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President Buhari’s second term: at what cost?

By Nonso Ozoemena
27 February 2019   |   3:07 pm
The INEC Chairman; Professor Mahmoud Yakubu has just declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2019 General election. However, this has come at a huge cost to the Nigerian people and its constitution. Between Saturday 23rd of February, till the day of announcement, Nigerians have seen videos and pictures of massive rigging, voter suppression and illegal militarization of states.

President Muhammadu Buhari, waving the All Progressives Congress (APC) symbol-the broom, at his presidential campaign rally in Kano

The Ruthlessness of APC on holding onto power at all cost.
The INEC Chairman; Professor Mahmoud Yakubu has just declared President Muhammadu Buhari as the winner of the 2019 General election. However, this has come at a huge cost to the Nigerian people and its constitution. Between Saturday 23rd of February, till the day of announcement, Nigerians have seen videos and pictures of massive rigging, voter suppression and illegal militarization of states.

If the electorates cannot at their own will and volition, remove their underperforming leaders through the ballot, then there is a bigger problem than the country thinks it has. What this means is that a dictator can deploy the military to secure power, exhibit dictatorial tendencies and behaviors and when it is time for elections, he will deploy soldiers to intimidate citizens into voting him.

For Nigerians all around the world living in a democracy, as opposed what is obtainable in Nigeria, there’s, will be an ode for democracy in Nigeria. It becomes unacceptable how Nigeria’s constitution can be easily trampled upon, with impunity, and the nation still claims to be a democracy? The ruthlessness with which the APC is clinging to power, has led to loss of several lives. Has the nation become so desensitized to the happening in the country that even the loss of many lives for the ambition of one man does not mean anything?

How long is the nation going to reward bad behavior? Soldiers invaded a community and killed many. Elections were conducted without card readers. People were disenfranchised because their votes could have upset the victory of the incumbent. People were arrested and stopped from running for their positions; all in a democracy? A spokesman of the opposition PDP was arrested without a case on him and we claim to be a democracy?

The corruption of individuals can be remedied, but the corruption of institutions mean that the nation has retrogressed even back to the military era. The fact that INEC’s guideline shows that card readers must be used for all elections, but going forward to relax such guidelines in some zones where the incumbent is popular, is an example of institutional corruption.

Why would the INEC be in bed with the incumbent, to rape the electorates that brought them into power? The problem with holding onto power ruthlessly is that you lose the legitimacy you are supposed to enjoy. What is the essence of power when your people do not love you?

Ozoemena Nonso Noel is a Writer, into profiling. However, he is interested in politics, enough to know that the Private sector deserves better in Nigeria.

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