Public campaigns in the Edo State governorship election came to a close midnight of Thursday, September 19, ahead of the poll slated for Saturday, September 21, and focus has rightly shifted to the need for peaceful, honest and transparent conduct by all involved, including voters, political parties, their agents, as well as the electoral umpire, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its agents.
The leadership and men of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), the armed forces and other agencies drafted to maintain law and order are also expected to act in the national interest by being professional and non-partisan in their conduct.
Every person who has satisfied the requirements laid down by the law is eligible to vote and be voted for. However, a voter will only be able to exercise that right if he or she is in possession of a valid voter’s card, his or her name is on the Register of Voters and he or she turns up at the polling unit between 8:00am and 2:00pm on election day.
Voters have the right to mark their ballot papers (make their choices) in secret, as stated by INEC. The voting exercise in an election situation in most developing countries, especially in Africa south of the Sahara, is sometimes fraught with dangers and bitter conflicts. In order to avert assault and open attacks, polling booths often provide privacy and security for voters.
Again, as stated by INEC, there are no rights without responsibilities. Responsibilities are those duties and activities, which the citizens of a state are expected to be involved in, to demonstrate their love, commitment, loyalty, patriotism and selflessness to the nation. Within the electoral process, such responsibilities are as follows:
On election day, voters are expected to take their permanent voter cards and proceed to the polling units where their names are listed on the voter register.
It is important that voters comply with all laws and regulations governing the electoral process so as to ensure peace and orderliness.
It is the responsibility of voters to conduct themselves in an orderly manner before, during and after election and encourage others to act in similar fashion.
Voters are expected to wait their turn on the queue, obey the directives of electoral officials and cast votes peacefully.
Grievances, if any, should be channelled through the appropriate quarters, using the legal machinery put in place, rather than resorting to illegal actions.
As noted by The Election Network, corruption is, unfortunately, an endemic problem of the Nigerian democratic and electoral process. Several instances of ballot snatching, vote-buying, intimidation, falsification of results, and bribery have been recorded over the years. These issues have been called out by both local and international observers, creating loopholes in the electoral process and depriving the electorate of their mandated right to elect their leaders.
Election officials have a major role in the electoral process and the manner in which they discharge their duties affects the degree of confidence voters have in the electoral process and in INEC. All the actions of election officials should be characterised by the highest standards of integrity, impartiality, transparency, professionalism, gender sensitivity and support for the elderly and those who are physically challenged, as the agency itself has noted.
Political parties and their candidates are expected to refrain from the use of inflammatory language, provocative actions, images or manifestation that incite violence, hatred, contempt or intimidation against another party or candidate or any person or group of persons.
All political parties and their candidates should at all times cooperate fully with election officials in the performance of their lawful duties in order to ensure peaceful and orderly elections.
Every party should instruct its members and supporters that no weapon or any object that can be used to cause injury shall be brought to the polling station, and that no party attire, colours, symbol, emblem or other insignia shall be worn to a polling station on election day.
All political parties and their candidates should extend all necessary help and cooperation to law-enforcement agents for purposes of ensuring the safety and security of election officials and party agents on polling day.
All political parties and their candidates should instruct their agents in attendance at polling stations to perform their duties in accordance with the electoral laws and regulations, and to cooperate fully with the election officials for the efficient, transparent and uninterrupted conduct of the elections.
While it is the role and responsibility of the electorate to cast their votes with the aim of electing a competent, principled and decisive leader (of their choice), there are buffers and intermediaries between.
These include essentially the political parties and their agents, the electoral body and its stewards and the integrity and coordination of these can and do affect outcomes.
So that our nation and states can have good leadership, make progress and enjoy peace, we urge all stakeholders in the coming Edo State election to shun the lure of election malpractices, including vote buying, ballot box stuffing, multiple voting, threats, or physical violence to intimidate voters, disrupt polling activities, or manipulate election outcomes.
We likewise call on electoral officials to rise to the national call and display integrity and the highest ethical standards and resist the lure of complicity or corruption.
We call on all stakeholders to hold high the principles of democracy, and prioritise the interests of the Edo people and Nigeria in general.
We call on voters in the governorship election to come out in their numbers and exercise their civic duty without hindrance and be orderly and law abiding. We encourage the electorate to vote for candidates based on their manifestos, track records, and leadership qualities.
We similarly call on the police and other assigned uniformed agencies to discharge their responsibilities in line with the provisions of the constitution and the Police Act by providing security for the voters and other stakeholders during the exercise.
Party agents must also be allowed to monitor electoral processes and raise concerns where applicable.
In the same vein, accredited national and international election observers must be allowed to carry out their assignments without let or hindrance.
Where there are rights, there are responsibilities. We should all perform our responsibilities to lift our nation to higher ideals of leadership.
