Transparent electoral process will prevent violence-American don

As Nigerians go to the polls this Saturday (March 28, 2015), an American Professor of Biblical Theology at the University of Jos, Danny McCain, has called for transparency in the electoral process, saying this would reduce the likelihood of electoral violence.

Prof. McCain stated this at the University of Ilorin last Tuesday (March 17, 2015) while delivering a Special Public Lecture, titled “Towards Peaceful Elections in 2015: The Roles of Stakeholders in Nigeria”. The Public Lecture was organised by the Centre for Peace and Strategic Studies (CPSS).

The American don noted that "INEC has spent a lot of energy and money creating the Permanent Voter’s Card (PVC) that will be used in order to ensure that elections are free and fair." He, however, urged the electoral umpire to ensure adequate voter education and also ensure the vigorous prosecution of those who commit, fund or encourage electoral violence.  

Prof. McCain said, "Politicians and political parties must lead the way in instructing the public on peaceful politics. The public recent pledges to non-violence by politicians at the federal and state levels are a significant step in the right direction and should be encouraged. We must go beyond pledging to accountability. Political parties should make non-violence a part of their official manifesto and should publicly and regularly warn their constituents and agents that any act of violence will not be appreciated or tolerated".

The lecturer, however, maintained that election does not have to be perfect to be successful, noting that there has to be a loser in any election but not a loser in life. He said, “Just because one loses an election does not mean that life is over. Should Gen. Buhari lose the upcoming elections, he will have lost nothing. He will continue to be the respected national statesman he has been for many years but with an enhanced status due to representing the combined opposition party and a stronger run for the presidency. Should President Goodluck Jonathan lose the election, he will likely become a respected Africa-wide leader who will be called upon for the rest of his life to support significant projects, reduce tension and share wisdom from his vast experience in governing the largest country in Africa.”

Prof. McCain  commended the Nigerian courts, which, according to him, have shown genuine independence, saying that the provision of election tribunals is a good practice. He said, “I will state that the security agents must protect the physical process of voting but it is the courts that must protect the integrity of the elections.”

Speaking on the role of the media during elections, Prof. McCain said, “The responsibility of the collective media is to report the news objectively and provide analysis and commentary that will present all sides of an issue.”

He called on politicians to emulate the example of the late President Musa Yar' Adua who, he observed, “during his presidential campaign, chose to focus on his own experiences and commitments and not on the negative shortcomings of his opponents.”

 In his own address, entitled “Cardinal Point”, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ilorin, Prof. AbdulGaniyu Ambali (OON), noted that the theme of the public lecture was most appropriate at this point in time, pointing out that it is only Nigerians that can make Nigeria great “just as it is only Nigerians that can mar the country.”

Prof. Ambali said, “Without doubt, it is our collective responsibility to ensure that the forthcoming elections are peaceful and we need to be told the home truth. Nigeria cannot afford the disaster that comes with violence and destruction. This is a cardinal point we should hold dear to our hearts”.

The Vice-Chancellor pointed out that “the forthcoming elections offer the country another opportunity to deepen our democracy and vote. Votes don't fight and we should make it a cardinal point and an abiding philosophy that we shall always maintain peace and avoid violence”.

Prof. Ambali said that the University of Ilorin occupies the position it occupies in the Nigerian university system today as a result of peace. He said, "Development is impossible without peace. Gone were the days when our students would stage “aluta” for the fun of it or that our staff would embark on strike for any frivolous reason. What stakeholders in the University came to realise is that the University is for us to build and no one can build it except ourselves. If we manage our differences and put the interest of the university first, the development that would ensue therefore is in our collective interest".

The public lecture was well attended by traditional rulers, including of the Emir of Ilorin, in representative opacity members of the security services, international observers, heads of higher institutions of learning, political aspirants and civil society organisations.