainly reduce the gall of defection and unholy patronage of political godfathers as presently being witnessed across the states of the federation.
It will promote healthy rivalry where only those whose unquestionable pedigrees will have preceded them and whose burning desire and genuine quest for service will attract the attention of members of the electorate for their scrutiny.
If the Edo people I know, who value their pride and are not easily swayed by uncommon sentiments, will stand firm, with determination to repeat in 2016, what they did on March 28, then the gall of defection recently witnessed in the state and the permutation likely to begin in a few months from now, certainly will become meaningless.
Edo people can only but with askance, easily see through the faces of liars for they will say to them no principled man can vacillate like the changing taffeta with the wink of the eye
I hope the Edo people will quickly remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jrís  submission in one of his famous speeches that “the ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenges and controversy.
Robin Sharma, one on the worldís greatest motivational speaker and Author, could not have said it better when he also said “what distinguishes people with an extraordinary character from the rest of us is how they respond when life sends one of its inevitable curves. They donít crumble or surrender. They reach out deeply into themselves and preset even more of their highest nature to the world.
My message to Edo people is for them to watch out for their sons and daughters with these character traits in taking their decision once again in 2016.
OKUNZUWA, Kevin is a Journalist based in Benin.