Being a Speech Presented at the Public Presentation of CSMG on Ekiti Re-run Election Report at International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, June 13, 2009.

The Civil Society Monitoring Group (CSMG) on Ekiti Re-run Election report presents Nigeria at a junction. When you get to a junction, there are many possible routes that you can take. Any route you decide to take will take you to a particular destination. For you to decide on the route to take, you must take into cognizance where you are coming from and where you are going to.
Nigeria is coming from 99 years of colonial rule (1861 – 1960) and 29 years of military rule (1966 – 79 & 83 – 99). At independence in 1960, there was a lot of celebration and expectation that political independence that will allow Nigerians to elect their leaders will usher in a period of growth, opportunities and development. The political elite squandered the goodwill and the military struck in 1966. Military rule ushered in arbitrariness, authoritarianism, militarization, institutionalized corruption, and imposition on the people. The Nigerian people fought the military and forced military officers and the military as an institution to ‘step aside’ from political leadership. The fight against military rule was led by CSOs (CD, UAD, JACON etc), professional organizations (NBA, NMA), labour, progressive intellectuals and the media.
Then enter civil rule (not democratic rule) in 1999. Expectations of Nigeria for greater opportunities, better life and dividends of democracy reached a crescendo. Ten years later, this goodwill, which is a necessity to mobilize the creative potential of citizens for development of any Nation has been squandered by the political elite. There is now a lot of cynicism and anger in the land. Many people prefer to resort to self-help rather than utilize formal and legal mechanism to resolve disputes and conflicts which are part and parcel of all human endeavour. The situation in the Niger delta amply illustrates this. This is a great tragedy for our Nation and portends danger if not addressed.
It has been documented that the 2007 election is the worst in the history of elections in Nigeria. Any serious individual, organization and Nation will therefore put all machinery in motion to redress the situation. The Uwais electoral panel report has attempted to proffer some solutions to the challenges of elections in Nigeria.
The Ekiti re-run election therefore provided a ray of hope for possible change of attitude and the way election is conducted. But our experience in Ekiti and this report have demonstrated that this hope is unfulfilled.
Nigeria is therefore at a junction with many possible routes.
Route One: Ignore the strident call for electoral reform. Continue business as usual. Mobilize thugs and weapons instead of voters. Naturally, excluded people will resort to self-help and anarchy results. This is what the Nigerian 2025 team calls jaga-jaga republic
Route Two: (Shine-your-eye). There will be a few changes in the electoral law. The fundamental changes required such as independence of INEC in terms of appointment, tenure, and funding will be ignored. The government will become more repressive and govern by rule of force instead of rule of law. This scenario is called by the Nigerian 2025 team as shine-your-eye.
Route Three: There will be some reforms combined with propaganda. Some level of confidence will be restored. Politicians will believe that the changes will be sufficient to move forward. 2011 elections will be conducted and it will be worse than 2007. This is what the Nigerian 2025 team calls parambulator. We will move around in circles and there will be no improvement in content and quality.
Route Four: We-don-win. The political elite in both ruling and opposition parties, citizens, CSOs, Labour, the Media and all patriots will agree on the need for comprehensive and fundamental reform of the electoral process. The Uwais report is used as a basis for the reform. Credible individuals are appointed into the electoral body. The law, circumstances, citizens, CSOs, Security agencies and the electoral body make it impossible for ANY individual or political party to perpetuate electoral irregularities. Elections are conducted in 2011 and adjudged by local and international observers to be credible, free and fair. The elected officials place public service above selfish interest and personal aggrandizement. Nigeria heads towards achievement of the MDGs in 2015 and being among one of the twenty largest economies by 2020. This is the desired route and all patriotic Nigerians must strive to achieve this.
Dear compatriots, Nigeria is at a cross-road. There are four possible routes to be taken. If we leave the decision of which road to take to the political elite, we can hazard the guess of which route Nigeria as a Nation will go.
This is not the time to lament about the challenges of electoral democracy and development in Nigeria. It is a time to organize and ensure that Nigeria takes the correct route that will lead to growth, improved well-being of the citizens and development. We all have responsibilities to ensure that Nigeria takes the correct route.
God bless you all.