Democracy is supposed to be a system of government that should promote peace, development and progress for the people of the nations. It is supposed to be a system that should unite the people and uplift the nations, but in Africa, democracy is turning bloody and becoming a system of anarchy and assisting corruption.
Democracy as a government of the people for the people is giving the authority upper hands to acquit and offer amnesty to selected individuals confined for corruptions and other felony. In Nigeria, such cases are examples of how democracy helped in flourishing corruption and crimes.
Different countries in the world have different ways of exercising their political campaigns, and in Nigeria, the nature of our political campaigns is very contentious and hazardous.
For very long, we have been missing precious souls of our youths in the name of promoting democracy. Political campaigns have become lucrative channels of stealing, arm-robbery and arson in the face of authorities and securities.
No one is spared, and our security operatives cannot curb the whole problems associated with political campaigns because of their limitation.
Citizens that should be happy that time have come to support their candidates and aspirants but are afraid to do so because of the nature of our campaigns in Nigeria.
Thugs seize great opportunities in political campaigns to enrich themselves and commit crimes freely. They accost motorist in the broad daylight to confiscate valuable items, attack passersby, and to pickpockets. People become wary when it is time of political campaigns, their safety is not guaranteed and their rights of movement become impediments.
No one is safe; some politicians can do anything for power. Chaos, crises and mayhem had become the causes of death of hundreds of people in Nigeria before and after the elections. We have seen many incidences where political thugs of other parties or aspirants block ways for other teams because of political sentiment. This is unlawful, but it happened.
Thugs take politics as their business and for them alone. They collect money for the higher bidder to do anything for money. They recruit members of their caliber to protect the interest of their pay-masters.
Now, that another time of general elections has come. People are not safe.
On the 17th of October, 2022 in Kaduna state, during the campaign of Atiku Abubakar, it was reported that his supporters were attacked before the eyes of people; phones and valuable items were carted away. For such campaigns people cannot conduct their businesses because of thieves.
And, upon all these problems that happen to innocent people and the nation; should we continue to live happily like this? We must have a second thought to safeguard the people and our democracy.
In developed countries, even with their tight security they don’t hold open campaigns for the safety of the people. Most of their campaigns are disseminated on the media and the same system can work in Nigeria. We are opportune to have the social media, the print media, and the mass media that can reach all the nook and the cranny of our country and beyond.
This can reduce cost of the campaigns and also the contesting forms of parties, it can save lives and give the voters armful opportunities to response to contestants via phone calls. This will simply reduce the hectic engagements of the aspirants to speak to people. Through the media, there is golden opportunity of keeping people informed at a convenient time. Campaigns on the media will relinquish tension and chaos campaigns rallies and will provide peaceful and progressive campaigns in Nigeria, and Nigeria should act now for the good of our democracy and the progress of the nation.
Politics should not be the reason for our fear, lost and death. It should be a good way of promoting our unity, peace and progress if government and INEC can have a second thought on our politics.
Auwal Ahmed Ibrahim (Goronyo)
Lecturer,
Mass Communication Department,
Kaduna Polytechnic.
