DOI: 10.21276/sjhss.2017.2.1.10 Saudi Journal of Humanities and Social Sciences ISSN 2415-6256 (Print) Scholars Middle East Publishers ISSN 2415-6248 (Online) Dubai, United Arab Emirates Website: http://scholarsmepub.com/ The 2015 Presidential Election and the Concession of Defeat by Goodluck Jonathan: A Recipe for the Consolidation of Democracy in Nigeria Dr. Akaayar Felix Ahokegh1 1Department of History & International studies, Kogi State University, Anyigba. *Corresponding Author: Dr. Akaayar Felix Ahokegh Email: [email protected] Abstract: Nigeria’s federal system concentrates enormous political and economic powers in the centre. Thus, politics for the control of this very powerful centre have always been tense and often result to crises. This paper examines the political variables that accounted for power-shift, from the incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan of the Peoples’ Democratic Party to Mohammadu Buhari of the All Progressive Congress. The paper holds that Jonathan’s acceptance of defeat opens a new chapter in the political history of Nigeria, which invariably would translate to the consolidation of democracy in the country. As a mark of conclusion, the paper suggests the following palliatives: politicians should sustain the Goodluck Jonathan spirit of sportsmanship, demonetization of the polity and a redefinition of the nation’s federal system, to devolve more powers to the component parts. Keywords: Nigeria, federal system, economic powers INTRODUCTION fortunes and between the Niger Delta communities and Democratic governance is about election [1], successive governments for compensation due to the which everywhere in the world produces competition degradation of their environment caused by oil spillage for political offices. In most places, precisely in Africa, [3]. The worst form of the evils of the oil regime is the the tone of rivalry amongst competitors sometimes abatement of ethnic antagonism; in form of allegations makes one to wonder if the aim of the competition is of marginalization. Very often, this cry points at the not of self-serving interest. Since independence of ethnic group whose person is the president of the Nigeria in 1960 and most profoundly after the discovery country. The fact that the man who becomes president of oil, the desire to control the centre, which obviously of Nigeria has all the powers that can hardly be leads to the control the nation’s resources, has been a imagined, the battle for the position has been a fierce thorny issue. one, involving the application of the worst instruments of campaign, as witnessed in the history of election in It was this very craze to sit on the oil wealth of the country. the nation that made the military to abandon their professional responsibility of protecting the territorial Of course, there has never been any time in the integrity of Nigeria for governance. To control the oil history of Nigeria’s election that the actors forgot the wealth, in 1972 Gen. Yakubu Gowon entrusted the enormous powers in the centre, as vested in the management of the nation’s oil resources to the Nigeria president. In the 1979 presidential election for example, National Oil Corporation (NNOC) and declared that all the political parties were ethnic-based. The three oil properties not already owned at the time, by foreign leading political parties were the northern-based entities, legally and automatically became the properties National Party of Nigeria (NPC), with Alhaji Shehu of the government. To further ensure the absolute Shagari as its presidential candidate; the eastern-based control of the oil resource by the federal government, Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP) fronted Dr. Nnamdi the Nigerian constitution provides that all minerals, oil Azikiwe as its presidential candidate and the western- and gas, regardless of their area of location, are the based Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN), which presented exclusive properties of the federal government, who Chief Obafemi Awolowo as its presidential candidate. reserves the right to negotiate the terms of oil Though, the political parties represented the three major production with the private firms[2]. ethnic groups of Hausa-Fulani, Igbo and Yoruba respectively, their membership cut across the entire So, oil wealth has become an albatross that country and candidates traversed the country, somehow literally strangles the nation. It has been a potential freely. Though, campaigns for the 1979 presidential source of conflict between the Niger Delta communities election portrayed clearly the divisions in the society, in attempt to outplay one another for control of the oil yet they were not as horrific as witnessed in the 2015 58 Akaayar Felix Ahokegh.; Saudi J. Humanities Soc. Sci.; Vol-2, Iss-1(Jan, 2017):58-65 presidential election, which hinged heavily on hate, of political power and forgoing the control of the slander, bigotry and intimidation. It is still memorable nation’s oil wealth, which the constitution heaped in the that Chief Awolowo during one of his presidential centre. Yet, the constitution of Nigeria does not permit campaigns tours of the country literally begged the a third term. Visibly disturbed, and as a show of crowed to give him the opportunity to rule Nigeria, helplessness and bitterness, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo even if for a day. There is no doubt that he obviously attempted to tinker with the constitution; to amend the eyed the nation’s wealth and power, which the centre relevant provision for a third term ticket. Though, his holds. However, arising from the policy of his 1960 effort ended in futility, it never presented a picture of political party, the Action Group (AG) in the western the total rejection of his idea. While the generality of region; free education, one inclines to believe he had the Nigerian electorate rejected the idea, his cohorts and hoped to stay loner as Nigeria’s president; more than cronies supported it. The attempt at tempering with the just one day, to extend his free education policy constitution to secure a third term bait by Chief throughout the country. Obasanjo is understood against the backdrop of the crisis of leadership in Africa, as a whole and Nigeria, in Good as his intention appeared to be, the 1979 particular. presidential results, which showed that Chief Awolowo lost became a matter of controversy. According to him, It is pertinent to note that the nation’s electoral the election did not produce an outright winner at the umpire has always functioned as appendage to the first count. This was because Alhaji Shehu Shagari did government in power. It has always shown great not satisfy the two conditions stipulated by the electoral incapacity to act independently, maybe because the law simultaneously. This was that though, he scored the government appoints its members and provides it with highest total votes but did not secure the required one- the finances to carry out logistics required for election. third (25%) of the total votes cast in two-thirds (13 Frankly and courageously, President Umaru Musa Yar States) of the 19 States of the federation. He Adua admitted that the 2007 presidential election that consequently sought interpretation of some issues in produced him had short-comings. It is felt that the term court. However, on 26th September, 1979 the Supreme short-coming was a mild way of expressing the court presided by Justice Fatai Williams decided in situation. Indeed, what Nigerians saw during the 2007 favour of Alhaji Shehu Shagari, thereby reaffirming the presidential election were rigging, destruction of declaration of Federal electoral Commission property, killing of human beings, etc. President Yar (FEDECO) [4]. Adua admonished politicians as he further reiterated that: Table-1: Result of the 1979 Presidential Election The history of election in Nigeria had been that PARTY VOTES SCORED % SCORED of controversies…the responsibilities for all NPN 5668857 33.77 the failures lay mostly with the political actors. UPN 4916651 29.18 No matter the legislations, no matter the efforts NPP 2822523 16.75 we put at electoral reforms, unless we the PRP 1732113 10.28 political leaders change our attitude towards GNPP 1686489 10.02 election, we will continue to have problems Source: Federal Electoral Commission, 1979 [5]. Alhaji Shagari’s NPN formed a coalition The 2015 Presidential Election: Campaigns, Voting government with Azikiwe’s NPP, thus isolating Chief and Collation of Results Awolowo’s UPN, the same manner that his Action The Independent National Electoral Commission Group was isolated in the 1960s. (INEC) had sets clearly the contour of the 2015 general elections, including the conduct of campaigns and The 1999 and 2004 presidential elections, voting. In the way that past elections in Nigeria have which saw Chief Olusegun Obasanjo ruling the country been a matter of do or die, the manner in which the for eight years were equally fierce. Just out of prison, 2015 elections, especially the presidential election was many Nigerians did not see him as a suitable conducted, appeared to be war. Supporters of the presidential candidate, having not freed himself from Peoples’ Democratic Party (PDP) candidate and the trauma of his incarceration. However, for reasons incumbent President, Goodluck Jonathan helplessly quite unknown to many Nigerians, ex-military officers prayed for the death of Muhammadu Buhari, the All and top politicians from northern Nigeria preferred him. Progressive Congress (APC) presidential flag-bearer This explains the allegation that northern ex-military and leading challenger to Goodluck Jonathan. This officers aided in manipulating the election for someone mind-set generated hate campaigns against Buhari as in that they trusted; a former compatriot in the military, the preceding information: who could cover up their administrative mistakes and The Ekiti State governor, Peter Ayodele crimes. At the expiry of his second term, President Fayose warned that Nigerians should not vote Obasanjo began to feel the pains of exiting the corridors Buhari because he was too old and sick.