The 2019 Presidential election of Nigeria was like a coup against the Nigerian people by the political elites that hold the resources of state. Families mourned 47 members killed during the ill-fated Nigerian Presidential elections of 2019 and many voters were disenfranchised. The so-called election results did not in any way reflect the votes and will of the Nigerian people home and abroad. After stealing the people’s mandate, losers are urged to go to court by the purported winner. Votes were burnt in the presence of police officers. Returning officers were forced to write results at gun point. Government officials were seen using soldiers to intimidate and kill Nigerians. People were killed in broad daylight by the same forces of darkness that have truncated the destiny of Nigeria.
I set out to evaluate the processes and outcome of the election with a view to making recommendations that will improve reforms.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Electioneering
3. Recommendations
Objectives & Themes
The document provides a critical analysis of the 2019 Nigerian Presidential election, characterizing the process as a systematic disenfranchisement and an act of violence against the Nigerian populace. It investigates the manipulation of electoral results, the role of state security forces in intimidation, and the underlying culture of political corruption, ultimately advocating for urgent structural electoral reforms.
- Critique of electoral integrity and democratic processes in Nigeria.
- Analysis of violence, state-sponsored intimidation, and the role of the military in elections.
- Examination of systemic corruption within the political elite and the electoral commission (INEC).
- Proposals for electoral reform, including the introduction of electronic voting and diaspora voting.
Excerpt from the Book
Electioneering
The good thing about the election is that Nigerians now have the courage to stand before their political oppressors and call them Ole which is a pidgin English parlance for Thief. It is equally shameful that some politicians like Stella Oduah and Peter Nwaoboshi whose names were officially published for looting our treasury were returned to the Senate to make laws for Nigerians. Other persons with pending EFCC cases have returned to office. They have re-invested what they stole into the system in a government purportedly fighting corruption. We are not saying that Atiku would have been better. He is part of the problems we have in Nigeria today from his antecedence. APC and PDP equally rigged. APC out-rigged PDP because they are criminal bed fellows. That is their definition of Change. Atiku has just redistributed some of the money he allegedly stole from Nigeria according to Olusegun Obasanjo.
Atiku wanted to re-invest his loot in order to expand his business empire but nemesis caught up with him. He will spend more because he is going to court. Obasanjo did not find Atiku fit to be his Vice President yet he recommended Atiku to be our president. Who needs the advice of any living Nigerian President? They never meant good and they never did well. Look around you and see whether we have ONE former president that we can put his face on our national currency. None! PDP equally rigged the election especially in states controlled by PDP Governors. That is the same way Governors install their stooges to organize local government elections, write the results in their hotel rooms and disenfranchise citizens of the state. Now Atiku has reeled out six points that he wants Buhari to attend to. Atiku wants the frozen bank account of corrupt politicians to be unfrozen. Little wonder he campaigned that he was coming to enrich his friends.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides an overview of the 2019 Nigerian Presidential election, framing it as a coup against the citizens characterized by state-sponsored violence and massive disenfranchisement.
Electioneering: Critiques the behavior of political candidates, the pervasive corruption within political parties, and the systematic failure of the electoral process to reflect the true will of the people.
Recommendations: Suggests essential reforms to improve future electoral processes, including electronic voting, allowing diaspora voting, and ending the use of soldiers in electoral supervision.
Keywords
2019 Nigerian Presidential Election, Electoral Integrity, Political Corruption, Voter Disenfranchisement, INEC, State-Sponsored Violence, Electronic Voting, Diaspora Voting, Democratic Reform, APC, PDP, Human Rights, Military Intervention, Election Rigging, Accountability.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this document?
The document provides a critical examination of the 2019 Nigerian Presidential election, arguing that it was fundamentally flawed, violent, and undermined the democratic process.
What are the central themes discussed in this work?
The central themes include political corruption, the militarization of elections, the failure of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), and the struggle for genuine democratic reform in Nigeria.
What is the central research question or thesis?
The author argues that the 2019 election was not a legitimate democratic event, but rather a "coup" against the Nigerian people orchestrated by political elites to retain power through violence and manipulation.
Which methodology is applied here?
The work employs a critical-analytical and testimonial approach, drawing upon observations, reports from external observers like the EU, and historical context to evaluate the electoral process.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body details the corruption of political figures, the misuse of security forces during the elections, specific incidents of violence, and the failure of the electoral management system.
Which keywords best characterize this publication?
The core keywords include electoral integrity, political violence, systemic corruption, and electoral reform in the context of Nigerian democracy.
How does the author characterize the role of Nigerian youth during the election?
The author expresses disappointment, noting that many youths were manipulated or sponsored by political oppressors to act as thugs rather than agents of democratic change.
What specific technological solution is proposed for future elections?
The author proposes the transition to an electronic voting system where data from Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) is integrated with mobile phone SIM cards to allow for safer, more accessible voting.
What is the significance of the "persona non grata" declaration in the text?
It represents a formal denouncement by a coalition of Nigerians in the diaspora against specific political figures accused of masterminding electoral malpractice and violence.
- Quote paper
- Maureen Okagbare (Author), 2019, Violence and the Political Coup of the 2019 Nigerian Presidential Election, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/505890
