Anambra: Let the votes speak

Apart from ensuring the general good of the people, it will not be out of place to say that the beauty of multi-party democracy the world over is its ability to allow the electorate to decide who among the people, the candidates, will preside over their affairs periodically based on the term allowed by the prevailing constitution of the country in question through an election.

In the case of Nigeria, which by law has a four-year tenure of leadership for the president, national and state assembly members and governors, our election cycle or season is every four years. That means that every four years, there will be election to change leadership at the stipulated levels, except otherwise stated or instructed. Based on the above, the sanctity of such elections is guaranteed and it is inviolable. And those involved should not be prevented from exercising their civic rights. And since power abhors a vacuum, every four years, election must hold in the country no matter the situation.

Election therefore gives the people, the electorate the power to decide who governs them or who represents them in the case of legislative polls. It is only the people that have the power to choose their leader and not the other way round. In a democratic setting, power constitutionally resides with the people who now yield that power to some people to govern their affairs for a stipulated period. If those elected become power drunk or dictatorial, the constitution gave the people the power for recall in the case of a legislator or the power of impeachment through the lawmakers in the case of the president or the governor. This is a constitutional provision to check excesses of power and abuse of office, which unfortunately is rarely exercised in Nigeria except for political witch-hunt.

Barring any last minute hitches, the people of Anambra State will tomorrow cast their votes in the scheduled November 6 gubernatorial election. This is perhaps one election which is considered different from all others in the state on account of the recent insecurity and bloodshed that enveloped the state some weeks to the election and some alleged threats here and there to stop or undermine the poll.

Although 18 candidates are vying for the titanic electoral contest, the battle is likely to be among three or four political parties based on their relative visibility and strength in Anambra State. But one thing that is very clear about this election is the quality of candidates so far presented. Anambra State has the reputation of presenting high quality candidates for elective posts more than the other states in the South East region since 1999 both in terms of qualifications, character and achievements. The other South East states should borrow a leaf from Anambra in this regard and change the leadership narratives in their domains.

Some of the candidates for the election not in any particular order are Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Senator Andy Uba of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Mr. Valentine Ozigbo of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Dr. Obiora Okonkwo of the Zenith Labour Party (ZLP), Senator Ifeanyi Ubah of the Young Progressives Party (YPP), Dr. Godwin Maduka of the Accord Party (AP). Others include Chidozie  Nwankwo of the African Action Congress (AAC), Obiora Agbasimalo of Labour Party (LP), Akachuwu Nwankpo of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) and Ben Etiaba of Action Alliance (AA).  Based on quality and other factors, we can safely say that all the candidates are eminently qualified to be on the throne. At the same time, irrespective of how the candidates rate or see themselves or their political parties and even sponsors, it is the people of Anambra State that will solely determine their fate tomorrow if the election is free, fair and credible. It is only tomorrow that the people will have the chance, the only chance, to speak with their votes and live with the outcome for the next four years, whether right or wrong.

That is why it is very important that they should vote wisely. Better still, they must vote according to their conscience. Let them exercise their franchise according to their wishes. Irrespective of the attributes and achievements of the candidates for the election, the variables that will determine who wins the coveted trophy in the electoral contest include the strength of the party, zoning, religion, self-determination agitations, youths, women, money and external forces. Zoning has a big role to play on who wins the election taking into due cognizance that stakeholders in the state have accepted the principle of power rotation among the three senatorial zones in the state.

Despite that Anambra is predominantly a Christian state; religion (sect) still determines who becomes the governor of the state since the emergence of Dr. Chris Ngige as the governor in 2003. Since Anambra is home to many millionaires and money bags, money (ego) will also speak in the election either visibly or invisibly. Godfathers will equally play big roles on who will emerge the governor of the state as well as those that control the party structures, the uncrowned king makers. 

Interestingly, the majority of the leading political parties choose their candidates from Anambra South, the zone favoured by the extant zoning arrangement in the state to produce the next governor. After Peter Obi’s eight years, the baton changed from Anambra Central to Chief Willie Obiano’s  Anambra North. So from Obiano the baton will go to Anambra South. If the zoning principle is anything to go by in this election, a candidate from Anambra South will likely carry the day. Going by the power rotation rhetoric, therefore, the contest will be a titanic battle for all the Anambra South candidates such as Chukwuma Soludo, Andy Uba, Val Ozigbo, Ifeanyi Ubah and others. And if the ruling party in the state, APGA, stages a swift comeback based on their continuity mantra and pedigree, then Charlie Nwa Mgbafor would have fulfilled his age-long gubernatorial ambition.

If that happens, which is the expectation of many people in the state, Ndi Anambra will be better for it and it is definitely going to change the shape, colour and contour of South East politics forever. However, whatever is the outcome of the election and no matter where the pendulum swings, Ndi Anambra are the winners, especially if they are allowed to speak with their votes. For any election to worth the name, it must be free from violence, intimidation, thuggery, rigging, vote inducement, manipulation and official meddlesomeness and other infractions associated with our peculiar brand of ‘do or die’ politics. For Anambra poll to reflect the wishes of the people, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) must in words and deeds ensure that every vote counts. It is the duty of the umpire to ensure that all eligible voters are allowed to freely exercise their franchise tomorrow without any molestation or harassment. The wishes of the people must be duly respected.

Although the state has been highly policed or even militarized prior to the commencement of the poll, let the security agents observe the rules of engagement and limit themselves to the security of lives and assets. On no account should they induce fear in the people. Above all, the security agents must demonstrate absolute political neutrality while performing their assigned duties. They must not help any political party to gain the upper hand in the contest through ballot manipulation or votes swing. This election is a litmus test for INEC ahead of the 2023 exercise. If the umpire gets Anambra election right, it is likely that it will succeed in 2023.