The Success of the just ended Nigeria Presidential Elections 

Nigeria, Africa’s most populous nation, last Saturday, March 28 held what is largely described as a successful, credible, transparent, free and fair presidential election. Security concerns led to the postponement of the original date scheduled for February 14 this year due to the threat posed by the Islamist insurgents, Boko Haram. 

This is without protests by opposition supporters in some states against alleged killings of campaigners and voting irregularities and problems with new electronic card readers that forced elections into a second day in some parts of the federal state. 

The presidential candidate of the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP), President Goodluck Jonathan, and his major contender, General Muhammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress (APC), have remarkably rewritten former assumptions putting the contest into what has become the most competitive election since the return of democratic governance in 1999. 

It is a battle they fought on every inch of Nigerian territory comprising of about 34 states by seven candidates including a woman. It is estimated that more than 68 million registered voters exercised their franchise to decide who ultimately wins the battle.  

That explains why it is gratifying to note that whilst the two main presidential candidates, President Jonathan and General Buhari signed a peace accord to prevent violence in the tightly contested elections, ECOWAS should be commended for deploying a team of eminent dignitaries led by former President John Agyekum Kufuor to monitor and observe the elections. 

This was to ensure that obstacles to free and fair elections were removed so that people would accept the outcome of the elections. This is a clear indication that ECOWAS and the international community were in solidarity with Nigeria to have a very transparent and free elections and further entrench the democratic credentials of Nigeria. 

Indeed this was a critical election for Nigeria and it is an indication to the world that Nigeria is a democratic country ruled by the tenets of governance and the rule of law. As the world watched Nigeria go through successful presidential elections, so will the same world turn its attention on Togo come April 15, Burkina Faso, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire. 

It is imperative for all Togolese, Guineans and Ivorians just like the Nigerians home and abroad to note that their respective countries’ safety and security are a priority to the entire ECOWAS sub-region. 

The good news is that unlike Nigeria which had to contain Boko Haram insurgents while it conducted its elections; the situation is different in Togo, Guinea and Cote d’Ivoire which are enjoying relative peace and security. 

Authorities in Togo and the other three West African countries must collaborate with the security agencies to ensure that the electorates have an ambience of peace and security to exercise their franchise. Indeed what is good for the goose is equally good for the gander and so ECOWAS should show solidarity to Togo and the other three countries by again deploying another elections monitoring and observer team to those countries gearing towards elections to ensure peaceful, credible, free and fair elections. We cannot easily sweep under the carpet the post-election violence in Cote d’Ivoire in 2011 which regrettably claimed several lives and witnessed the destruction of property. 

Ghana joins other ECOWAS member states to commend Nigerians and Nigeria for a peaceful election and to wish Togo a peaceful, free and fair presidential election come April 15.

BY DAN OSMAN MWIN, A SOCIO-POLITICAL COMMENTATOR AND PUBLIC RELATIONS PRACTITIONER WITH THE   NATIONAL AMBULANCE SERVICE