The United States of America has
faulted threat comments by top Nigerian politicians, including the leader of
the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, ahead of the forthcoming elections
in Ekiti and Osun States.
While the governorship election in
Ekiti State is expected to hold on June 21, that of Osun is scheduled to hold
on August 9.
It would be recalled that Tinubu had
during his investiture as Chancellor of the Ladoke Akintola University of
Technology, Ogbomoso, Oyo State, threatened that riggers in the elections would
be roasted.
The ex-governor of Lagos State had said,
“No government that wants people’s votes will be doing what they are doing.
They are already planning to rig the elections but be ready to protect your
votes; nobody serves you freedom a la carte. It is going to be rig and roast.
“We are prepared not to go to court
but to drive you out. We will not take it anymore. If you mess up in Ekiti and
Osun states, you will see our reactions. For every action, there must be a
reaction.”
But, the US in a statement entitled,
‘Countering the crisis of credibility’, by its Consul General, Jeff Hawkins,
wondered why politicians keep making elections incredible in Nigeria.
Hawkins, who said the US had been
watching the Nigeria political scene closely for about two years, warned
Nigerian politicians against violence and disobedience to law.
The diplomat said, “The sponsorship
of violence and intimidation, and the rhetorical threat thereof, are utterly
unacceptable in a democratic society, and need to be expunged once and for all
from the Nigerian polity and discourse. The US has been deeply troubled by some
of the rhetoric that has been thrown around in recent weeks and months as these
elections have drawn closer. It is perfectly acceptable, and even praiseworthy,
to seek to defend your vote and that of your fellow citizens who share your
support for a particular candidate.
“It is not, however, productive or
reasonable to threaten violence, even when you perceive others have been guilty
of misconduct. We were deeply troubled by the threat of “rig and roast” issued
multiple times by a major political figure in recent weeks. Who benefits from
that type of violent rhetoric, we wondered? And why would any ordinary Nigerian
accept such provocative language, especially considering the history of
post-election violence in Nigeria, and the truly horrific carnage that this
country has been suffering at the hands of Boko Haram?
“If a candidate believes an election
is threatened, then that candidate should be doing everything possible to see
that the rules of the game are enforced properly – by having party agents in
the numerous locations where they are permitted, for example, to bear witness
to what happens – or doesn’t happen. That is part of the painstaking work of
participating in, and building, a democracy. Drawing on or threatening violence
is an attempt to short-circuit that process for the benefit of a few, but to
the detriment of many.”
The US Consul General lamented that
no election had been generally accepted to be credible in the country except
that of 1993, which the late Moshood Abiola won but was later rejected.
While urging Nigerians to emulate the
US politicians, Hawkins added, “It is undoubtedly important and interesting to
see who the winners and losers in Ekiti and Osun will be, and how the outcomes
will affect the national political picture in advance of next February’s
elections.
“Nigerians have fought long and hard
to earn the democratic rights they now possess, and Nigerians want – and
deserve – peaceful, credible elections in Ekiti on June 21, in Osun on August 9,
and across this great country in February 2015. That’s why these elections are
a critical juncture. Every Nigerian – from the party leaders and candidates to
average citizens – should do everything in his/her power to help meet those
expectations, and thereby counter this crisis of credibility.”
Source: Punch