Lessons of two parties participating in Nasarawa bye – elections

EMEKA NZE writes that more political parties may be laying foundation for their de-registration for failure to participate in the Nasarawa Central state constituency bye-election.

Election during COVID 19

The Independent National Electoral Commission must have had a swell time conducting the last bye-election in the Nasarawa Central state constituency held last Saturday, especially as the first election held in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

With only two political parties- the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP)- participating in the election, those who officiated in the polls must have had an easy process in sharp contrast with the general elections which had many political parties participating.

Like the INEC chairman said, “the Nasarawa Central state constituency election is important because it is the first election in the context of the COVID-19 and we deliberately chose to start with Nasarawa Central bye-election so that we can learn the lessons we need to learn ahead of Edo and Ondo governorship elections as well as 15 outstanding bye-elections.” What this implies is that the other 16 political parties may have denied themselves and their supporters of an opportunity of practicalising the INEC policy and protocols of participating in the election under the coronavirus disease.

Irrelevance of multiple parties in Nigeria

This once again brings to the fore the irrelevance of Nigeria’s current multiple party democracy of 18 parties. When in February 16, the INEC drew its sledge hammer on 74 of the feeble and unproductive parties, only the party ‘entrepreneurs’ raised their shrill voice in dissent but interestingly their voices were subsumed by the vocal majority in favour of the de-registration who said that “some of the ‘portfolio’ parties constituted more of a nuisance to Nigeria’s democracy.”

The courts too could not save them either as they anticipated. They merely stamped authority on the INEC de-registration exercise. The Federal High Court in Abuja for example affirmed INEC’s power to deregister political parties which failed to comply with the provisions of the law particularly section 225A of the 1999 Constitution as amended.

Perhaps, were the INEC in last Saturday’s bye-election dealing with 92 political parties as Nigeria had then, no doubt, ballot printing would have been herculean and expensive given its length and ambiguity. Besides, the conduct, collation compilation and announcement of the results of only one state constituency would have dragged to the following day, to say the least.

Unwarranted waste of resources

This resonates the arduous and excruciating experience in previous announcements of election results where Nigerians, who already aware of the real parties in contest, merely cope with a long wait as the electoral umpires reeled out endless list of political parties and figures, an exercise which is not only boring but more often than not aroused anger on the part of the electorate and listeners.

Today, the futility of Nigeria’s brand of multiple party system has been laid bare that most of the associations which seek registration ab-initio do not seek to win election but are made up of pseudo or ‘yahoo, yahoo’ politicians who, during elections instead of mobilising for supporters, always look out for the “beautiful bride” to adopt.

In this case, the beautiful bride does not imply a man with the better potentials of winning election but a candidate adjudged to have the deepest pocket and willing to throw his money around. The formation of a coalition by mushroom parties in support of a particular candidate or political party is not motivated by the belief or principle to win but necessitated by business considerations to make cheap money.

Multiple parties and ‘peak period’

The period of intense politicking during a presidential or governorship election is often regarded as the “peak period” by the quasi and ‘yahoo yahoo’ politician, a time he uses to amass as much money as possible from a gullible candidate. This is why a cursory look at some of the mushroom parties during the electioneering reveals an intra-party rivalry amongst some officials whose source of disagreement is usually the sharing formulae.

Lessons from Nasarawa

The Nasarawa bye-election has further exposed that amongst the 18 parties, the majority are still those with ‘leprous’ fingers which are not out to add value to the democratic system but to destabilise it. During the stakeholders meeting on Wednesday at Nasarawa local government, the two contenders- APC and PDP- to show their seriousness had few representatives in the hall. The explanation was later made by a traditional ruler and current PDP Board of Trustees chairman, Senator Walid Jubril, who said that the parties were in the field campaigning and could not make it to the venue.

Where were the other 16 political parties? It is not out of place that some of their leaders had done what they know how to do best- the adoption option. A little more probe would show that some of them were in beer pallours enjoying their ‘loot’ obtained in the ‘peak period’.

The leaders of these smaller parties might be oblivious to fact that participation in the bye-elections is one of the yardsticks of judging viability and since they appeared complacent and non-existent in Nasarawa Central state constituency election, it amounts to a minus point for them by those who are reposed with the function of monitoring and scoring them. By tomorrow, when the sledge hammer falls on them, they would start expressing disgust and disenchantment against the INEC.

Non-plausible

They often argued hitherto, especially by the smaller parties, that their parties are stronger in the states and local governments and if given a level playing field and could win elections in those areas. Others argue that the governors have become their albatross and have deprived them of winning elections conducted in the states and local government areas but their lack of interest, poor showing, complacency and compromise in such crucial elections like the last one in Nasarawa negate their claims.

The general sentiment is that it behooves on the INEC to continue its due diligence in regulating the parties it created and those to be created. Its monitoring function should be done with more vigour, especially, now that the country is at the threshold of electoral reforms. It is also a general feeling that the INEC must stop registering or de-register political parties which hurriedly put up office spaces and hire crowds as members whenever they learn that the monitoring team is arriving at their doorsteps.

Going forward, the INEC should also ensure that only parties with pronounced level of participation and reasonable electoral victories are involved in running the inter party advisory councils (IPAC) so that it does not give room for unserious parties to use it to feather their nests or pursue their filthy lucre within the IPAC.

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