A worthy gesture, but…

•U.S. Consul-General Hawkins and other election monitors must observe beyond the E – Day

The United States (U.S), the European Union (EU), Canada and a good number of the countries of the West have proved to be good allies to Nigeria in her quest for nationhood. Particularly so in the last quarter century that Nigeria has grappled with what seems like an onerous task of establishing a democratic system of government. These bastions of democracy have lent helping hands in seeing to the building of sustainable civil institutions in Nigeria, for the electioneering process, anti-corruption regimes ands civil society groups.

It must be noted that the US has been in the forefront of what seems like a crusade to steady this seemingly shambling giant and get her on the track of respectable civil rule and good governance. Since the ‘90s, it could be said that Uncle Sam has been particularly anxious to see that one of the key ingredients of democracy – electioneering – gets off on an even keel in Nigeria. The US has therefore supported the electoral body, both materially and in fortifying its institutional integrity. She has also consistently made a ritual of hands-on monitoring of elections across the country over the years. These are no doubt worthy and laudable gestures; remarkable labour of love worthy of commendation.

We are however, recently minded to call for caution following a statement credited to the US Consul-General in Nigeria, Mr. Jeffrey Hawkins, in which the top diplomat declared he would be leading a team of about 30 American observers to monitor the governorship election in Osun State on August 9. It was at the opening session of a four-day workshop for press and public affairs officers of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) held early last week in Lagos.

At the event which was sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Hawkins enthused that the US government was happy with the successful conduct of the June 21, 2014 Ekiti governorship election, urging INEC to exhibit greater transparency as it seeks to replicate the feat in Osun State. Again, we applaud the concern and kind gesture of the US government and the enthusiasm of Mr. Hawkins. We acknowledge and appreciate particularly, the financial cost and logistical efforts required to have such large number of American observers, first in Ekiti and now Osun, but we call for a more holistic approach.

While it is largely believed that the Ekiti election was ‘successful’, some of the parties in the process are not so persuaded. They are sure something was amiss and one of them, the All Progressives Congress, APC, has sought legal redress. Also, we are witnesses to the overly militarisation of the state in the period running up to the election and how movement was restricted, especially with bias to the chieftains of one of the major parties while those of the ‘favoured’ party moved freely. Thus, the Ekiti election may have been free, it cannot be said to be altogether fair.

In other words, we insist that while E – Day monitoring is good, there may be need to pay some attention to certain conditions precedent to the Election Day. For instance, there has been complaint in Osun about the flawed process of voters’ registration right now and the use of heavily armed soldiers to ‘shock and awe’ some sections of the electorate.

We urge INEC and all concerned stakeholders not to overlook some of these complaints and other untoward dealings leading up to the Election Day. A free and fair election does not start and end on the Election Day, lest we confer legitimacy on a fraud.

TRIBUNE EDITORIAL: OF OSUN REC AND A CREDIBLE POLL

Tribune Editorial: OF OSUN REC AND A CREDIBLE POLL

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T HE Resident Electoral Commissioner of Osun State, Ambassador Oloruntoyin Akeju,  has been a major source of controversy in the build up to the governorship election slated for  August 9 this year.  The Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Gani Olaoluwa, has questioned the impartiality of the commissioner on the basis of an alleged association with Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu, former governor of Lagos State and a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), the party of the incumbent governor of the state who is also a candidate in the coming election.  Olaoluwa and some stalwarts of the PDP have also accused Akeju of being a card-carrying member of the APC. At a stakeholders’ meeting in Osogbo, the state capital, in February, 25 opposition parties staged a walk out to protest Akeju’s retention as REC in the state. They demanded that Akeju be removed because they had no confidence in his capacity to conduct a free and fair election in August. They threatened to boycott any election presided over by Akeju and contest its outcome. They also maintained that any election conducted by the REC would lead to chaos and probably a breakdown of law and order.

Indeed, stalwarts of the PDP in Osun State, including Senator Iyiola Omisore, a governorship aspirant, have gone further to claim that a subsisting court order restrains the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) from recognising Akeju as REC, citing a ruling by Justice Babs Kuewumi of the Federal High Court in Osogbo on 23 March 2011. In response, INEC clarified that its lawyers lodged an appeal and filed a motion on stay of execution of the interlocutory order.  It secured a ruling on 31 May 2012 which granted a stay of proceedings pending the determination of the appeal.  INEC therefore insists that Akeju remains Osun REC.

 Furthermore, Akeju has denied having any close relationship with Senator Tinubu. He also insisted that the APC government in Osun State did not build a house for the REC.  Rather, he said, the building housing him was the official residence built by the Federal Government.

Given these controversies, it is obvious that not all political parties in Osun State are looking forward to a free, fair and credible election with the retention of Akeju as REC for the August 9, 2014 election.  This is not good for the electoral process. INEC has the power to redeploy Akeju, but the INEC Chairman, Professor Attahiru Jega, averred that he could not be changing his officials based on petitions against them.  Given the persisting controversy, however, we think that Akeju should be redeployed. This is not necessarily because the allegations against him have been proven, but because it is not too big a sacrifice to make to guarantee the integrity and credibility of the election. Perception matters in politics; that is why INEC must pay attention to the complaints by the opposition parties. This is not to suggest a general rule that requires the Commission to change a REC once a group of political party stalwarts demand it.  Our suggestion is predicated on the fact that there has been a protracted disquiet between Akeju and the PDP dating back to 2011. In fact, Akeju has publicly denounced the PDP for their criticisms of his office.

What we seek to bring to the attention of INEC is that, in large part, the integrity of elections depends on public confidence in the electoral and political processes. It is not enough to reform institutions; citizens need to be convinced that changes are real and deserve their confidence.

Elections should be conducted in such a manner that they engender broad public confidence in the process and create trust in the outcome.

As the 2014 elections draw nearer, INEC officials must uphold the Constitution and abide by the legal framework. They must maintain a neutral approach in performing their duties. This includes not giving any preferential treatment or displaying political party logos, symbols or colours. They must not accept anything of value, whether money, offers of employment, gifts or travel in exchange for preferential treatment or access to official or non-public information.  These are essential for the integrity of elections and success in election management.

      The Osun school uniform palaver

THE commotion caused at the Baptist High School, Iwo, Osun State, the other day, when students turned up in school in a motley of religious attire, is a dangerous recipe for violence and political instability, if it is not immediately contained. Apart from being a test of the egalitarian temperament of Governor Rauf Aregbesola, a man so notably religious, it is also a social barometre of the tolerance level of the people of Osun State, as well as a determinant of the stakes religion has in the political scheme of the South-West preparatory to 2015.
   Reports indicated that students came to school in attires depicting their religious affiliation. They were also alleged to have formed different assembly lines, and simultaneously rendered songs and prayers corresponding to the liturgies of their faiths. While it is yet to be ascertained which adult influence instigated this crisis, what is clear is that, by this act, the students defied the state government’s directive on common uniform specification for all secondary schools.
  Surely, Governor Aregbesola has never minced words about the height he wants his effervescent political idealism to take his government to. A fervent Muslim, who greatly admires the egalitarian structure of socialism, Aregbesola desires to turn Osun State into the cultural haven and socio-economic hub of the Yoruba, if not the entire country.
  The starting point for him as it is with other passionate leaders seems to be education; which probably explains his effort to radically transform the educational sector of his state by overhauling schools and providing infrastructure. However, as idealistic as his proposal is, it was a grave error on the part of his government, in the first place, to merge religious schools; the reason being that the government seemed not to have foreseen the consequences of such an endeavour, especially the uniform crisis that is now playing itself out.
 Beyond the purpose of identity, the school uniform suggests discipline and conformity. By its use, students learn the values of loyalty, comradeship and esprit de corps amongst those with whom the school attire is identified. Thus, as the term suggests, the school uniform is a symbol of uniformity. Any other attire, religious or otherwise, cannot in any way serve this purpose, especially as the basis for association in a public school setting does not rest on any religious affiliation.
   Furthermore, to insist that religious attires be given consideration in the dress codes of state and public institutions is an argument towards absurdity. What it means is that any form of religious paraphernalia could be incorporated into any kind of uniform. In other words, the army, the police and other law enforcement agencies, as well as state institutions identified by a uniform, could alter their dress code to reflect their faith. This is absurd!

  The government and people of Osun State must bear in mind that the grundnorm of state conduct in Nigeria is secularity, in the most harmless sense of the term. Devoid of its religious connotation, secularity of the state entails neutrality on matters of personal differences relative to state affairs. Consequently, the state government should not conduct itself in a way that transgresses this neutrality of the state by paying such close attention to religion. The government should enforce what it started when it came up with a uniform specification for all secondary schools.
   Moreover, it must also be inculcated into citizens that the tolerant society, which the government says it desires for its people, is built on mutual respect of each other’s religion. Before now the level of cohabitation amongst the adherents of the three main religions of Christianity, Islam and traditional African faith in Osun State has been cordial and peaceful. Despite the fact that Osun State is the capital of the Yoruba traditional religion, Christianity and Islam sit well in the heart and mind of its people and are firmly rooted in their consciousness. There must be no place for those who desire to use religion for political purposes in the state. The consequences of such a dangerous trend are too dire to contemplate.
   On this fact, the government of Osun State should not display any form of tacit acquiescence by being silent on the crisis. The government must call the pupils to order and, working through the police and security agencies, expose the unseen hands, whether within the government or outside it, who are fanning the embers of religious bigotry in the state. Conscious of this situation, the governor should not only portray himself in stately neutrality, but be seen to be doing so.
   The ugly scenario played out in Baptist High School, Iwo, shows that children have unknowingly become the helpless puppets of the intemperance of some adult community in Osun State. This is a shame! Children, who at once were feted as the beneficiaries of an ambitious legacy, were at the same time being initiated into the ignoble class of social miscreants.
   Although people generally have a right to chose what to wear in the larger society, yet at the level of institutions including schools, there have always been, and should remain a uniformity in dressing. And schools in Osun State should not be an exception