Orubebe And Okotie’s Peace Campaign 

PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan took the unprecedented step and conceded victory to his main opponent in this Presidential election, APC’s Gen. Muhammadu Buhari, and by so doing, doused the palpable tension that had enveloped the polity in the wake of this election cycle.

Prior to this great leap forward, a Peace Accord that committed all 14 presidential candidates was signed in Abuja; a week to the elections. Another Peace Accord involving the two main candidates – PDP’s Goodluck Jonathan, and APC’s Muhammadu Buhari was also signed when politicians seemed to have failed to keep faith with the first accord.

The overheated electioneering process, which featured hate-filled, attack advertorials, prompted prominent Nigerians, led by former Head of State, Gen Abdulsalam Abubakar to broker the second peace accord. Pastor-Politician, Rev. Chris Okotie, responded with an article in which he exhorted the politicians to conduct themselves with decorum.

In spite of these trouble-shooting efforts, it is unfortunate that an ugly incident worth forgetting occurred at the election result collation centre.

The show of shame by ex-minister of the Niger Delta, Elder Godsday Orubebe could have disrupted the transition process at the national collation centre, if INEC officials, especially the Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, had not handled the tragicomedy with maturity.

Thank God, his coup failed, as INEC officials kept their cool and allowed his gratuitous entertainment to run its full course without any effect.

Although, he reportedly apologised to the nation for this grave misconduct, it was medicine after death. Some newspapers had dubbed Rev. Okotie’s piece, a timely intervention: it came at a time when the polity was in dire need of men and women whose voice could rise above the din of crisis, to appeal to the fevered sentiments which had gripped the nation, sending jitters round the country and forcing panic withdrawals from banks, purchases and stocking of foodstuffs at home.

The article, which was posted on his Facebook page, titled A Message For Jonathan And Buhari, was indeed timely as the calm that pervaded the nation sequel to Mr. President congratulating Gen. Buhari and his eventual announcement as the winner was like a desperate prayer answered in the nick of time.

But moving forward, the benefits of this counsel must not end with the Presidential and Senate elections, it must be seen to have made obvious improvements as we approach April 11, the date for the equally highly contentious gubernatorial, House of Assembly, Chairmen and Councillorship elections.

It is at this point we can honestly say that we have taken the Reverend gentleman’s admonition to heart, and look forward with optimism at future elections at state level and even in 2019.

According to Rev. Okotie’s article; “in every contest, there must be winners and losers… What particularly bothers me is the propensity of our politicians to set the country on the edge each time we have elections… What we demand from our politicians is how to revamp the economy to achieve a strong, private sector-led growth; not how they would tear the nation apart if the elections don’t go their way”.

This has been the bane of our politics since we emerged from colonial rule in the 60’s, and over half a century after, the nation has become the dismal cynosure of all eyes for its brand of corrosive politics.

But for the timely intervention of statesmen who were quick to observe the seismic shift towards obtrusive campaigning, things may have been different today. My take is this: Nigerian politics is too lucrative, and as honey attracts bees, so our elective offices attract aspirants who view our governmental establishments as money-making machines.

Most especially power which is concentrated at the centre, where the top – down command of resources by our leaders means that economic power is used as a tool for good and more often than not, for bad. This is the bedrock of all other aberrations that plague our politics. When this is mixed with tribal and religious sentiments, self-centeredness, cronyism, corruption, which are still very rife in our clime, then politicking becomes a do-or-die affair, and an ‘explosive device’ which could be ignited at the slightest spark of misrepresentation, antagonism or breakdown of communication.

My view here is more of a call for a paradigm shift in Nigeria’s template of governance and politics, which means that brigandage and intimidation must be jettisoned from our political vocabulary.

On assumption of office, our newly elected leaders must go beyond partisan politics, and begin to take measure to steer the country towards political stability by addressing these fall traps in our politics.

They must also begin to see the need to de-concentrate the power structure to make the contest less fierce. Politicking should be about issues, which confronts the nation as a collective union and not about grandstanding.

An aspiring leader should not lean on tribal or religious sentiments in canvassing for votes or degrading of opponents.

We must begin to herald the fact that the old tradition of shallow politics which has held sway in the nation has become old fashioned and staid. The Nigeria of our future must begin in earnest, and Rev. Okotie’s call for peace rightly heralds the yearnings of the citizens who are tired of this cycle of tensions, which pervade the nation whenever politics is in the air. Attah Livinus wrote from Benue.