As the clock ticks for Nigerians from all walks of life to express their franchise at the presidential election scheduled for Saturday, it is important that all Nigerians play their part in ensuring that the preparation and efforts of four years by relevant agencies, particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) come to fruition. History certainly beckons on the country at the moment, that has been the subject of discussions and debates, approaches.

For Nigerians of voting age and who have perfected their instrumentality of voting via possession of the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC), this is the time to make up their mind. Having had ample time to indirectly interrogate the candidates through their manifestoes and electioneering campaigns, Nigerians should decide who among them can best satisfy their aspirations and endeavour to vote for him or her on Saturday and in days earmarked for subsequent elections. They should recognise that as important as the presidential election is to the whole country, the elections into the National Assembly (to be held simultaneously with the presidential on Saturday, February 25, 2023), Governorship and State Houses of Assembly, scheduled for Saturday, March 11, 2023 are equally important and significance for their complementarities with one another.

A good president alone cannot move the country forward without the support of good governors and good lawmakers at both the federal and the state levels. This is the time for Nigerians to accept the reality of the unsavoury chain of events that have led to this election. The events include but are not limited to lingering scarcity of petrol; or the severe cash scarcity that has struck the entire country and citizenry following Federal Government’s initiative to redesign the naira notes of three denominations; and exchange them for their old counterparts all within a limited time that lapsed without commensurate and reasonable availability of the new notes, thus throwing Nigerians into anguish, hunger, suffering and general disillusionment. Nonetheless, having borne the pains in so resolute a manner over the past weeks, Nigerians’ best option is to try and put it behind them and go out to cast their votes peacefully. By so doing, they will destabilise mischievous plans by self-centred enemies of progress to disrupt or possibly cancel the elections; and consequently disappoint the mischief makers.

Firstly, in following due process to choose their preferred candidates, Nigerians must eschew and contain the widespread violence and crises that have trailed or threatened this upcoming civic exercise, if this democratic process is to be rightfully qualified as free, fair and credible. Considering the overwhelming quest for transformation, the deployment of resources by parties and the active demonstration of participation of the electorate, this election is tending to be like no other. Undoubtedly, and in agreement with the submission of informed watchers of the polity, this election may be the decisive moment that will make or mar Nigeria. Consequently, no constitutional and morally justifiable means should be spared to ensure that Nigeria gets it right this time around.

The violent attacks that trailed the campaigns of some political parties in the last few weeks seemed to reflect the level of tension and pressure being generated over the oncoming elections. From hate speeches to image-searing propagandas and from bitter infighting to murderous protests, practically every presidential candidate had encountered similar violence during campaigns. Notable casualties of the ongoing pre-election violence were three of the security aides of Delta State Governor and Vice Presidential aspirant of the Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP), Ifeanyi Okowa, who were ambushed and killed by suspected gun men along Ihiala-Orlu Road en route Umuahia, Abia State. Instructively, that axis of the South East appears to record more violence, including those related to elections, than many other parts of Nigeria.

Before then, gun men abducted and beheaded the Chairman of Ideato North Local Government of Imo State and set his residence ablaze. At about the same time, political thugs in Zamfara State allegedly attacked the campaign train of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and destroyed the Outdoor Broadcasting (OB) van of the state radio station, while in Maiduguri Borno State, thugs were said to have destroyed the campaign bill boards of the presidential aspirant of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Kwankwaso. Only recently, hoodlums and alleged supporters of another political party supposedly attacked supporters of the Labour Party (LP) at a rally held in Lagos.

We strongly condemn both the intention behind such evil machinations and the perpetrators of these violence acts. They give away Nigerian aspiring politicians as rapacious, power-drunk and self-seeking overlords, while portraying the electorate as politically naïve and disoriented masses incapable of managing their political destiny.

Since the campaigns have exposed the forthcoming presidential elections as one of the most keenly contested ones in recent times, it is understandable why emotions are high. Ordinarily, elections in Nigeria are more than a bit testing, owing to the suffusion of ethnic, religious and prebendal interests. Many people have the distorted thinking that holding political offices or directing participation in partisan politics is the birthright or exclusive occupation of certain individuals or social group. With little or no preparation for genuine political engagement, some individuals, under the protection of state power or some powerful political influence have turned political offices into their private business concerns. Such candidates would stop at nothing to get to power.

Also election periods are seasons when security operatives engage in unjustified acts of partisanship, lawlessness and needless violence. Perhaps tempted by promises of some good fortune from influential politicians, security and law enforcement agents compromise their constitutional duties for personal gratification. There is also the tendency for INEC to be viewed as being compromised through deliberate mismanagement of resources and haphazard logistics in order to favour a candidate. This may lead to undesirable consequences. Lastly, the proliferation of small arms which find their way into the hands of unauthorised persons including thugs, politicians and mischief makers has also been adduced as a reason for electoral violence.

In addition to these familiar reasons for election violence, in this present situation, events in the last few years have generated a political consciousness that has never before been witnessed in the country. The familiar inept leadership associated with successive administrations, the utter disregard for the rule of law and democratic principles have taken a turn for the worse, resulting in disenchantment of the youths as well as the present socio-economic condition caused by the infamous Naira redesign and cash swap crisis. For the first time, a third force is coming into the scene to smother the dominance of a two-party presidential election, amidst a groundswell of potential unrest.

If Nigeria is to redeem its battered image and place itself on the path of rediscovery and progress, every authority – the government and its agencies, the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) – politicians and their agents, as well as the electorate should endeavour to play their parts diligently and without malice in order to deliver a credible, free and fair election.

Despite the frenetic state of the electorate and the obvious threat of violence, the INEC chairman, Prof. Mahmoud Yakubu, has never ceased to assure Nigerians of state protection against any miscarriage of justice and display of impunity by any operative. He has also stated that election offenders would be prosecuted under the Electoral Act. According to Section 128 of the Act: “Any person who at an election acts or incites others to act in a disorderly manner commits an offence and is liable on conviction to a maximum fine of N500,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months or both.” Section 129 subsection (4) of the Act prescribes a maximum of two years imprisonment for offenders. “Any person who snatches or destroys any election material commits an offence and is liable on conviction to 24 months imprisonment.”

Nonetheless, INEC should not be seen as the only watchdog when it comes to election violence. Every suspected case of violence in the conduct of an election should be taken seriously not only by INEC and the police, but also by political parties and the totality of Nigerians. As it is, Nigeria is very much embroiled in violence for its own survival, and so any additional spate of violence is disastrous and inimical to the stability of the country.

It is for this reason that we admonish politicians not to incense the polity by disseminating hate speeches and unnecessarily polarising the electorate along primordial and clannish divides. People should not allow themselves to be used for thuggery or political brigandage. When the elections are over, the electorate still remains one people that must be developed wholesomely, and the contestant ceases to become a partisan administrator.

This election is going to test not only the competence of security and law enforcement agencies but also their neutrality. Indeed, the police, whose primary duty is to serve the civil government by ensuring law and order, are overwhelmed. Their operational shortcoming has necessitated the deployment of personnel of the Nigerian Army to beef up security. However, the observed presence of soldiers in potentially volatile parts of the country should not be turned into a war. Since the rules of engagement and the code of conduct of the military have not assigned any political role to military personnel, the deployment of soldiers should understandably begin and end with the provision of peaceful and secured environment for the conduct of the general elections.

Besides, no one needs be told that whereas law enforcement agents work with the government of the day, their loyalty is to the citizens of the country. Law enforcement agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria are neither the private militia of the ruling elite and their associates, nor some mechanism to unnecessarily heat up the polity. They should maintain law and order for the promotion of peace.

In times like this, mischief makers are often hired by disgruntled politicians to foment trouble. When their capacity for violence drains, these hirelings resort to misinformation and disinformation. One of such bandied misinformation is the rumour about an intending Interim Government. Although there seems to be no truth in the rumour, the president must dispel any attempt to contemplate such proposal. The relevant agency at the Presidency needs to assure Nigerians during the elections and after that no such provision exists in this dispensation.

While Nigeria needs not demonstrate its civility in other to impress any other nation, leaders and aspiring political leaders should be mindful of the fact that Nigeria is a signatory to global and regional treaties and charters on human rights and freedoms. If indeed this country truly committed to these instruments of political freedoms, this election is an opportunity to demonstrate that commitment. Besides, the whole world is watching how Nigeria, a self-acclaimed African power, most populous black country and the largest African democracy, takes hold of its destiny. Nigerians cannot afford to let themselves down or disappoint countries that look up to it for socio-cultural stability. In any event to the contrary, we, the people of Nigeria, will be the losers.

As crucial as this election is to redirect the course of Nigeria towards peace, progress and nation-building and thereby usher in a brighter future for the country, The Guardian reiterates its magisterial counsel that elections should never be regarded as a do-or-die affair, or a winner-takes-all matter.

This country has already lost too many innocent souls on account of needless political violence. The harvest of deaths over political matters is barbaric and bestial. And as a country, Nigeria and Nigerians owe the victims and their bereaved relatives some restitution – a restitution whose symbolic demonstration is to ensure that the elections, namely, the Presidential and National Assembly and the Governorship and State House of Assembly, become a reality, freely, fairly and credibly conducted.

•PHOTO:Nigerian voters display their PVCs prior to voting at an election. Nigerians will return to the polls in February 2023. Photo: AFP