Seven Endorsements

Last week I vented my frustration at the logistics and managerial failures that characterised the cancelled National Assembly elections of April 2, 2011. It was worse knowing that even if the elections had held, 75% of registered voters in my polling unit 017 at Admiralty Way, Lekki would not have voted, as our names were missing from INEC’s register! It was the same scenario second time around. INEC’s computerised register had about 70 more names but we went through the list only to discover that rather than additional names, some persons who had been accredited the previous week, could no longer find their names on the new list! Instead some names were repeated two, three, four, five or even six times!!! However the exercise turned out to be a victory for citizen action! We organised ourselves with several persons (Kate Henshaw, Bisola Longe, Sunny Irabor… etc) taking leadership.

We complied our own comprehensive list; I spoke with several media houses including STV and Inspiration FM highlighting our predicament; we spoke with the Lagos State Resident Electoral Officer (REC); we stayed there insisting on our right to vote and the voter turnout was massive; and eventually the REC sent one booklet of the manual register which allowed up to 50% of registered voters to exercise their franchise. I was still unable to vote along with my wife and many others, but we were satisfied that INEC had been compelled to seek solutions, and many more legitimate voters were able to cast their votes. INEC officials have promised to come with other booklets that will allow all of us vote next week. Most importantly I was gratified with reports of generally free, fair and credible elections across the country. Evidently on April 9, 2011, President Goodluck Jonathan and Professor Attahiru Jega set Nigeria on the path to free, fair and credible elections and hopefully democratic consolidation.

As I indicated on this page on March 30, 2011, I consider Jonathan the sensible choice for Nigeria’s presidency in these elections. I am now strengthened in that conviction! Jonathan promised free, fair and credible elections. The credit for the democratic dawn that Nigeria appears poised to experience goes largely to him, his appointee Jega, and to the Nigerian people. He is clearly on the path to delivering on his other critical commitments-the power sector roadmap which should lead to a more efficient, private-sector dominated power sector, which can attract the investments and management competences required to transform Nigeria’s electricity supply situation; and redressing the infrastructure, developmental, human and environmental problems in the Niger-Delta. As I wrote previously, I regard Jonathan as the candidate of national unity, a federation of co-equal nationalities and national integration, freedom and openness, power sector reform, education and critical infrastructure. In spite of his party, which I do not generally support, I will vote for Jonathan on April 16, 2011.

On April 26, I will gladly and without reservation vote for Babatunde Raji Fashola (SAN) of the ACN for a second term as governor of Lagos State. In his first term, Fashola has shown what is possible when government faces up to its responsibilities to the people. He has made significant progress towards providing Lagos with the infrastructure required to make Lagos “Africa’s model mega city”. I believe four more years under Fashola will enable his team consolidate on its blueprint for the transformation of Lagos and bring several of its more ambitious programmes to fruition. I have only one vote which I will cast in Lagos, but I will be casting several other votes of support and endorsement in the gubernatorial series across the country. I enthusiastically endorse the re-election of Rotimi Chibuike Amaechi to a second term in Rivers State. Amaechi has invested heavily in schools and educational infrastructure; hospitals and primary health centres; roads; security and a Greater Port Harcourt City. He governs with truth and sincerity and is committed to ameliorating the plight of the ordinary people of Rivers State. He will have my virtual vote! I also have a special interest in what happens in the Ogun State elections. In 2003, I supported then Governor Olusegun Osoba’s re-election on principle in spite of the fact that he was contesting against someone I was then closer to. I am happy that Ogun State is being retrieved from the undemocratic stranglehold to which it has been subjected for eight years and I gladly endorse the election of Senator Ibikunle Amosun of the ACN.

I have other endorsements as well. The National Assembly elections indicate that Dr Babangida Aliyu’s seat as Niger State governor is not quite safe. Nevertheless I wholeheartedly endorse re-election of the good Chief-Servant. I believe (and I have never met Aliyu) that he has projected himself as the kind of leader required in Nigerian politics-able to combine intellect with politics and responsibility. Unfortunately statesmanlike behaviour can sometimes be politically costly, especially when pitched against fascist or fundamentalist demagoguery, the type of which is on the rise in certain parts of the country. I sincerely hope Babangida Aliyu survives and is re-elected on April 26. I vote also for Sullivan Chime and Liyel Imoke of Enugu and Cross-River States-Chime for his developmental strides and for returning governance to the people; and Imoke for the calm, matured and sensible leadership he has shown in Cross-River State and the “South-South”.