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From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
Vice President of Nigeria, Prof Yemi Osinbajo (SAN), has tasked Nigerians, to protect the ongoing democracy in the country, because humanity has not established a better system of government.
Besides, former Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Attahiru Jega, has said the 2023 general elections are under threat because of peculiar insecurity in different geo-political zones of Nigeria.
They spoke at a three-in-one programme in honour of a former governor of the state, the late Senator Abiola Ajimobi – commissioning of Senator Abiola Ajimobi Resource Centre, fourth Senator Abiola Ajimobi Roundtable, entitled: ”Election Security and Good Governance’, as well as his 72nd posthumous birthday, held at the Institute for Peace and Strategic Studies(IPSS), University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Oyo State, on Thursday.
The programme was organised Senator Abiola Ajimobi Foundation(SAAF) in collaboration with IPSS. Former First Lady of the state, Mrs. Florence Ajimobi, is the President of SAAF.
According to Jega, who presented the lead paper at the roundtable, entitled: ‘Election Security and Good Democratic Governance’, noted that “Unless elections are conducted in an environment that is peaceful and secure, its integrity and even the legitimacy of the outcome of that election will be questioned. Security challenges undermine electoral integrity. It constrains or disrupts or prevents preparations and conduct of elections and it leads to partilally if not totally illegitimate electoral outcomes.
“As we look forward to the 2023 general elections, there is increasing apprehension that the pervasive insecurity situation in the country may present a formidable obstacle if not obstruction to that election. If not appropriately and effectively mitigated, security challenges would pose the most serious danger to the integrity of the election process if it even allows the election to be conducted.”
Osinbajo, who chaired the occasion, noted in his address that “Man has not yet developed a fairer or a more just system of establishing government, than the government of the people, by the people, for the people. History has demonstrated that it is this system, captured in one word – democracy, that guarantees the respect for rights of individuals to choose their leaders.
“This right of choice is a civil and political right, and it is fundamental, because that is what separates us in terms of organisation from animals. This system of government guarantees the accountability of the elected to the electorate. And as electorate determine every electoral cycle, by their free choice , whether the mandate given was properly utilized. So, the major issue is how to ensure that this right of free choice is not corrupted anywhere. Once that right of free choice is violated, the basis of democracy and its focus – good governance, is on the line.
“How can we protect the votes? How do we ensure that every vote will count? How do we protect the government of the people, by the people for the people? I am sure as Lincoln famously prayed that Gettysburg must not perish off the face of the earth ….”
