On this anniversary of the 2015 general elections, Nigerians must examine all the factors that shaped or damaged political or ethical values, especially the colossal amounts spent and the hate speeches and foul language that characterized the campaigns. In fact the willful and flagrant violation of Sections 87 – 91 of the Electoral Act regulating campaign spending and the non-prosecution of defaulters by INEC is worrisome. Data from advertising agencies and regulatory bodies suggested that the print media raked in about N1.382 billion. Of this amount, the APC spent N332. 503m on its presidential candidate while the PDP expended N1.049 bn. Campaign rallies of the two parties gulped N1.057 bn for PDP and N595.082 m for the APC, while outdoor campaigns for both parties took N224.36 million. Coverage of broadcast campaign for the presidential candidates was N508. 35m for PDP and N391.05m for APC, while electronic media adverts gulped N733.9m for PDP and N555.6m for APC. This brings the total amount spent on political advert to N4.973 billion, with PDP (N3.549 bn) and APC (N1.424 bn).
By all means, this sum is a conservative figure of campaign expenses, for it excludes the amount spent on political adverts that did not pass through regulatory bodies. It also does not include syndicated articles and news stories, extra-media image-laundering activities and other payments that lubricate campaign activities. Moreover, when money spent on stomach infrastructure and “bread and butter” gratification of the masses is considered, the amount spent on the 2015 political campaigns would far exceed the stated figures. This by any standard is an obscene use of money and a flagrant abuse of the electoral process. Implicated in all this are political action committees of parties that made money the god of politics, and upturn the moral table. Furthermore, the integrity deficit associated with this scandalous political spending, with its consequent value misplacement, has come to reinforce the perception that politics is the profession of the treacherous, a solace for the deceitful and a haven of the incompetent. Apart from the stipulations of the Electoral Act, INEC must put a ceiling on what an aspirant for any electoral position should spend as campaign funds.
Then, the results of the just concluded presidential election would have ushered in a bloody show of shame and unimaginable violence. In contrast, the calmness and sagely mien exhibited by Jega, through his disarming presentation, saved the country from the brink of violence. Having carefully, eloquently and successfully taken time to respond to Orubebe’s accusation by explaining INEC’s procedure in respect of petitions, he urged politicians not to disrupt a process that had been successfully completed.
Jega’s exemplary conduct showed how the action or inaction of a political actor and people in influential positions could make or mar the fragile stability of the nation. Apart from being a self-demeaning exercise, it is a study of how the folly of a bad strategy to truncate a successful political exercise could be exposed and deflated by the cultivated language of clear thought and civility. Jega’s masterful display of decency and magisterial comportment is a lesson on how statesmen and those aspiring to public offices should comport themselves. Jega had total control of every aspect of the workings of INEC. He also seemed to have been anticipatory of mischief and prepared himself to tackle it thoroughly as possible.
It is in this light that the conduct of the security services, comprising the police, the army, and other law enforcement agencies, also contributed to the success of the election. Even where and when they seemed to have been provoked to act brashly, the law enforcement agents comported themselves in a remarkably different manner from the usual Nigerian style. Their politeness and display of affinity with the civil community were unprecedented. Also deserving of commendation is the Nigerian public, whose commitment to making a success of the election was aptly matched by their patience, endurance and good intentions at the polls. Nigerians displayed good conduct and it was as if some powerful external force was generally teleguiding the affairs that day.
Whilst politics may be deadly, it is controlled by rational beings, whose judgement of right and wrong steers the affairs of state. This being the case, the genuine success of any election is not judged by the amount of anger or brute force displayed, but by the people’s power and a recognition of such. Besides being a social irritant and an emotional pollutant, anger has the nuisance value of being the litmus test of self-mastery. For the leader, who needs to master self before mastering others and their situations, an uncontrolled outburst of anger, especially in an assembly demanding utmost decorum, is a testimonial of woeful failure of leadership and the lack of capacity to exhaust the ample benefits of reasoned discussion.
From the conduct of the dramatis personae so far, it is clear that the prospect of a Pan-Nigerian project is very feasible. Resilient as Nigerians are in the pursuit of their personal aspirations, they also yearn for a social condition that will facilitate the prospect of their collective well-being. Cognizant of this realization, Nigerians, especially public servants and politicians, should see the wisdom in cultivating appropriate decorum when reacting to issues concerning the generality of the populace.
The disdain for needless volubility and harmful grandiloquence is premised on the fact that Nigeria as a country is bigger than a person or group’s political agenda. And the success of March 28, 2015 elections reiterated this fact, which needs repeating: the value of any group or individual should be reckoned with on the basis of its potential to edify and enhance the wellbeing of the collective. Thus, contrary to the uncritical public perception that politics needs be a dirty, perilous, social phenomenon, a truth that remains constant is that, a people genuinely in need of change, and who sincerely work towards it, would reap the benefits of that public-spirited endeavor. Indeed, so many things may ail Nigeria but there is enough inherent in the same country to heal her.
In due time, with lessons learnt and with a better case made to the people who freely give it, the losers of the 2015 elections could be the winners in 2019. That is the majesty of democracy, a majesty which Jonathan’s conduct and Buhari’s generous spirit have done so much to edify. Of course, the type of vitriol in language and the corresponding infusion of primordial sentiments of ethnicity and religion into the electioneering campaigns should never be allowed to happen again. Nigerians should therefore improve on that March 28, 2015 general elections by doing even better in future elections. A new template has been set. Good examples have been laid. Nigeria should now rise to fall no more.