Why Anambra Election should not be disrupted
By Okechukwu Nwanguma
Anambra State governorship election should hold. It will do Ndi Anambra and Ndigbo no good if the Anambra election is not allowed to hold in an atmosphere of peace that enables registered voters to come out and vote.
Creating an atmosphere of fear and violence will be to the advantage of those who are intent on rigging the election and foisting on Anambra people a person not elected by them as governor.
I’m of the firm opinion that the answer to fixing electoral challenges and political injustices in Nigeria is not to say we will not participate in elections. That is defeatism. You know, that is what our rogue politicians want to achieve: for the people to completely abandon the space for them. But we should be struggling to reclaim the political space long dominated by visionless, unpatriotic and self serving politicians. It serves their interest that the people who ought to determine electoral outcomes are kept in the margin, on the sidelines, so that they can remain in firm control and continue to manipulate elections, to continue to rig themselves into public offices to loot public money. INEC has shown great determination to increase the transparency and credibility of our electoral process by introducing measures such as electronic transmission of results and other measures before that. Why are politicians jittery and resisting it? Because it will ensure that their game is up. So, if INEC is doing its bit, shouldn’t the citizens, at the minimum, support INEC’s patriotic efforts even if they will not devise their own measures including to ensure that they defend their votes? So, refusing to participate in elections is self defeatist and will encourage and help the selfish agenda of rogue politicians. We must continue to fight to open the space to allow credible leaders who have vision and patriotic intents to occupy leadership positions. Let wisdom prevail.
