Ahead of today’s presidential election, it has been a busy period for the two leading political parties – Peoples Democratic Party and the All Progressives Congress. ERIC DUMO in this piece examines the major highlights leading into the contestToday is the day of reckoning for the Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate, Dr. Goodluck Jonathan and that of the All Progressives Congress, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari (retd.), as they test their popularity and acceptance among the people of Nigeria.
Described as the most important poll in the country’s history by events watchers, today’s contest is between a man who has performed creditably well, according to his supporters, and another whose record as a military Head of State between December 1983 and August 1985 is paving way for and also haunting in similar measure.
Described as the most important poll in the country’s history by events watchers, today’s contest is between a man who has performed creditably well, according to his supporters, and another whose record as a military Head of State between December 1983 and August 1985 is paving way for and also haunting in similar measure.
While Jonathan, the incumbent, whose message of transformation and continuity has been marred with accusation of underperformance by a host of critics – local and international, Buhari, who clamours for change on the heels of his prudent and strong disciplinary regime, is battling to convince critics that he is far from the religious extremist and ruthless leader he has been painted to be.
For both men, it has been a very hectic marketing campaign to sell themselves to a disillusioned electorate grappling with social and economic challenges on several fronts.
After both emerging their respective parties’ candidates late last year, Jonathan and Buhari quickly turned on the heat on each other in attempts to win over more converts. It was the beginning of a long battle on the pages of newspapers, the airwaves, Internet and other publicity platforms across the country.
In a front page advertisement on some notable newspapers on January 19, Nigerians were asked to choose between life and death in either voting for a fit and healthy Jonathan or a Buhari who is not “so fit” to face the rigour of the office of the President. The advert, sponsored by Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, insinuated that if elected into power, the retired general could kick the bucket like some Northern former Nigerian leaders who were either killed or were consumed by natural forces while in office.
The publication provoked not just the Buhari camp but many Nigerians who felt it was a distasteful way to rubbish and wish an opponent in a major battle death.
Reacting, the APC campaign organisation, in a statement signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu, said, “This is the height of desperate tactics by the PDP, which is capable of degenerating into unnecessary bloodshed and destruction. They are choosing death for us. This is not politics. We are therefore asking our supporters to stay calm and be law-abiding.”
The party further alleged that the entire scenario was a ploy to eliminate Buhari before or after today’s election.
As if that was not enough, words started going round that the retired General had gone in search of medical help in the United Kingdom and not on a working visit to the Royal Institute of International Affair, Chatham House, London, as claimed by the APC. What started as mere talk soon grew into a full-blown verbal war with Fayose accusing the opposition of hiding the truth about Buhari’s health from the world.
Fayose had through his Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, said, “The truth is that Buhari travelled out to seek medicare in the United States. If the APC people are saying otherwise, let them publish the picture of Buhari boarding the plane and granting interview to aviation correspondents at the Abuja Airport.
“While I am happy that the APC people that are packaging Buhari finally hearkened to my plea that they should allow him seek medical care abroad, I must say that it was evil for the APC to have lied that Buhari travelled on a working visit.
“These APC political merchants should say the truth and save Nigeria from the possibility of another Yar’Adua experience. They should tell Nigerians that Buhari is actually sick and lack capacity to rule Nigeria and that they are only packaging him, hoping that he will become incapacitated if he becomes president so that they can take over power by proxy.”
Buhari, who spoke later at Chatham House in a paper entitled “Prospects for Democratic Consolidation in Africa: Nigeria’s Transition,” said that he wanted to be president “because the work of making Nigeria great is not yet done.”
Apart from the controversy generated by Buhari’s health and trip to Chatham House, other events also heated things up on the road to today’s election for both men.
Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi, once a staunch ally of Jonathan but now a major backer of the 72-year-old former military Head of State, alleged that Jonathan gave pastors across the country about N6bn to vote against the APC’s candidate. Though the Presidency and PDP quickly dismissed the allegation, a Borno State-based clergy, Kallamu Musa-Dikwa, soon revealed that the money was actually N7bn and not N6bn as initially claimed by Amaechi.
Musa-Dikwa, who is the Executive Director, Voice of Northern Christian Movement, told journalists in Kaduna that the money was channelled through the Christian Association of Nigeria.
He said CAN got N7bn on January 26, 2015 and disbursed N3m to each state chairmen of the association across the country. Though the allegation has yet to be proven, it remains one of the most scandalous episodes and major highlights leading into today’s battle.
In an attempt to sell his candidacy across the country, Jonathan embarked on a nationwide consultation of prominent traditional rulers. Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi; Ooni of Ile-Ife, Oba Okunade Sijuwade; Alaafin of Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi and Oba of Lagos, Rilwanu Akiolu, were among those visited by the President.
Jonathan described the visits as private. The move, no doubt, charged up the atmosphere with news emerging shortly after that large sums in foreign currencies were doled out to the monarchs. Events preceding today’s election were characterised with hate campaigns, mudslinging with many analysts concluding that the political campaigns were the dirtiest and most indecent in Nigeria’s history. There are diverse accusation and counter-accusations.
For instance, a former Governor of Lagos State and leader of the APC, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, claimed that Jonathan had promised him a vice-presidential slot in an interim government arrangement, if he stopped supporting Buhari.
In a swift reaction, Jonathan denied meeting and offering Tinubu any such role, describing the allegation as baseless and false.
Issues surrounding Buhari’s certificate also added interesting side attractions in the build up to the poll. While the former Head of State insisted that his certificates were with the military, the Presidency and PDP claimed otherwise. It took weeks of accusation and counter-accusations before the APC candidate finally obtained a copy of his result from Cambridge and showed the world. Even after that, there were doubts over its originality. The matter, which has yet to fully subside, remains one of the major high points leading into today’s presidential election. It adds to a long list that has combined to provide tension and entertainment weeks ahead of the epic battle.
Not only that, the APC candidate refused to participate in a national debate claiming the PDP planned to use the debate against him.
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