Lessons of the card reader and fall of PDP
So much has been said about the imbalance and unfairness of electoral processes in Nigeria since the return of democratic rule in 1999 which saw the coming of a new era in the politics of Nigeria. Nigeria a nation bound in freedom with a population of over 173 million and diverse ethnic groups with different […]
So much has been said about the imbalance and unfairness of electoral processes in Nigeria since the return of democratic rule in 1999 which saw the coming of a new era in the politics of Nigeria.
Nigeria a nation bound in freedom with a population of over 173 million and diverse ethnic groups with different cultural backgrounds has had its shares of disagreement and segregation amongst the citizens; but all have however stood together with one voice for the good of country to decide a better future for it. Though the Nigeria society has been under unbroken democratic rule for over a decade now but, reverse is the practice of its democracy. Nigerians in past years have really not that much to say about who governs them or who becomes their next leader, because of the domineering nature of incumbents in power, For nineteen years the People’s Democratic Party has seized the democratic mandate of the people to elect people who will represent their interest both in the international, national and regional levels.
But then, in that period, political power was routinely misused by many politicians without justice taking its course. For the country to improve in all fields, power must be given to the people (electorate) to decide whom they want to govern them.
Not until the 2015 general elections, when the country’s electoral commission promised for a better electoral process, after gathering the lapses the country had during its previous elections, the commission decided that, combating electoral fraud will prevent the violence that has plagued previous Nigerian elections.
Understanding the lapses from previous elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) Chairman Prof. Attahiru Jega and his team introduced the card reader machine to give free, fair and credible elections. In his words, ’’ the card reader will ensure one man one vote, that can go a long way in eliminating rigging during the polls’’. The card reader machine has really given Nigerians the opportunity to decide who leads them.
Describing the much awaited 2015 general elections in Nigeria as very crucial is an understatement. That perhaps informed the keen interest shown by all stakeholders to ensure that no stone was left unturned to ensure a free and fair poll as a democratic consolidation. Beating the imagination of the ignorant few that felt elections could be manipulated every time, either through rigging or disruption of electoral process, were very disappointed, as every event that occurred during the electoral process were all accounted for via the card reader. Numbers of registered voters, accredited voters, and votes cast, numbers of ballot papers, numbers of damaged ballot papers, and numbers of valid votes were all accounted for via the machine; it was a unique experience that there was no case of double voting, it made sure that, where your biometrics were taken was where you cast your votes. So much to commend on the great courage shown by the INEC officials, even in the midst of tension, stood for what they believed was good for the country, and this gave the Nigerian the opportunity to decide.
Notwithstanding some few cases that the card reader failure in some areas while accreditation was still going on, it has not diminished the fact that the 2015 general elections were the best of their kinds ever witnessed in our dear country. More efforts should be put to increase authenticity of the card reader; the management should improve on the medium so it might still be standards for our all of the nation’s electoral processes, right from the local government level.
Siman wrote from Department of Mass Communication, Taraba State University, Jalingo.