News Editor
By Emmanuel Onwubiko
“Each nationality contains its centre of happiness within itself”-John Gottfried Herder (1744-1803)”.
The above opening quote presupposes logically that Countries are by nature endowed or imbued with institutions that work basically to spread happiness to and amongst the citizens.
Remember the governor of one of the South East states not too long ago who came up with the idea of an office of the Commissioner for happiness?
In the case of that governor who never really meant well to spread real happiness to his fellow citizens but rather carved out that office for his biological sister and by so doing, the essence of creating that office was defeated from the word go. But here is a man who by scholarship, concrete contributions to intellectualism and advancement of humanity, pushed the boundaries of happiness to touch the hearts and minds of his audiences.
That philosopher is Johann Gottfried Herder, who by affirming the above quote we adapted to this piece, meant that every Country ought to have an office holder whose duty entails spreading happiness to the greatest percentage of the citizenry.
The above explanation, elementary as it is, takes us to the core ideology of the utilitarian school of thought which shares the central message that leadership involves the spreading of happiness to the greatest percentage of the citizens.
The aforementioned were the exact impressions that came flooding my sub-consciousness when I planned to reflect on some basic things carried through successfully by President Muhammadu Buhari that inherently, have the capacity to significantly improve the quality of governance and therefore make constitutional democracy better and utilitarian. Not a lot of my readers will agree even by the remotest margins, that the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari has indeed spread happiness to the greatest percentage of the citizenry. This is because by failing willfully to contain security threats and the terrorism of armed Fulani herdsmen against farmers, President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration will be remembered forever for sparing, pampering and permitting acts of terrorism by a set of lawless gangsters who felt immune to the consequences of their action just by the mere coincidence that they share same ethnicity and religious faith with President Muhammadu Buhari who has total control and command of the armed forces of the Federation. President Muhammadu Buhari can rewrite his history of infamy by arresting, prosecuting and punishing terrorists of all affiliations now before his tenure comes to an end. This is not what I’m out to write about. I’m writing about certain good deeds of the President who in the judgment of the majority of Nigerians has done badly in the area of securing lives and property of the citizens which happens to be his primary lawful duty as President.
First and foremost, the theme of my reflection is not to convey the idea that President Buhari has only done three wise things since he became the president of Nigeria. But because the current government has done so badly in key indices of governance and national security, it is therefore of imperative need that whereas we have criticised his failings, we are also obliged as objective analysts to appraise his good deeds.
All these identifiable trinitarian wise decisions in my judgment that president Muhammadu Buhari has done were all accomplished in the last twelve months of his statutory non-renewal 8 year tenures of 4- years each.
These are the decision by President Muhammadu Buhari to reorganize the texture of the Independent National Electoral Commission to reposition the body to be in a good mood legally and operationally to carry out a free, fair and transparent 2023 elections, all things being equal.
The biggest of the decision on INEC was the appointment of the Abia State’s born technocrat and foundation staff of INEC to the peak of his career as National Commissioner in the person of Mr. Kenneth Ukeagu.
The phenomenal decision of president Buhari came under strident attacks by those who think that staff of INEC must never reach their apogee as National Commissioners because it has never happened previously and should retire as Directors against what obtains in Federal ministries whereby in-house staff rise to the peak to the position of permanent secretary.
President Buhari stood his ground and broke that jinx and from my investigation, the entire staff of INEC are galvanised, energised and tremendously motivated that for a first time in history, the head of state has passed the message clearly that any staff who works competently and meritoriously, can as well attain the lofty height within the independent National Electoral Commission.
This bold decision of president Buhari regarding the constitution of INEC and the appointment of one of INEC’s Premier staff to the position of National Commissioner reminds me of the 18th century Europe when enlightenment philosophers tried to show how the light of reason could lead the human race out of superstition.
By his appointment of INEC’S Staff Mr. Ukegu as National Commissioners of INEC, President Buhari successfully proved that the light of rational thinking can lead Nigerians in contemporary times out of the superstition that INEC staff must never rise to the peak of the career to become a National Commissioner.
This is huge and significant in terms of symbolism and pragmatism.
Now, the newly elevated National Commissioner who is vastly knowledgeable and experienced as a technocrat who has worked within INEC for over two decades, does not have to undergo trainings and coaching’s which usually are given to University tutors who were often the persons monopolizing appointments in INEC over the years. There were also many leading lights in the organised civil society organizations that applauded the President for this historic feat.
Expressing his opinion on the appointment, Alhaji Aminu Alkali, Chairman of the National Integration Forum (NIF), a political pressure group, observed that the appointment was not consequent on political exigency but based purely on experience and due diligence.
Alkali said Ukeagu had gathered adequate experience in his 30 years stint at INEC most of which he spent in organising logistics for elections till he became the Director of Procurement.
“Ukeagu’s appointment is unique being the first member of staff or an insider to be so appointed by any president; President Buhari needs to be commended for the innovation, sense of judgment, and the futuristic reforms in the commission,’’ he said.
“Aside being a round peg in a round hole, the appointment is an indication that hard work pays and it will encourage members of staff of the Commission to look up to scaling to top of the ladder as well as usher in unfettered commitment that will boost the nascent democracy.
“This appointment is a further step taken to discourage corruption in electoral system as well as a step taken in the president’s usual manner of refining the system.’’
Similarly, Mr Hakim Afolabi of the Centre for Transparency and Accountability, said “It was not made to deny or diminish any state or region of their slots but based on national interest which sometimes should be injected and blended into critical institutions.’’
“I see the appointee making critical and substantial inputs into the electoral process because of his institutional experience.
“President Buhari has thus set a precedent in the history of the Commission, a goal which no one can fault.
“This is hope rising for other employees and an energiser for more commitment, honesty, hard work, integrity. It is now in the mind that there is brighter future and not vain toil.’’
“Ken’, as he is popularly known, will not be required to go through the ropes on the job because he is in his original turf. Time is of essence because elections are here.
“NASS should regard this appointment as dramatic injection of reforms and an encouragement that would give birth to a better tomorrow.
“It is a blow to mediocrity that had dogged the Commission and the political landscape in the past.’’
Also commenting on the appointment, the National Vanguard for the Nigerian State (NVNS) says election management is practical.
It added that it could only be efficient when professional experience, logistic and technical knowledge, data analytic skills and innovative technology came to play; all these Ukeagu had acquired over the last 30 years as an insider in INEC.
Dr Andrew Asemota, its National Coordinator observed that though appointment of professors as national commissioners was good, the professors are experts in their various fields and not necessarily in election management.
He said that election management required special skills, innovation and vast experience and knowledge that would assist the process when driven by professionals.
“You cannot know more than the person who has been in the scheme and system for more than 30 years,’’ he said.
He added that with less than 14 months into the very important 2023 general elections, the likes of Ukeagu, a sociologist by training are needed to boost the system and ensure hitch-free conduct.
Reportedly, the Fifty-six-year-old Ukeagu is the first serving or even retired INEC employee to be appointed as National Commissioner since the Commission was created in 1999.
Ukeagu, from Abia State, aside being a sociologist, has acquired many training in electoral management both within and outside Nigeria, including in the U.S, the bastion of democracy.
His career in INEC spans over 30 years, cutting his teeth as a member of the National Youth Service Corps in the Commission from where he rose through the ranks to become an electoral manager especially in electoral logistics.
He worked on several election rounds as Electoral Logistics Officer at the INEC Headquarters, Abuja.
He was Director Logistics in Electoral Operations and used his technical experience and electoral managerial skills to assist to ensure the smooth conduct of general elections in 2011, 2015, and 2019.
To his credit, Mr Ukeagu developed logistics plans for procurement and delivery of materials required for electoral activities including those used in 2003 general elections.
He also developed the transportation plan for the nationwide deployment of men and materials for the conduct of voters’ registration exercise and the 2003 general elections.
Ukeagu designed ballot papers and result sheets used for the conduct of the 2007 general elections and successfully handled deployment of men and materials for the elections.
He also developed Advisory Architecture for securing men and materials deployed for the 2007, 2010 and 2015 general elections.
He introduced customisation of ballot papers and result sheets deployed for the 2011 and 2015 General Elections.
This innovation reduced time spent in result management at the end of polling as well as cost of materials as they were produced to reflect the actual number of political parties participating in the elections. So President Muhammadu Buhari got this decision right.
The second decision is president Buhari’s insistence on following the law regarding his exit.
The President, Muhammadu Buhari in Lafia, Nasarawa State, said he has sworn by the Holy Quran and cannot go beyond two terms in office.
He noted that leaders who take the oath of office, swearing with the Holy Book must be careful not to abuse the trust of leadership placed on them by the people and God.
Buhari, who is on a two-day state visit to Nasarawa, said this during a courtesy visit to the palace of Emir of Lafia, Sidi Muhammad 1, reaffirmed that he had no intention to stay beyond the constitutionally-recognised two terms of office as President.
The Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement he signed on Thursday titled, ‘President Buhari: leaders who swear by the Holy Book must not abuse public office.’
The statement quoted Buhari as saying that traditional ruler was on a terminal appointment but constitutionally, elected public office holders were not.
The President said, “I cannot go beyond two terms, and I have sworn by the Holy Quran that I will uphold the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“Politics apart, whenever we are made to swear by the Holy Quran, we have to be careful. We must make sure that we do not abuse the trust God has given us as leaders. I have seen former governors here, and I am looking forward to becoming a former President.”
Due to the continued delay in signing the Electoral Act Amendment Bill, the main opposition political party, Peoples Democratic Party, on Tuesday said the delay might be a tenure elongation plan by the Buhari regime.
It said, “Less than a year to the 2023 general elections, President Buhari and the APC are at it again. Expectedly, the current anti-people scheme against the Electoral Act Amendment Bill by the APC administration is heightening apprehensions across the country of furtive plots by APC leaders to orchestrate a constitutional impasse that can railroad our democracy into an emergency tenure elongation, induced election postponement, self-succession or worst still an interim government situation.”
The third decision in the trinity of wise decisions was the signing into law of landmark alterations to the electoral Act 2022.
President Muhammadu Buhari signed into law the amended Electoral Bill, Friday, February 25. Below are the 10 key provisions of the new Electoral Act: Clause 29(1) stipulates that parties must conduct primaries and submit their list of candidates at least 180 days before the general elections; Clause 65 states that INEC can review results declared under duress; Clause 3(3) states that funds for general elections must be released at least one year before the election; Clause 51 says that the total number of accredited voters will become a factor in determining over-voting at election tribunals; Clause 54(2) makes provisions for people with disabilities and special needs; Clause 47 gives legislative backing for smart card readers and any other voter accreditation technology that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) deploys; Clause 34 gives political parties power to conduct a primary election to replace a candidate who died during an election; Clause 50 gives INEC the legal backing for electronic transmission of election results; Clause 94 allows for early commencement of the campaign season. By this provision, the campaign season will now start 150 days to the election day and end 24 hours before the election; Clause 84 stipulates that anyone holding a political office – ministers, commissioners, special advisers, and others – must relinquish the position before they can be eligible to participate in the electoral process either as a candidate or as a delegate. (Courtesy of Vanguard Newspaper Nigeria).
Love him or hate him, on these three scores, President Muhammadu Buhari has done well. He could do much better if he de-escalate the tensions around the Country by being very tolerant of opposing tendencies and opinions and by releasing all freedom fighters such as Nnamdi Kanu and others that his government is holding as political hostages in underground cells of the DSS.
*EMMANUEL ONWUBIKO is head of the HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) and was federal commissioner of the NATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION OF NIGERIA. He can be reached on www.huriwanigeria.org, www.thenigerianinsidernews.com.
