Just about some days to the long awaited event in Nigeria, the 2015 general election, it is just a good topic to write about. One can bet that am not a fan of politics because it is a game that strikes fear into my heart everytime it is mentioned.
Recently, I picked interest in reading the political happenings in our dear country Nigeria what I have seen and read so far makes me think if a civil war will not happen again.
Before the postponement of the election to March 28, there was this trending fear in the heart of everyone I came across, infact to my amazement some of my friends from the Eastern part of the country have started traveling back to their villages a week before February 14, so that the said trouble that was presumed to occur during or after the February polls will not catch up with them where they reside. However, thanks to all the players who made sure that the election was postponed whereby making my Igbo brothers and Sisters spend more for believing that there will be trouble during and after the elections.
These days, what makes up the pages of our Newspapers are stories of Election Violence, pointing of accusing finger and other election related issues. It is even very hard to pick out the party on the right side. I watched an interview on channels TV when one of the senatorial candidate of the APC popularly known as YAYI accused his opponent from PDP of trying to kill him, but I was surprised when the same opponent accused of trying to kill came up to give statement that his life is at risk, then I asked myself, who is the Jesus and who is Judas here?, trust me if you heard this two men speak you won't be able to tell who is actually innocent of the accusation.
Politics in Nigeria has no doubt been turned into a Do or Die affair, then the real question is "Are these politicians after the interest of the people they want to govern or after the heavy weight money that will be allocated to the office they tend to hold upon winning?".
Obviously it is because of the money, I believe when a government have played its card well by doing the necessary things for the people it governs then it doesn't have to hold the people by their throat so as to get their votes. In the sight of all these ill happenings one begins to wonder if Nigeria will ever have a Free and Fair Election that her citizens and other countries can vouch for. My friend once asked me if I ever think any party who loses in the forth coming election will concede, but I found it hard to answer after listening to the governor of Rivers state Chibike Amaechi; telling press men that if they (APC) lose they will form a parallel government, if such a statement is coming from a prominent politician, then what is the assurance that the election will ever be free and fair.
The recent trend of using thugs to destroy posters of opponent is the one that punches my heart to bleed the more, what about plans by the ruling party to remove the INEC chairman on the grounds that he is a Public Servant and that he is mandated to go on leave, while the constitution clearly stated in section 156(2) "Any person employed in the Public Service of the Federation shall not be disqualified for appointment as Chairman or Member of any of such bodies (I.e INEC, NPC, RMAFC e.t.c.) Provided that where such person has been duly appointed he shall, on this appointment be deemed to have resigned his former office as from the date of the appointment".
This is a clear-cut provision that shows beyond any iota of doubt that the chairman of INEC IS NOT AND CANNOT BE A PUBLIC SERVANT, though he was, but on appointment as chairman of INEC he stopped been a Public Servant, yet they still want him to go, I know they will start going to court very soon and some lawyers who bought their Certificate will come up to defend this glaring truth.
Finally, I have seen Nigerians; both young and Aged queue up to pick their PVC, and there we are thinking they actually want to cast their vote with it, the reverse is the case, they just want to have it because "it will be useful for something else", a good example is my mum who have vowed not tocome out to vote and even pray us to leave Lagos before the election.
I just hope and pray that those getting ready for trouble during and after the election will know that Nigeria is ours and not for any politician, and that the blood of a Nigerian is greater than the political ambition of anybody, also considering the fact that anything they do will affect generations unborn. Let me rest my case here, and keep my fingers cross until after the election which I definitely know that God will intervene in a big way, my advice to us all is to
Vote and not Fight.
Signed
The Obasi Twins
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