Something remarkable happened on the morning of February 25, the day of the Nigerian presidential election. Many Nigerians went out to vote holding in their hearts a new sense of trust. Cautious trust, but still trust. Since the end of military rule in 1999, Nigerians have had little confidence in elections. To vote in a presidential election was to brace yourself for the inevitable aftermath: fraud.
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When Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu squarely beat all his opponents at the primary election for the presidential ticket of the All Progressives Congress (APC), most discerning Nigerians knew there was no stopping him from proving his now famous phrase, ‘Emi Lo Kan’ which literally translates ‘It’s my turn’ boldly uttered when he declared intention to run.
Anyone who expected the period of transition to new administrations in the country on May 29 to be tranquil has got another thing coming. Far from being a period of rest, introspection and forward planning after the tumultuous campaign and election period, the drama has now shifted to press conferences, radio and television interviews, Eze’s palaces, street demonstrations, leaked audio tapes of a religious war and even in aircraft cabins. And that is before the courts move in.
After the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly (NASS) elections, the jostle for the position of the President of the 10th Senate is taking a centre stage with many Senators indicating their interest in the position.
The fact that our revered leader and one of the fathers of our nation, former President Olusegun Obasanjo, can sit there and say nothing when Chief (Dr.) Emmanuel Iwanyanwu, an elder statesman who I have always respected, describes the entire Yoruba race as “rascals” that the Igbo “will DEAL with” tells me that the rumour that he is NOT a fully-fledged Yoruba man and that his father was an Igbo may well be true.
The just concluded Kano State gubernatorial elections have brought about a new era of hope for the people of Kano State. Abba Kabir Yusuf (Abba Gida-Gida) emerged as the winner of the keenly contested elections, under the platform of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), and his victory has sparked a new wave of hope and optimism among the people of Kano State, who believe that he is capable of restoring the lost glory of the state.
One of the factors that determined the just concluded elections in Nigeria is religion. Oh, agreed, in our politics, religion has always been a factor in determining winners and losers. But never before was it flagrantly flaunted and made to be the driving force than in 2023.
The 2023 Governorship election of Adamawa state has become a world centre of attraction. It is now a debacle of power tussle between the incumbent Governor, Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri and Senator Aishatu Ahmed Dahiru (Binani), Senator Representing Adamawa Central whose gross desire is to become the next Governor of the state.
In order to further implement its strategic plan of advancing Science, Technology and Innovation (STI) on the African continent, African Scientific, Research and Innovation Council (ASRIC) brought together scientific minds from across the Africa and diaspora.
A free and fair election is defined by political scientists as an election in which coercion is comparatively uncommon. It involves political freedoms and fair processes leading up to the vote, a fair count of eligible voters who cast ballots, and acceptance of election results by all parties. An election may partially meet international standards for free and fair elections, or may meet some standards but not others.