LET me start by wishing you a Happy New Year, 2015. May I also wish Nigeria a peaceful election and transition to the next regime.
Paramount in my mind (and it should be in yours too) is that we must have a smooth and rancour-free transition. For me, its not who wins that matters. A successful transition with the nation remaining intact is more important than any presidential candidate. Without peaceful Nigeria, there will be no political party, no presidential candidate, no elections, let alone economic prosperity. I am deeply worried about threats of any kind by politicians desperate for power at all costs. It is this desperation that fuels all sorts of electoral malfeasance, particularly that thing they call “election rigging”. The opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) has threatened repeatedly that they will form a “parallel government” if the 2015 elections are rigged. President Goodluck Jonathan, while inaugurating his presidential election council replied to that threat with ominous words: “we shall see”.

To begin with, what is a “rigged election”? Any fouling of the rules of the game encapsulated in the laws of the land, especially the constitution, the electoral law and guidelines spelt out by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) constitutes election rigging. Anything done to ensure that an election is not free, fair and reflective of the true wishes of the electorate, constitutes election rigging. For an election to be seen to be free, fair and credible, all the stakeholders in an election must play the game according to the rules. Who are these stakeholders?
The most prominent stakeholder in the coming elections is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). It is the body set up and empowered by the constitution to regulate and conduct elections in Nigeria. INEC, which is headed by Professor Attahiru Jega, had four years to prepare for this election, but in its usual sloppiness, it has put the election in danger. With just one month to the presidential election, Nigerians are still battling to get their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs), forcing President Goodluck Jonathan to direct that all eligible Nigerians must be able to vote. Information has it that the PVC collection rate has been more in the Arewa zones of North East and North West than the rest of the country.

Unless the distribution rate improves in the south before election, it might lead to massive disenfranchisement of voters in some parts while those in other parts are unduly favoured. What else is rigging? The INEC must ensure that all eligible voters in all parts of the country get their PVCs or it must bear the consequences of favouring a particular presidential candidate by pushing PVCs to areas he has massive support, while starving the other. Right now, the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, General Muhammadu Buhari, is having the advantage of his support base being almost over-supplied with the PVCs.

The political parties are also major stakeholders. So far, I think the PDP and APC have done well trying to focus on the issues, even though the usual jabs below the belt are there. However, the war at the social media level is horrible because for now it is not regulated. The social media could create problems because it is a free zone for all manner of mischief makers.

The parties have handled themselves well. The same cannot be said for their supporters in some parts of the country. Already, there has been a reign of intimidation and reported violence. The major flashpoints are in Arewa north, Jos and Rivers State. In Arewa north (Buhari’s main support base) supporters of President Jonathan are living under threats. His posters are not being allowed to be displayed. Those who try are threatened with death. Known Jonathan supporters are bombarded with threats of their elimination along with their family members. Even governors have not been spared. There are some parts of the North where no bus bearing the campaign insignia of the president can dare to travel the roads for fear of being attacked. We read in the media a few days ago about a couple of the president’s campaign buses being razed in Jos in an area populated by Hausas, who were shouting they did not want Jonathan. If you do not want Jonathan why not wait and say so on February 14th with your vote? Why deprive the president of his right to campaign?

Meanwhile, Buhari and his campaign train are enjoying an unfettered run through the three zones of the South. Apart from a reported case of gun attack and bombing of APC secretariat in Okrika by unknown persons, Buhari has addressed his supporters in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Uyo, Calabar, Aba and Owerri without any harassment. He was even given a chieftaincy title by the traditional ruler of Eziama Aba, Eze Isaac Ikonne. In fact, Buhari’s campaign has been so smooth that one of his ardent supporters from Zaria has been ecstatically calling my line rejoicing that Buhari is making “in-roads” and South East and South-South, which are Jonathan’s main support base.

With Jonathan’s supporters being attacked and threatened with death in Arewa North, while Buhari’s campaign train is being allowed to enjoy his constitutional right to campaign in all parts of the south, it is obvious that the elections are already being rigged in the North against Jonathan. The INEC and the political rabble in the North must allow a level playing ground for all candidates to canvass for support. Otherwise, the election cannot be free and fair. Unless the situation is corrected, it can be interpreted that Nigerians are not yet ready for the elections. There must be a level playing field for everybody. Just as APC says it will form a parallel government if the elections are rigged, I don’t think their opponents will fold their arms when they are being deprived of their constitutional rights.
What is good for the goose is good for the gander.



http://www.vanguardngr.com/2015/01/elections-already-rigged/?utm_source=&utm_medium=facebook

Desparados part 1. May the best candidate win. I honestly dont think we should still be stucked to an old General when we av a plethora of intellectuals to choose from. GEJ till politicians get common sense

Some people are already admitting defeat, though very clandestinely!

Nice write up

Unfortunately a lot of APC fans even on Nairaland are e terrorists.


This election is a victory GEJ must win in the spirit of equity as shown to the SW people

SS must have their complete 8years or APC should find other sources to fund their government and everyone should get ready to feed themselves.

As for we the people of SE, we are fully in support of SS right to 2 terms


Say No to political slavery

E terrorist indeed

ofala:
Some people are already admitting defeat, though very clandestinely!

CCsurplus007:
Desparados part 1

As GEJ said we shall see

I want to believe he now understands that we the SS SE and other oppressed minorities are fully behind him


GEJ must win and any violent protest will be met fire for fire

Nonsense! While the Average Northerner is willing to stand in the Harmattan Cold from Dawn till Dusk to collect his PVC, His Eastern Counterpart would rather Stay in his Shop and expect INEC to bring the PVCs to him there!

Go and Collect Your PVCs and stop ranting on Media!

issorite!!!


issoke!!!

Buhari has been going all over Alaigbo without hitch albeit the hate we have for APC.
But Jonathans buses are being attacked by buhari brothers up north.
Jonathan, pls the election is already being rigged by APC! Make sure you WIN by any means possible. We must teach them rigging.

Lalasticlala this is worthy of front page. Good morning

a well written article,truth be said,election in Nigeria is do,or die

I don't know when its compulsory to serve your father's land,that the politicians now turned service to humanity as a do or die thing..

it shows the politicians are out there for personal interest, and nothing else.

MansaMoussa:
Nonsense! While the Average Northerner is willing to stand in the Harmattan Cold from Dawn till Dusk to collect his PVC, His Eastern Counterpart would rather Stay in his Shop and expect INEC to bring the PVCs to him there!

Go and Collect Your PVCs and stop ranting on Media!

and at the end of the day our igbo brothers will still vote and remain rich while our arewa brothers will vote and continue to remain poor shoe shinner. I hope their claw mark face brothers will not come and defend them

GEJ has already won...Anyhow they want it,we will give it to them..He MUST win by any means ..If you don't like it,crash your skull on wall.....

If APC had wanted to control the central govt, they would have picked SS candidate but with BH, they still want to return us to political slavery which is roundly condemned.

SS must complete their term or else they should use their groundnut pyramid to fund their govt and perhaps their country.

We can't be fool again.

I was getting irritated by the writer's bias, but when I got to the point below:

Apart from a reported case of gun attack and bombing of APC secretariat in Okrika by unknown persons..

I couldn't stomach the irritation anymore.

Firstly, the writer made it sound as though it is INEC's fault some people have decided not to go out and collect their PVCs!! Of course not all eligible voters have theirs ready (which is a lapse that cuts across all the geopolitical zones), but the writer tried to make it look as though people from "Jonathan's strongholds" are the worst hit. Does he have a proof of that??

INEC published a data detailing the percentage PVC collection as against what has been made available across the country and one saw that Lagos, which constitutes one of the major advantages of the opposition, was lagging behind with barely over 50% of cards available collected so far, while states like Akwa-Ibom has very large percentage (84% there about). I bet the writer is ignorant of this!!! Does INEC have to coerce voters to go out and collect their PVCs?? The answer is, NO!

And back to the highly disgraceful quote above; the writer stated the incidences of violence the opposition has suffered as though it were some minor thing that could easily be waved aside, yet when he mentioned those suffered by PDP, he sounded like heaven was about to fall!! Tell me, since he chose to use the words apart from, let me join him in the game of "trivialising": now, "apart from" the burning of Jonathan's bus and the destruction of his campaign posters, what other casualty has PDP suffered?? People (APC members) were shot at at in PH and their secretariat bombed, but the writer imagines these are of lesser severity compared to burning of a bus and destruction of posters from the tone of his voice!!

How bias can a journalist be!!!

This write up is one of such things that fuel the violence the writer wants to make us believe he's preaching against. The guy must be restrained before he causes more harm.

When I got to that quote, I stopped and decided to check out the link. I wasn't surprised when I saw the name of the writer.

Smh.




Barcanista, my ban ends today. Will be back guns blazing!!! Donphilopus I dey hail oo.

ofala:
Some people are already admitting defeat, though very clandestinely!

smh for yah.

Remember, what's good for 'Greece is good for Uganda' ...
Consider it an admittance of defeat when stalwarts of the other parties start wrecking their own havoc on your human and material resources. It's no biggie afterall...

The month of FAILbuhari is almost upon us n many a ish will arise

See as he casually dismiss the attacks on APC




'Meanwhile, Buhari and his campaign train
are enjoying an unfettered run through the
three zones of the South. Apart from a
reported case of gun attack and bombing of
APC secretariat in Okrika by unknown
persons"



But wants to cry foul about burnt buses in the north. werey park well well! cry from today till tomorrow it won't stop us from kicking the clueless one back to d creeks of Niger Delta.

APC has started rigging the election with intimidation and clonning of PVC. APC will fail this Failbuhari

Though I agree with some of the writers points, but on the issue of PVC I would disagree, the registration for this so called PVC of a thing was done 4years ago...

So why did INEC decided to wait till some few months to election before sharing Or do they expect the voters to start chasing them before they would give it out And to top it all off the distribution network for the PVC is crappy...So INEC should carry the blame for this...

We need to rise up and mach APC rigging tit for tat

Tell me Smth


Nice write up, but I would admit that the writer is a bit biased in favour of GEJ.


But points raised are valid indeed.


Why are Northern peeps not allowing PDP to campaign freely up North like He is enjoying in the SS and SE, Even in the President's home state Bayelsa State no one harassed or is harassing them.


People up North should turn a new leaf fotr things to work.

OP u omitted the first rigging perpetuated by APC;that is their aspirant not submitting the basic educational certificate required of his candidacy by the Nigerian constitution.

Redoil:
and at the end of the day our igbo brothers will still vote and remain rich while our arewa brothers will vote and continue to remain poor shoe shinner. I hope their claw mark face brothers will not come and defend them

the money dangote, dantata, abacha etc control is more that the gross amount possesed by the ibos worldwide

Hmmm

With Jonathan’s supporters being attacked and threatened with death in Arewa North, while Buhari’s campaign train is being allowed to enjoy his constitutional right to campaign in all parts of the south, it is obvious that the elections are already being rigged in the North against Jonathan

Biased write up.

YoU need to answer some questtions for this article

.

.

amakaobiemeka:
the money dangote, dantata, abacha etc control is more that the gross amount possesed by the ibos worldwide

When the wealth is not evenly distributed whats the essence ? Few northerners are very rich while the rest wallow in abject penury. The ibos might not have the wealth of dangote, but wealth is evenly distributed to an extent

Rigging can only be done by the ruling party. Dont blame apc if inec stupid policies tilt to them a bit. Inec is suppose to be prepared. Pdp has been bombing apc offices in ph. Etc what can u say to that too