How to reinvent nation via democratic governance, by Jega
Prof. Atahiru Jega
• Seeks NBC reform for impartiality
From former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Atahiru Jega, yesterday came a recipe for the consolidation of the country’s democracy.
According to him, elections must be free, fair and regular with the votes counting to sustain the aspiration of the citizenry towards the nation’s reinvention through a good democratic governance framework.
He noted that this would rid the country of recklessness and squandermania of the past and focus on diversifying the economy as well as harnessing available resources and addressing the basic needs of the citizens.
Jega urged repositioning of the broadcasting industry to make it non-partisan by putting in place a strong and legal regulatory framework as well as an effective regulatory agency that could discharge its responsibilities transparently.
At the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) yearly lecture series in Abuja, the former Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) national president noted that the outcome of the 2015general elections was being perceived by many as another opportunity to stabilise the polity, consolidate the gains of democratisation and expand the scope of good governance and democratic development in Nigeria.
“It requires incurable optimism to sustain this motivation and to redirect Nigeria into becoming a stable, united and prosperous country that we would be proud to have.
“We have to continue to make concerted efforts to address the persistent challenges. We must not be hostages to our reckless and unwholesome past, we should see the Nigerian federation as akin to a Catholic marriage… not necessarily a perfect union. But till death do us part, we must strive to do everything humanly possible to find accommodation and live peacefully.”
Jega stressed that President Muhammadu Buhari has a responsibility to enthrone a new Nigeria and reform broadcasting so it could play a pivotal role in Nigeria’s development.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, charged the NBC on general principles and policies enunciated in the nation’s Mass Communication Policy for the promotion of the well-being of the citizens.
Represented by the permanent secretary in the ministry, Mrs. Ayotunde Adesugba, the minister noted that the current challenge for the agency was the switchover from analogue to digital broadcasting, expressing the hope that Nigeria would meet the June 2017 deadline.
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2 Comments
[Jega urged repositioning of the broadcasting industry to make it non-partisan by putting in place a strong and legal regulatory framework as well as an effective regulatory agency that could discharge its responsibilities transparently.
At the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) yearly lecture series in Abuja, the former Academic Staff Union of University (ASUU) national president noted that the outcome of the 2015general elections was being perceived by many as another opportunity to stabilise the polity, consolidate the gains of democratization and expand the scope of good governance and democratic development in Nigeria.
“It requires incurable optimism to sustain this motivation and to redirect Nigeria into becoming a stable, united and prosperous country that we would be proud to have.]
My concern is about this section highlighted of the conversations regarding what growth of democracy is about vis-a-vis the pessimism expressed in the domain of his successor in the INEC – i. e. that the Chairman and his Commissioners are predicting inconclusive election by 2919 on other words accepting defeat before the exercise has commenced in spite of the fact that they have three good and solid years to get ready for the D-Day! You wonder then did Prof. A. Jega really succeed in the 2015 elections so as to guaranteed Nigeria the necessary carry-over! ‘Course it is considered part of the pitfalls of the 2015 election – failure to carry out the required bye-elections meant in political election to sensitize the politicians and the electorates in particular so as to remove unscrupulous candidates in election and thereby foster that like-mind euphemism talked about in political fields! It is not surprising the kind of problems that reared heads after the election of 2015 even up to date – the financial bailouts, blackmailing and the budget padding and an the wake engendering corruption to a very large scale/leve!
It is amazing that they have not done anything about the Section in the Constitution that deals wit defection and carpet crossing and the are all PhD Scientists and organizing the political party participation for Nigeria! Unless you and the Judiciary do something about the section to correct the obvious anomaly there, we may well be prepared for the inconclusiveness predicted by INEC Chairman! Come what may, we are all here to witness how it all plays out by 2019, folks!
Just to help educate both the INEC and the Judiciary of the importance of bye-elections in political parlance/ studies!
See how bye-elections could have helped matters in Nigeria and why it is part recommendations to sensitize both politicians and the electorates – a learning curve, for the Professors to learn/ know its usefulness! Thus, when you go for such bye-elections you’re making all those who failed in the first election to return with proven or reflected opinions some of which will be directed to the winner of the election who is now defecting! Thus it provides the nation room for that character-purging effect naturally without cost in politics! In other not to allow himself to be so revealed and possibly loose in the bye-election, the politicians proposing to defect or cross-carpets faced (akin) with the kind of dubious character will not defect for fear of the exposures, which will lead to his loosing in the bye-election!
So, if Prof. A. Jega and the Judiciary quite appreciated the importance of the section’s role in the Constitution and indeed wanted to do a perfect supervision of the elections in Nigeria, they’ll have insisted on (sued for) the amendment of the section not to leave it open-ended! As it stands with the doubts on the present Chairman’s mind – i.e. the election of 2019 will be inclusive, and nothing done to the section in the Book, you may well prepare (get ready) for a big ‘something’ come 2019 election going by the restiveness across the board now!
We will review and take appropriate action.