Arusha, Tanzania – On the sidelines of the Third Africa-China Youth Forum, everyone is talking about the Nigerian elections. Nigeria, a country that has become a powerful force on the continent, lays claim to being the biggest economy in Africa, the largest oil producing country and the most populous. Accolades many Nigerians are eager to claim, but it is also a country known for large-scale corruption, political instability, coup d’états and the most despicable acts of violence and terrorism committed by their leading band of terrorists, Boko Haram.
Victims of stolen elections
It is amid this backdrop that we discuss the most exciting event that has taken place in Nigeria. A democratic election is taking place, the international community is watching and CNN has already written the script. Violence and vote rigging is all on it.
Nigerian people have proved them wrong. These people who have been victims of stolen elections, kidnapped sons and daughters and lost oil revenue have made their voices heard. For the first time in this country, an opposition party has won an election and the incumbent has not stolen the vote.
The All Progressive Congress (
Conceded defeat
This meets the second condition to secure an all-out victory. What has grabbed the world’s attention and in a rare case of true statesmanship, the sitting President, Goodluck Jonathan, has conceded defeat and called the President elect Muhammad Buhari, congratulating him on his victory. This is unheard of on a continent where elections are stolen, violence and state institutions are used to hanging onto power.
With this in mind, the delegates at the Africa-China Summit sat listening to the chairman of the African Union and long-time Zimbabwean President Robert Gabriel Mugabe. During his address to the forum Mr Mugabe showed clear disdain for democracy and the will of the people. He attempted to justify his cling to power and the path he has chosen to take the people of Zimbabwe on. It was interesting thinking about this democratic process unfolding in Nigeria and listening to the relic of colonialism try and remain relevant by ridiculing the opposition in his country as a foreign instalment. I am happy the people of Nigeria decided to show Mr Mugabe what democracy actually looks like.
Nigeria could have taken a different path, a path it has walked all too many times. In the 2011 elections, post-election violence killed more than 800 people as rival parties violently fought over the outcome. In conceding defeat President Goodluck Jonathan has made it very difficult for his supporters to turn violent. It may be that the Nigerian people have seen “Goodluck as badluck, and now he is out of luck” but the international media has heaped praise on him. He is sure to take a position as an elder African statesmen.
“Civil in celebration”
In the words of Danbala Garba, one of the Nigerian attendees at the Africa-China Youth Forum: “Elections are lost and won but Nigeria remains one and strong. I would urge Buhari supporters to be euphemistic in their utterances and civil in celebration.
“This is a victory for democracy, meaning if APC fails to deliver we will kick its f**king ass out, too.”
This statement by a young Nigerian Human Rights Lawyer is one of the signs that Nigeria has grown up. The country has gotten to the point where the President allows the Independent National Election Committee (INEC) to organise what most foreign observer missions has termed a well-run election and one that has been generally fair. The next steps are going to be the hardest for Buhari, after the euphoria of the celebrations have worn off he needs to be ready to govern and show the people of Nigeria that he can revive an economy that is facing a declining oil price and unemployment. This former general must now also find a lasting solution to the threat that is being posed by Boko Haram. All of these are already difficult but in Nigeria this is compounded by the many religious and geographic challenges.
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