By Sunny Ikhioya

AS the 2019 elections draw near and we begin to take stock of how well we have fared these past four years, the feeling is that of deja vu. It all seem so familiar and draining for a public affairs commentator who has seen it all through the years. The same solution being applied to the same situation, the same language all through the years, same strategy, no change. How do we situate our position when all of our best are on sabbatical or on leave abroad?

democracy

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Why are all of our vital institutions deteriorating, with decaying infrastructure and poor road network everywhere? We are talking about a Lagos-Kano rail network project, when we cannot even fix a Lagos-Abeokuta railway line.

Go through the Abeokuta-Lagos road and see what trailers and other articulated vehicles have done to it. It is heartbreaking. That is the situation that we have found ourselves as another general elections draw near. What is it, that we really want from the people that will govern us?

The question is really pertinent at this point because, as it is now, it seems as if we are travelling on a rudderless ship: no one takes responsibility for non- performance or failure; from the local government chairman to the state governor, and up to the presidency, everybody gives excuses.

So, how can things move progressively when everyone is giving excuses? It is very important for us to properly situate the type of persons we want to govern us, because if we do not get our politics right, nothing else will work right. Democracy is not propaganda, it is a deliberate effort by those in charge to allow the will of the people, through the rule of law, to prevail in all matters concerning governance. It is a situation where the people elected to represent us, subsume their personal interest to that of the national interest.

It is a situation where our numerous law enforcement agencies, take protective actions, to protect the rule of law over the personal sentiments of those in government. We are seeing this play out in the present United States government. From what has been observed all through the years, this vital requirement for democracy to thrive, has been lacking in our land both in past governments and the present one.

Have we truly made progress in our democracy? The other day, former President, Goodluck Jonathan, launched his memoirs titled: “My Transition Hours” and this is what he said, as recorded in the book: “They were recommending sundry alternatives, but I was quiet in the midst of their discussions. I hugged my thought, figuring out how to do that which was best for the country. My personal interest was receding rapidly and the interest of Nigeria was looming large…Let the country survive, let democracy survive, my political ambition is not worth people being soaked in blood.”

On this note Jonathan conceded victory and congratulated his political opponent, General Muhammadu Buhari, and political turmoil was averted in the land. The people were happy and foreign governments and agencies congratulated Nigeria for a smooth transition of government, a scenario that was really scarce in this part of Africa. It was a fresh new government that campaigned on change and was expected to build on the democratic structures that Goodluck Jonathan left behind.

We are not talking about corruption now, or lack of infrastructure. We are referring to the democratic structures of INEC, the civil service and all security agencies. At least we witnessed some measures of independence as these agencies carried out their assignments in the days leading to the 2015 elections.

Even the entourage of the sitting president was attacked during a visit to Kano and not one person was prosecuted or punished for that action. We witnessed the various insults and accusations emanating from the propaganda machinery of the opposition party on the person of the sitting president, calling him all kinds of names, to which no retributive actions were taken against the perpetrators.

At the time, people could talk freely without persecution. But can we say this is the case today? It is going on to four years since a new government took over power; is there any sign to show that our democracy is on the upward swing? Are we going to place the blame for this situation on past governments again?

Is it not ironic that those who are masters of insults and propaganda, cannot stand a dose of their own medicine? The way they talk sometimes gives the impression they are still in opposition. Until we build up that spirit of tolerance to the opposition and sundry critics, our democracy will continue to stagnate.

When the political space permits free expressions, diverse opinions are accommodated which promotes integration and further create room for peace to thrive. By the time we build tolerance for each other’s views in matters of religion, culture and other ethnic differences, our democracy will begin to thrive, but, as it is now, things are very bad.

From what we saw in the Ekiti and Osun states elections, we appear to have learnt nothing. This scenario makes one to be wary of the bigger elections coming up in February 2019. We keep hearing complaints of intimidation by security personnel, the latest coming from Akwa Ibom State. Such signals do not promote democracy.

There is no alternative to a peaceful, free and fair election; the peace it brings cannot be quantified. Let us conclude this piece with a quote from Jonathan again: “I reached out for the telephone and placed a call through the state house operators at about 4.15pm. A peace, I had never felt since my political sojourn descended on me.”

Real peace indeed. It is hoped that all those in position of authority will take note and also remember that no condition is permanent.