The Osun State gubernatorial election

It was therefore to the credit of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it was so, despite ill-advised deployment of heavily armed soldiers and secret service personnel. Those in charge of conducting elections had previously been accused of being sympathetic to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and unwilling to announce election results that did […]

It was therefore to the credit of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that it was so, despite ill-advised deployment of heavily armed soldiers and secret service personnel. Those in charge of conducting elections had previously been accused of being sympathetic to the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and unwilling to announce election results that did not favour the national ruling party.  However, at the end of the day, INEC declared incumbent governor, Rauf Aregbesola, candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), winner.  INEC has markedly improved its performance since 2011, barring the fiasco that greeted the gubernatorial election in Anambra.
Still, there are hurdles that it must strive to overcome in order to assure delivery of free and fair elections in the country. Perhaps the most important would in the area of distribution and collection of crucial electoral materials, like the permanent voter’s card (PVC) which hopefully would this time be truly permanent. It is a form of disincentive to continuously ask voters to register before every election. It is also imperative that those who voted in the polls in Ekiti and Osun states and possess a PVC should be able to find their names on the register for the 2015 general elections without hitches. The conduct of the security personnel who typically are not under the control of INEC leaves much to be desired.
Allegations that about 50 members of the opposition party were still being detained without charge have not been denied, over one week after the election ended. The sight of masked gunmen in army-issue camouflage patrolling the streets was unsettling, and raised questions about the source and intention of their deployment.  The Osun State Government has signalled its plan to sue the federal government over abuses allegedly committed by security forces during the election.   It defies logic that 65,000 heavily-armed security personnel would be deployed to a governorship election duty in one state when the challenge of national security demanded their presence and action elsewhere. Federal government officials noted that the large deployment was necessary to provide security for everyone, irrespective of political leaning.
That may be true, but it begs the question what level of deployment would be available in the general elections in 2015. Further clouding the atmosphere, Mrs Marilyn Ogar, spokesperson for State Security Services (SSS), whose officials were among those accused of being hooded and detaining persons without due process, alleged that politicians she did not name tried to bribe security forces with 15 million naira during the election. She must back up her allegation, and follow it up with arrests and arraignment of the suspects in court.  The obviously partisan conduct of government officials at elections needs to be moderated too. For instance, the Minister of State for Defence, Mr Musiliu Obanikoro sat next to Chief Femi Fani-Kayode, an ex-minister, when he alleged that APC members were ‘sponsors’ of the insurgent activities of Boko Haram that have severely constrained the country’s security forces and have killed and maimed thousands of Nigerians. Such unrestrained statements, made with intent to score political points, are capable of causing disaffection in the country, particularly when no effort  is made to provide evidence to back such otherwise flippant outbursts. These should not be condoned by responsible government officials.
As democracy matures in the country, the electorate will be swayed less by sentiment and wild allegations than by manifesto and track record.  Aregbesola has won a second term; he deserves to savour his victory. It is however important for him to note that, although approximately 40 percent of those who voted in the election cast their ballot for his opponents, he is the governor for all, and must be seen, in his action and words, to treat every constituency in the state equally.