What Politicians Will Not Tell You!

The pre-election phase includes all the activities before the elections. These activities include the listing of political parties, the purchase of nomination and expression of interest forms, submission of forms for various electoral positions, screening of the forms and the individuals for the different positions, the party primaries through which party flag-bearers for various electoral positions emerge, the formation of campaign councils, and the campaigns proper. In summary, everything that happens before the election-day falls under this phase.

There is also a lot going on at the electoral administration level by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). They issue the guidelines, recognize the parties, and also issue timelines for every party activities including the elections. In other words, the parties and the candidates always have to follow to the letter the guidelines and timelines issued by the electoral body, because all these statutory regulations are of crucial importance for the three phases of the electoral cycle.

The most heated parts of the pre-election phase are the party primaries and the campaigns. Nobody can occupy any electoral position without first winning the party primaries and becoming a party-flagbearer.  It is quite commonsensical that this stage is usually charged and  in some cases, even more charged than the actual elections because those interested in the covetous positions have to do all they can to clinch the party ticket as a necessary condition for winning the election in question. Whoever fails to win party primaries of course cannot bear the party flag and so, has lost out already.

This stage of party primaries is filled with consultations and lobbying for support. Because some politicians are more established than others and some occupy higher positions in the party hierarchy, that the aspirants fall over heels to win their endorsement and support, which signifies that they are the chosen ones. This doesn’t in itself amount to electoral victory, but it is a crucial activity. In Nigerian politics those who exercise such huge electoral influence are called “godfathers” because, if their party is a majority party, it means that whoever emerges winner at the party primaries stands a very good chance of victory in the polls. Although political upstarts can pull a shocker and defeat candidates of established parties, but this is usually the exception rather than the norm.  Winning party primaries can be an expensive enterprise. The delegates are the main deciding factor in any primary election, especially when it is a direct primary. A lot of intrigues and politicking go on at this point.

Having won the party primaries, the candidate begins his/her campaigns according to INEC’s guidelines but backed by the party structure, support, and resources.

Campaign is a tedious and unremitting affair until few days to election. It is the candidate’s opportunity to interface with voters, to convince them and woo them to vote for him/her against his/her opponents. As expected, campaigns are expensive, no matter the level of electoral position. Some candidates execute a better campaign strategy than others. Some encounter voters face to face at the booth, ward, and grassroot levels. Some design their campaigns targeting their voting strengths, based on the party manifestoes or other opportunities which they can seize. Some go to the radio and/or TV, and as it is today, also on the social media. Some campaign on issues of justice, capacity, religion, or anything they think might interest their constituency members. Some engage in issue-based campaign while some engage in frivolous and non-issue-based campaigns. The base line is to get as many votes as is required to win the election.

The second and the most important phase is the election proper. Usually, campaigns end some clear days before the elections so that the electoral management body, INEC, can send out men and materials to the different locations and organize the election logistics. This requires massive planning and arrangements. On the day of the elections, the electoral management body sends personnel and materials to election sites. The parties also send their agents to oversee what is happening to protect their interests. Neutral observers sometimes are present, usually consisting of civil society groups, electoral improvement bodies or electoral observer missions like the European Union, the African Union et cetera. At the end of the day, the people usually cast their votes in an open secret ballot electoral system. The votes are sorted, counted, collated, and merged at different ward levels based on the previously designed arrangements of the electoral bodies.  Once a winner has been declared for any electoral position by authorized personnel appointed by INEC or the relevant electoral body, it is taken that the phase two of the electoral cycle has come to an end.

At this point, the third phase, that is, the post-electoral phase begins.  You will be surprised to see that this phase is still critical because anything is possible. While those who have been declared the victorious ones are rejoicing and celebrating, losers will of course get on a round table and begin to review the whole process. Especially if they were serious contenders in the first place and considered themselves capable of winning. Working with election consultants or with lawyers, they have one aim, which is to find loopholes with the entire electoral process from the beginning to the very end.  At this stage, it is no longer the election management body that is responsible but the judiciary. While the responsibility of the election management body is to conduct the elections and declare winners, their verdict can be challenged in court or an election tribunal.

As a matter of fact, a putative victory can be voided or reversed if a strong basis can be established to challenge the victory of the supposed winner.

Often times in Nigeria, many voters go to bed at the end of the second phase once their candidates have been declared winners.  No, that is a wrong strategy, because the war is not yet over. This is actually a phase to watch, as many sadly lose it here.  As such eternal vigilance is crucial.  Remember, it is never over till it is over.

Some candidates have pursued their victory from the tribunal all the way to the supreme court. There are many politicians in Nigeria who have reclaimed their victory in court and ousted those who were thought to have won elections. The reason might be electoral malpractice, fraud or eligibility issues or not obeying the guidelines of the electoral management body. But the important thing is that the electoral effort does not end with elections but continues to the post-election phase because each phase is as important as the other. Sadly, many politicians won’t tell you this, but that’s the reality of our politics!

And I believe the post election phase is the most crucial.