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By Cosmas Omegoh
The 2023 general elections are close by. In less than two months from now, Nigerians will go to the polls.
Indeed, next year’s election is a big project for both the people and country. That explains why the elections are currently on the front burner.
In the elections, Nigerians will be choosing a new president and members of the parliament. Already, many are waiting for the D-Day with bathed breath.
For now, Nigerians have been expressing their optimism, their hope, their fears and their apprehension ahead of the elections.
Expectedly, reactions are pouring in on the sidelines of assurances given by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the elections will be free and fair.
INEC had vowed that it would deploy technology in the conduct of the elections in line with best practices. But that novelty has not ceased to generate ripples even in the face of repeated assurances from the electoral umpire.
There have been concerns too bordering on insecurity across the country. They are genuine and germane, having assumed a life of its own in some places.
Excitement as 2023 beckons
Nigerians are looking forward with excitement as the elections draw near.
Abubakar Atiku’s Presidential Spokesman and Delta State Commissioner for Information, Mr Charles Aniagwu, said: “I’m excited that in no distant time, Nigerians would have been out of this administration that has brought untold hardship upon us all. And that 2023 will provide us with the opportunity to make a change, although it will not be all rosy. But at least we will see a process of recovery – a process that will change a whole lot.
“I’m also excited that Nigerians are becoming much more aware of their electoral rights and values and what they can contribute towards having a better country.”
Also, the National Chairman, Citizens for Righteousness and Social Justice, Mr John Adesanya, said his excitement stemmed from the fact that “more citizens came out to register for the elections unlike before,” adding that “is something very encouraging.”
He also added: “Happy enough, we have a Third Force, unlike in the past when we had only two parties. So, Nigerians now have another choice to consider; that is good.”
For Dr Ben Nwoye, Tinubu/Shetima campaign coordinator, Enugu State and former APC chairman in the state, he is “excited about the candidacy of Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu and his deputy, Kassim Shetima.”
Hear him: “I’m excited about the their knowledge and strength of character. I’m excited that they are real party men – one time governors, senators – who have the capacity to lead this country and change things. They are visionary leaders.
“I’m excited about the new Electoral Act. This makes us believe that everybody’s vote will count. It has never happened before. This will become the biggest new thing. If what was promised by the Electoral Act will be followed and delivered, then, things will become the best thing that this present administration has bequeathed to Nigerians.
“I’m excited about the awareness so far shown by the youths. Many who have not voted before are the youths. They are excited by the candidacy of Labour Party’s Mr Peter Obi. It is exciting to me that people who were not talking about politics before are now doing so.”
In the same vein, Mr Olukayode Balogun, a lawyer, is “pleased that for once, so many people are interested in the elections. And we seem to have seen Mr Peter Obi who came out as a dark horse, has turned things around. Whether he will win remains to be seen.
“But at least for once, someone who is not of APC or PDP, is playing a pivotal role in this election; that is very much welcome. We have not seen this happen before.”
Dr Tanko is also happy that Nigerians are becoming more and more politically aware and shown readiness to participate in the forthcoming elections.
“We are happy with the way more and more youths are coming out to be part of the elections. They want to take back their country from the cabals. This is huge.
“At the same time, I get excited that the new electoral law is working in tandem with the whims and caprices of a good democratic country that wants to change the narrative.
“I’m quite comfortable that INEC is determined to give Nigeria credible elections. When I see all this, I get the conviction that Nigeria is on the path of greatness,” he said.
Deployment of technology
When INEC revealed plans to deploy technology, initially, the plan was greeted with doubts and outright rejection.
Till now, many are not at home that they are still grumbling in their closets, whereas many others have seen it as a sure way to curtail the rigging plans of some people.
Earlier, the National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Senator Abdullahi Adamu, made a statement suggesting doubts over the use of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), and the INEC, Results Viewing Portal, IReV, for the elections.
He said: “First, I was privileged to serve as a Senator. Our concern is how ready are we to deploy some of these technologies as regards transmission because we are taking a major step in transmitting election results in real time.
“To transmit results, every part of the nation, Nigeria, I am not sure that the network covers it. I know that even in parts of Abuja, there is no network and we have from now till February when in substantial parts of the country there is no electricity.
“INEC must assure us 100 per cent that as and when due in transmitting results, they are ready because they spoke about recharging batteries, but we had in previous elections when it said it could not recharge.”
However, APC, through its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Felix Morka, later said: “Media report that Chairman Adamu kicked against INEC’s decision to deploy BVAS and electronic transmission of results is patently false, and constitutes an unfair misrepresentation of the National Chairman’s comments.
“To be clear, Chairman Adamu did not kick against the deployment of BVAS or electronic transmission of results as erroneously reported by sections of the media.”
He wondered why his party would be against the use of technology when “the APC administration of President Muhammadu Buhari midwived the successful reform of the Electoral Act, the introduction of BVAS among other technological innovations, and has superintended the conduct of credible, free, fair and transparent elections in Edo, Anambra, Ekiti and Osun states.
Speaking on the workability of the technology in the elections, spokesman of the Labour Party presidential campaign, Dr Yunusa Tanko, noted that the rejection of BVAS by any politician is mere manipulative. “Those who are expressing fears over network should know that there is network everywhere. Why is that because this is election time, some politicians are talking about poor network? It is a manipulation to derail the system; they already know that the BVAS and other technology will give credibility to the elections.
“In that respect, I disagree with them because they are afraid that the credibility the BVAS will bring to bear will deny them the manipulative idea that they have; it is just a recipe for fraud.”
On his part, Mr Aniagwu said: “I’m even excited that we are going to use the BVAS. To be honest with you, the BVAS has proved that the votes will count. It brings a whole lot of credibility to the electoral process. And so it is a part of my excitement and not fears.”
Mr Adesanya too is happy with the BVAS, saying “if INEC will be able to use properly, this will reduce the issues of ballot box snatching and fighting at the collation centres. That will give us proper results.”
Overall, Dr Nwoye fears that although the BVAS is here, someone might break into INEC server and change the figures. “The transmission of the result might be the issue. What if someone sits in China or USA and interfers in the system and changes the result? Are we ready for all that? It is a concern to me!”
Concerns over sentiments
Mr Aniagwu noted that “a part of the fears I have is Nigerians’ ability to do what is good and move away from sentiments.
“The social media promotes people and makes them look like saints, and confers on them some kind of messianic posture. And I pray that Nigerians don’t go along that line. I just hope that at the end of the day, we have elections that work for all of us.”
Concerns over rigging
Dr Tanko expressed optimism with the deployment of the BVAS and the idea of transmitting election results straight from the polling units, saying that would add greater credibility to the elections.
“The deployment of technology is going to make it difficult for people who want to manipulate the election and steal people’s vote.
“What we are running is citizens-based democracy where the people have the right to vote and have their votes count, thereby giving credibility to the system.
“The provision of the Electoral Act 2022 Section 64, Sub-section 4-6 gives INEC the power to conduct electronic voting; that enhances the hope that Nigerian can get it right.”
He also expressed confidence that rigging election in February 2023 will be extremely difficult for anybody.
He described those aspiring to rig the elections as “criminals in our midst who are holding down our collective patrimony,” insisting: “Why will you try to rig the elections if you are popular? These are the people we should reject at the polls.”
Cashless policy
At the same time, Dr Tanko hailed the newly-introduced cashless policy of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), dismissing it as threat to his party.
“We are not intending to buy anybody’s vote at the pooling unit. So, moving tons of cash does not concerns us.
“We will pay our party agents through transfers and that enhances accountability.
“It is those who want to manipulate the system, those who want buy people’s votes and don’t want any money to be traced to them that are concerned. That is why they are running away from the policy.
“Yes, the policy is going to come with some pain, but I tell you, that is going to add credibility to the elections and make it cashless.”
However, Dr Nwoye disagreed with him. “How do you run elections with this stuff that the CBN is introducing? It has never been done.
“You must mobilise people for the election and here they are talking about a cashless scheme. This monetary policy is going to affect the elections,” he argued.
But Aniagwu believes that the cashless policy has nothing to do with the elections.
Hisbp words: “I don’t want anybody to be linking that with the elections; it should be linked with the economy.
“The only reason some of us think that the CBN did not get it right is that you don’t begin to use politics while introducing policies into an economy. Now, it is looking like we don’t have certain backbones to drive the cashless policy.”
Security challenges
Dr Yunusa Tanko is sorely concerned about the spate of insecurity in the country.
He noted: “We started seeing this in Lagos where many of our members were attacked and denied the opportunity of registering for their PVCs.
“We had issues with our members who were arrested and kept in detention for 41 days in Ebonyi State. We saw our billboards destroyed in Kogi State; and we had issues with the release of venues for our campaigns in Lafia and even in Edo State.
“We recall how our Women Leader in Kaduna State was killed the other day. Our Women Leader in Kebbi State was also attacked, her restaurant burnt to ashes.
“And we have these incessant attacks on INEC offices in the Southeast which is our stronghold. I believe those attacks were orchestrated to weaken our base and give the Southeast a bad name.”
He recalled that worse insecurity scenarios were experienced in 2015, yet the elections held.
He urged the security agencies to be up and doing, insisting that it is better that the elections were held than to have anarchy in the land.
He added: “If our security will come out smoking on the election day, the people will be more secured as they come out to exercise their civic duties.”
His sentiments were shared by Aniagwu, who also believes that the security agencies have the capacity to deal with issues of insecurity, regretting what he called “lack of political will in the past.”
He said: “President Muhammadu Buhari has given his assurances; I don’t have any reasons to doubt him.
“He has given his assurances to deliver credible elections; he has given marching orders to the security agencies. So, I have every reason to believe he means his words, and we will have credible elections.”
However, Dr Nwoye is unhappy about the threat of insecurity especially in the Southeast.
“I’m from Enugu State. The insecurity here is unprecedented. My fear is: are we going to be actually allowed to vote? There is the threat of killing, and of sit-at-home. If someone announces that there will be a sit-at-home on the day of the elections and says ‘if you come out to vote, we are going to kill you,’ that is something I will fear the most.
“I believe that those sponsoring the sit-at-home are conducting a test run to see how it goes on the election day. It is, therefore, everybody’s business to look at this.”
For Mr Balogun, the threat of insecurity is potent.
“This has affected the economy of the North and we see the effect here too. That too is going to impact on the elections up there.
“In the East, I foresee the same problem affecting the election, with some INEC offices being bombed.
“But regardless of the insecurity up North, people are still going to come to vote. I hope this will not constrain people in the East not to vote. That will be too bad,” he said.
Intimidation in different states
Dr Tanko’s major fears rest on the intimidation of people by those in power across the states. “Lately, we have seen incessant attacks on people who are believed to be members of the opposition. Those doing this are not democrats. They believe that it is through their manipulative ways that they can come to power.
“We have heard undemocratic comments that ought not come from presidential candidates and their aides. These ought not to be. Such candidates ought to be disqualified,” he said.
On his part, Mr Adesanya said that of great concern to him is “what is already happening now with the campaigns. We can see that they are already using thugs. People are already being killed. In fact, the issues of hooliganism and thuggrey are frightening. One thinks that if this can happen, even when we are yet to get into the elections proper, are we sure they will allow the electorate to go out and vote? If people know that going out to vote will endanger their lives, they might sit down at home and that will be very sad.”
He cited what happened in Osun State recently, alleging that people were cut with cutlasses and machetes, lamenting that would impact the elections negatively.
He also expressed worry with the burning of INEC offices across the country describing it as “a bad omen. It means that some Nigerians have not learnt their lessons. It is very worrisome.”
