Sir: Nigeria attained a milestone in her political evolution and growth with the conduct of the June 12, 1993 presidential election. That election was a far departure from other presidential and parliamentary elections conducted in Nigeria since our country’s attainment of political sovereignty in 1960. It was different from other presidential elections conducted in Nigeria because it was free and fair, and because Nigerians didn’t vote along ethnic and religious lines in the election.
The result of the June 12, 1993 presidential election reflected the collective will of the Nigerian citizens. But that election, which has become a reference point in our political annals, was cancelled by the foxy military dictator, Gen. Ibrahim Babangida. His cancellation of that election threw Nigeria into a political cul-de-sac, which nearly caused the dismemberment of Nigeria.
Since the berth of the fourth republic on our shores in 1999, Nigeria, as a country, has been making progress in the reverse gear. This situation has arisen because the collective political will of the people has always been subverted by kingmakers. Over the years, almost all the presidential election results announced by INEC had been subjects of disputations in courts. Now, Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar, who contested the 2023 presidential election, are challenging the INEC’s declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the 2023 presidential election at the Presidential Election Petition Court.
It is saddening and incredible that 24 years after the dawn of the fourth republic in Nigeria, our practice of democracy is still an abhorrent aberration. Rather than abide by the tenets and ethos of democratic governance, our politicians practise democracy in the breach. But the thriving of our farcical democracy is not unconnected to the sociology of our people(s). In today’s Nigeria, we are witnessing the upturning of our positive moral values; evil is perceived as good, and good as evil.
So, after marking the 30th anniversary of the conduct of June 12, 1993 presidential election, let us reflect on our practice of democracy. It is obvious to us that the significances of that election are lost on us. The significances of that election are that we can conduct a free and fair general election in Nigeria, and that we can rise above pecuniary, ethnic, and religious considerations when exercising our franchise.
If we imbibe the significances of that election and live by them, we will get it right, politically. Then, Nigeria will develop, technologically and economically. May God help us to get it right, politically, in Nigeria.
Chiedu Uche Okoye, a poet, wrote from Uruowulu-Obosi, Anambra State.
