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.
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