Issues In The Just Concluded FCT Council Elections -By Hajia Hadiza Mohammed

The Federal Capital Territory (FCT) council election done on the 21st day of February has come and gone but the issues raised and the lessons are staring us squarely on the face. The observers’ remarks corroborated by that of the media reporters indicate that there were marked irregularities, vote buying, result falsification and low voters’ turnout during the election. The FCT council election is significant being the first election to be conducted by the newly appointed INEC chairman and coming a year before the forthcoming general election in 2027, it is like the foretaste of what to expect in the all-important presidential election. Also, coming a few days after the president signed the 2026 electoral bill, which rejected the real-time electronic transmission of elections result, into law, the election will be used by many used to gauge the INEC’s readiness to conduct the general election come 2027.

The most salient issue is that of low turn-out at the polls. The report had it that the turnout is less than 20%. This is quite worrisome after all the preparation and after the FCT Minister, Nyesom Wike had declared Friday, 20th February, the day before the election, a work-free day to enable the voters to prepare for the election. It shows that the people are dissatisfied and disenchanted with the system and so decide to disenfranchise themselves. Another reason that makes people stay away from the polls is violence. When people fear that could be attacked by thugs and hooligans working for politicians, they stay away. Some also fear the overzealous gun-wielding security officers working for the ruling party. There also are instances when electorates are threatened not to come out if they are not voting for a particular candidate or political party.

However, the main reason why people stay away from the polls is when they feel that there is no point in voting not because there is no one to vote for but when they think their votes will not count. Nobody would want to come to the polling station, waste time, queue in the sun to vote only for party thugs to snatch the ballot boxes and a false result declared. Thus, the actual and apparent subversion of the will of the people is the real cause of voters’ apathy in the country. This is the reason behind the recent clamor for real-time electronic transmission of result from the polling units directly to the INEC’s server to avoid violence, rigging and result falsification.

It is revealed that one of the strategies of the ruling APC is to scare voters especially those for the opposition camp so that only their own supporters will come out to vote as the result of the FCT council poll has clearly shown. But, this sinister plot against our democracy will fail if we dare them and come out to exercise our civic franchise. I don’t know what the National Orientation Agency (NOA) and INEC are doing about voters’ education. We must not wait for them because they are more or less agents of the government. The opposition and the civil society groups should team up to sensitize the electorates on the importance of voting in the general election. Democracy thrives when the people participate actively in voting, in advocacy and holding their representatives accountable. Democracy is participatory game; it is not for passive observers. There should be effective stakeholders’ engagement.

The implication of the outcome of the just concluded FCT election is that democracy in Nigeria is under siege. It is quite unfortunate that after 27 years of unbroken democratic rule that the country cannot conduct a free, fair and credible election. This is worse since the coming of the APC regime that believes in winning at all costs. Electoral violence and malfeasance have been institutionalized under this regime and this is killing Nigeria democracy. The APC government has not shown any sign of its willingness to conduct a free and fair election neither has the INEC shown the readiness to effectively handle election matters. Perhaps, the issue of the electronic transmission of results will be revisited if we are desirous of credible elections in the future.  Or would Nigeria need external help from US or other advanced democracies to conduct elections just as we need help to fight insecurity? Nigeria the choice is yours whether to do the right things reclaim your country of remain trapped in the hands of unscrupulous politicians.

Be that as it may, I enjoin Nigerians to shake off voters’ apathy. What is required of us in the forthcoming general election is a collective resolve to do the right things. Keeping away from voting (self-disenfranchisement) will give the fraudulent politicians the needed opportunity to rig the election. When we come out en masse, vote and insist on counting the votes, rigging will be reduced to the barest minimum. It is our civic responsibility to vote and insist that our votes count. That is the only way to take back our country from the anarchists and build the future that we desire. Arise O’ compatriots and obey the clarion call!

Hajia Hadiza Mohammed 

hajiahadizamohammed@gmail.com

An actress, social activist, politician

London, UK