March 13, (THEWILL) – Dr Yemi Farounbi is a veteran journalist, ace broadcaster and former Nigerian Ambassador to Philippines . In this interview with AYO ESAN, he speaks on the recently signed Electoral Act 2021, INEC’s preparation for the 2023 general election and the Russia-Ukraine war, among other issues. Excerpts:
After much delay, President Muhammadu Buhari finally signed the 2021 Electoral Act Amendment Bill into law. What is your reaction to this?
I am not sure that there was a delay. President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Amendment bill into law within the stipulated time allowed by the Constitution. So it was perfectly in order.
How will the new law affect the forthcoming general election?
There are provisions that will enhance transparency in the conduct of the election. The Electoral Act allows for the use of electronic devices in the collation of results, should the INEC decide to do so. The Act formally approves the use of card readers. It ensures that the kind of situation witnessed during a governorship election in Kogi, where the candidate died and an outsider got the ticket, will be tidily resolved in the future. The Act has provided for a longer campaign period because of the time specified for political parties to nominate candidates. This may mean higher campaign costs. This early submission of names of candidates happily closed the doors against new political parties, including the ‘Third Force’ or ‘Mega Party’, unless such movements will adopt one of the existing 18 parties. This, of course, makes voting easier for the electorate. It should be easier for the electorate to make a choice out of 18 parties than making a choice out of the unwieldy 86 parties of 2019
Are you satisfied with INEC’s preparation for the 2023 general election so far? How do you see the new timetable which stipulates that political parties must produce the candidates for the general election latest on June 3, 2022?
The Electoral Act has just become law. The Act provides the ground-norm for INEC’s operations. So the commission cannot be assessed yet.
As for the time table and the June 3 nomination deadline, INEC has complied with the provisions of the Act, which we all clamoured for.
The United States Government has urged Nigeria to ensure that there won’t be violence during the 2023 general election. What is your take on this?
The US Government’s statement is quite good. It would have been unnecessary if we didn’t have a history of electoral violence. One of the pillars of democracy is free, fair and peaceful elections. We still recall with nostalgia the June 12, 1993 presidential election for being the fairest and freest election held in Nigeria. Recreating that peaceful scenario in 2023 is a worthy and desirable goal.
What is your advice to the electorate as we prepare for next year’s general election?
The 2023 general election offers Nigerians an opportunity to chart a new path of socio-economic growth and development of our country. The election will offer all Nigerians the opportunity to elect those who will be able to effectively tackle the security, economic, political and social challenges facing the country.
The electorate must carefully screen the candidates on the basis of their vision for the country, their competence and character. The electorate must not be carried away by the sizes of bank accounts, the religious beliefs of the candidates or their ethnic nationality or language preferences. The electorate must be guided by objective criteria of competence, capability, performance, knowledge, mental horsepower, understanding of problems facing the nation and the appropriateness of the prescribed solutions.
What kind of person do you expect to emerge as the next president of Nigeria?
My position has always been that there’s no one who is good and fit to be president all the time. The kind of person required to be president changes from time to time, depending on the pervading situation and problems in the country. That is why I believe the serial candidates who offer themselves ought to be ignored because they probably don’t know the changing needs of the country.
The contemporary problems that need to be addressed and resolved by the incoming president include poor performing economy, poverty, hunger, security and challenges, including terrorism, kidnapping, banditry and of course, structural problems, including self determination demands and breakaway movements.
So the incoming president must be able to unite the people, offer them hope, peace, joy and economic growth and development. He must have clearly well defined road maps for solving these problems. His vision and goals must go beyond slogans. It must include specific measurable goals in terms of quality, quantity, time and cost.
The new president must be good enough to attract the best brains from all parts of the country. His world view must not be handicapped by ethnic, religious and partisan blinds.
What is your advice to President Muhammadu Buhari concerning the suffering of the average Nigerian?
President Muhammadu Buhari must carefully understand the root causes of these problems. Many Nigerians believe that overcentralisation of the country is a major limiting factor for our economy. Most Nigerians believe there is a need to restructure the country, to reduce the overconcentration of functions, responsibilities and resources in the centre, to make the federating units more capable and responsive to the yearnings and aspirations of the people at the grass roots.
To me, a great legacy that President Buhari can still leave is a restructured Nigeria that is well-positioned for growth and development
What is your position on zoning of the presidency by political parties?
Ordinarily we should be looking for the best candidates on the basis of merit.
However because of the history of our country, our antecedents, the search for merit must be anchored in the need of all Nigerians to have equal access to the highest political position in the country. That is the genesis for the unwritten practice of rotation of positions between the South and the North. Inbuilt into this is the rotation between the major religious persuasions. It is the perception that the second term bid of former President Goodluck Ebele Jonathan would disrupt this rotation principle that contributed to his defeat in 2015. Just as the rejection of a possible third term bid for Chief Olusegun Obasanjo was because it was seen as a violation of this unwritten rotation principle.
Perhaps when Nigeria reaches a level of political maturity, the search for merit will be the only guiding factor. Based on this convention, the Presidency must be zoned to the South against 2023 general election.
As a former diplomat, what is your reaction to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war?
The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine represents the greatest threat to world peace, order, stability and perhaps, human existence since 1945.
It represents the greatest threat to the continuing existence and survival of small independent nations, if the principle of might is right, as reflected in this war, becomes the rule. The matter between both countries must be handled carefully. The continuing isolation of Russia may push Putin into taking extreme action that may harm he thuman existence. It may be necessary to adopt the stick and carrot approach. The door for negotiation must be left open. It will be important to correctly assess and understand the mental and emotional profile of the Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Of course, the inviolability of the sovereignty of every independent nation, no matter how small or big, is also sacrosanct
About the Author
AYO ESAN, has been actively reporting and analyzing political events for different newspapers for over 18 years. He has also successfully covered national and state elections in Nigeria since the inception of this democracy in 1999.
