OPPOSITION PARTIES LEAD WEST AFRICA'S NEW POLITICAL EVOLUTION
It was the President of Sierraleone who said a few years ago
that" if Nigeria sneezes, the rest of West Africa catches cold". That
statement only confirmed what has long been known that it is Nigeria that is
keeping West Africa down. Any day Nigeria decides to rise, West Africa will
automatically rise with it. Indeed it is Nigeria that is delaying the rise of
Africa itself. South Africa, Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria determine the fate of
Africa. South Africa is doing ok, Kenya is doing great, Egypt is flagging and
Nigeria is gasping. While this may be disputed by some, everyone agrees that
the fate of West Africa is in Nigeria's hand- for good and for bad.
So during the 2015 elections an opposition party-an
alliance between Tinubu's ACN and Buhari's CPC glued together by the new PDP
swept the Nigerian elections to cruise to victory, beating an incumbent
President and displacing a ruling party, it was clear that a revolution was on
the offing. And then the unthinkable happened. The incumbent President- Dr. Goodluck
Ebele Jonathan conceded defeat without a whimper. He did not challenge the
result in Court and actually persuaded his party not to either. There was then
initiated the smoothest transition in Nigeria's political history. Though some
uncharitable Nigerians thought nothing spectacular about this phenomenal
development, others more discerning knew that Nigeria had made enviable history
and had set a precedent that was most likely to be repeated elsewhere in
Africa. An entrenched African party, in power for 16 years, allowed an
electoral system to work without interference in its favour and even when there
was speculation that the electoral umpire was sympathetic to the opposition,
the ruling party still accepted the result without any form of disputation and
gave up power meekly.
Just as it is easy to copy bad behaviour, it also easy to
emulate good Behaviour. When the Majors over threw the Nigerian Civilian
government in January 1966, Ghana followed suit in February and subsequently
the military took over power in several West African And other African
Countries such as Liberia, Ivory Coast, Togo, the Gambia, Guinea, Sudan,
Uganda, Rwanda, Egypt and the Congo. Because Nigeria returned to democracy,
many of these countries also returned to democracy, including following
Nigeria's example where former military rulers transmuted into Civilian rulers,
and where Ruling parties
Perpetuate themselves in power. PDP once boasted it would rule
for 60 years!
About two weeks ago, the World woke up to be greeted with
the wonderful news that the opposition party has won the election in The
Gambia. Mr Adama Barrow, a real estate baron had defeated General, Alhaji, and
Dr Yahya Jammeh. Jammeh the maverick military turned civilian has ruled Gambia
for 22 years with strong hands and was gunning for the 5th term as President
before Mr Barrow led the opposition to win the election. The greatest miracle
was that the strongman of Gambia was quick in conceding defeat. A pity that he
was subsequently afflicted with 'buyer’s remorse' which made him recant his
earlier conceding of defeat. He now wants the election repeated. Though the
margin of defeat which was originally 45.5% vs 36.7% later narrowed to 43.3% in
favour of Barrow, it is evident that Jammeh's defeat was decisive. It is my
hope that with pressure from Global Political leaders, Nigeria inclusive Jammeh
will back down or be persuaded to go to court rather than ask for outright
cancellation of the election results.
Following in Tow with the emerging political
evolution in West Africa, news came over the weekend that the veteran
politician Nana Akufo-Addo of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has defeated the
incumbent President of Ghana- John Dramani Mahama and his National Democratic
Congress(NDC) with a decent margin of 53.8% vs 44.4%, and also winning a
majority of parliamentary seats. Traditionally, Ghana and Nigeria seem to have
their fate tied. Nana Akufo- Addo is in his 70's as Nigeria's President
Muhammadu Buhari. Akufo-Addo became President at his 3rd consecutive attempt,whilst
Buhari became President at his 4th consecutive attempt. In line with the
example that Dr Goodluck Jonathan set, Dr John Mahama conceded defeat before
the final results were announced by the electoral umpire. Just as Dr Jonathan
succeeded Umaru Musa Yardua who died in office, so did Dr Mahama succeed
Professor Evans Atta- Mills who also died in office and Just as Jonathan failed
to make what some called his 'third term' having stood for election either as
Vice President or President for the third time, so has happened to Mahama .
Some call it tying of fate between Nigeria and Ghana and some say we are
Siamese twins.
Whatever may be the case, it is exciting and shows a good
level of political maturity that opposition parties can win elections in West
African Countries. This will help to redeem the political image of Africans and
will also dampen political desperation and delinquency. It is so nice to think
that in Africa, we can remove a non- performing Party after four or eight
years. This will help to put pressure on political leaders to do their best to
retain the confidence of the electorate conscious of the fact that power now
belongs to the citizens and no longer to the barrel of gun or to political
god-fathers with their corrupt electoral umpires who write results that negate
the wish of the People.
Now that Nigeria has shown a good example which is being
emulated by other countries especially the West African Countries, my prayer is
that we do not regress. The stories we have read concerning what transpired in
the recent State elections in Nigeria, where votes were being sold and bought
in the open are not cheering. I believe that the Challenge the opposition parties
which have won elections have is to ensure that they further improve and sanitize
the electoral system so that the matter of spending billions of Naira in
post-elections judicial contests with its corrupting tendencies will be
eliminated. That is the way to strengthen this new evolution of Political
plurality and maturity, ensuring the sanctity of citizen votes.
Mazi Sam Ohuabunwa OFR
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