In a healthy democratic system of government, an election campaign enables political parties and their candidates to prepare and present their manifestos and programmes, respectively, to the electorate. It is expected that an election campaign should be issue based in order to achieve its goal, which is to enable the voters to make informed choices on the day of the election.
On the contrary, the ongoing campaigns for the November 8 governorship election in Anambra State have been characterised by mudslinging, vulgarity, offensive rhetoric, foul language and character assassination. Instead of being issued based, the campaigns, which commenced on June 11, according to the guidelines of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), is fast developing into one of the most vitriolic election campaigns in the history of Nigeria.
Worse is that INEC has abdicated its duties as the regulator of the electoral process, with the mandate to make sure that all the parties and the candidates play according to the rules guiding the conduct of political parties and their candidates during election campaigns. The Electoral Act makes provisions for election campaigns.
Section 92 (1) of the Electoral Act 2022 provides that “A political campaign or slogan shall not be tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly likely to injure religious, ethnic, tribal or sectional feelings.
“(2) Abusive, intemperate, slanderous or base language or insinuations or innuendoes, designed or likely to provoke violent reaction or emotions, shall not be employed or used in political campaigns.”
The Act also provides for punishment for parties and candidates that violate the rules guiding the campaigns. The subsection 7 says, “A political party, aspirant or candidate who contravenes any of the provisions of this section commits an offence and is liable on conviction-(a) in case of an aspirant or candidate, to a maximum fine of N1,000,000 or imprisonment for a term of 12 months; and
(b) in the case of a political party, to a fine of N2,000,000 in the first instance, and N1,000,000 for any subsequent offence.”
These provisions have been violated in the ongoing governorship election campaigns in Anambra State with reckless abandon.
So far, gladiators who have visibly participated in these vile campaigns include the candidate of the ruling All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA) party in Anambra and incumbent Governor, Professor Charles Soludo, the Director of his Campaign, Professor Solo Osita Chukwulobelu and the Deputy Governorship Candidate of the federal party, the All Progressive Congress, Iyom Senator Uche Ekwunife.
I do not wish to apportion blames here. I will cite some instances and comment accordingly. Let me begin by saying that Governor Soludo and his Campaign Director, two distinguished professors, who should know better, goofed by attacking the educational qualification of the APC candidate and his running mate.
The office of the Governor is established in part II, Section 176 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended) under Chapter VI of the Constitution, which provides for the Executive. Section 177 states the qualification for becoming governor.
Section 177 says that the person (a) Must be a citizen of Nigeria (b) Must have attained the age of 65 (c) He is a member of a political party and is sponsored by that party (d) he has educated up to at least, school certificate level or its equivalent.
The school certificate meant by the Constitution is First School Leaving Certificate. The Supreme Court has made a pronouncement on this. The Constitution did not say that somebody must have A1 in all his subjects in WAEC or have a Ph.D to be a governor. Hence, I cannot find a better word to describe the attack on the educational qualification of the APC flag bearers than “pettiness.”
Besides, Soludo is an incumbent. A popular cliché says that “every election is a referendum on the incumbent.” Being an incumbent, he stands on a higher pedestal than his opponents in the election.
If he has performed with the mandate given to him, it would be easier to convince the people to re-elect him, unlike his opponents who have not be tested. Unfortunately, Soludo resorted to personal attack against his opponents, rather than campaign with what he has done.
My mind tells me though that Soludo is imitating the President of the United States of America, Donald Trump. The snag in his own case is that he is copying Trump upside down.
“I do not see the rationale in spending more than N12 billion to build an amusement park in Awka (Fun City), when the state university, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, lacks hostels for students and quarters for staff.”
During the last American Presidential Election, Donald Trump of the Republican Party launched personal attacks on the Democratic Party candidate, Kamala Harris, but never tried to discredit her educational qualifications. Trump described then-Vice President Harris as a person of low IQ (Intelligence Quotient), lazy and mentally impaired lady.
In spite of all the provocation, Kamala kept her cool throughout the election. Not all women have the temperament to endure such an ordeal. When Soludo attacked Ekwunife, she fired back, saying both meaningful and meaningless things.
I strongly disagree with Ekwunife that Soludo is an illiterate Professor. No professor, more so a professor of our alma mater, the University of Nigeria Nsukka (UNN) is an illiterate.
In terms of his antecedents internationally and in public service as a former World Bank Consultant, former Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Governor and de facto Minister of National Planning, and a member of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council, none of his opponents can match him. Nonetheless, that is not the reason he should talk down on his opponents.
Ekwunife stated that Anambra people have been suffering in the past three years of Soludo’s government. This may not be totally unfounded. Based on my own observation, one area where Soludo’s government has apparently not done well is the area of social protection for vulnerable people, including owners of small businesses. I stand to be corrected.
I still maintain my position that Soludo did great disservice to Anambra state by pulling the state out of the disbursement of the N438 billion World Bank loan meant for the 36 states of the federation. That loan was meant to support the vulnerable and small businesses in Anambra state.
Even more painful is that many of the people denied the opportunity of benefitting from this loan have been sent to their early graves by Soludo’s ruthless pestle wielding tax boys, known in Anambra as “ndi aka odo.”
I also do not see the rationale in spending more than N12 billion to build an amusement park in Awka called “Fun City,” when the state university, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University (COOU), with campuses at Uli and Igbariam, lacks hostels for students and quarters for academic and non-academic staff.
I know many staff of the state university who operate from Enugu State.
Equally, of what use is the N1 billion tower at Ekwulobia?
Ekwunife raised the issue of the alarming insecurity in Anambra State under the Soludo government. This cannot be dismissed. Granted that insecurity is a national malaise, Anambra enjoys the advantage of being the second smallest state in Nigeria after Lagos, in terms of land mass, which makes the state easier to secure more than other states with vast landmass.
With Anambra’s very huge internally generated revenue (IGR) potential, Soludo has no excuse not to secure the state, more so, when he takes more than N1 billion monthly from the state coffers as security vote.
Soludo swore to uphold the Constitution on the day he was inaugurated on March 16, 2022. The Constitution in chapter 2, Section 14 (b) under the Fundamental Objectives and Directive Principles of State Policy makes security and welfare of the citizens the primary duty of government. The Constitution did not say that it is the primary duty of government to fight “Okite.” This is diversionary.
I agree with Iyom that Soludo should go to court immediately if he sees anything wrong with her certificate. I equally agree with her that Soludo should go to Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka(UNIZIK) and University of Calabar (UNICAL) to verify her Master’s and B.Sc. Certificates.
If he spent four years fighting “Okite” in Anambra, the people cannot afford to give him another four years to fight those with fake certificates. It is the job of security agencies to fight all forms of forgery.
However, I think that Ekwunife clearly veered off the mark by calling Soludo the dirtiest Governor in Nigeria, talking about odour coming out of his mouth and private places, and advising the wife of the Governor to buy deodorants for her husband. She also went too far by calling the Governor unprintable names and making insinuations about his spouse’s infidelity.
This is unbecoming of someone aspiring to occupy the position of second citizen of a state like Anambra, the home state of foremost nationalist, the only indigenous Governor General and first President of Nigeria, the Owelle of Onitsha, late Dr. Nnamdi Benjamin Azikiwe, Nwafor Orizu, late Professor Chinua Achebe, Professor Kenneth Dike, Dr. Chuba Okadigbo, Chike Obi, and a host of others.
I will therefore conclude by calling on INEC, having been empowered by the Electoral Act, to live up to its responsibilities and wield the big stick when and where necessary, against parties and candidates in Anambra State flouting the rules guiding the elections.
This will help to protect the sanctity of the electoral process and ensure that the outcome of the November governorship election reflects the wish of the people.
Dr. Nzomiwu, MNIPR, is an indigene of Ozubulu in Ekwusigo LGA, Anambra State. Reactions are welcome via chekmma@yahoo.com or WhatsApp number 08037752672.
Post Views: 95
