Whatever happens in today’s presidential election, the candidacy of Peter Obi already represents a significant, if not seismic, shift in the Nigerian democratic process. Until now, Nigeria’s election cycles have been characterised by a collective resignation of the electorate to limited, and often poor choices, offered by two dominant parties. As a result, the selection process in the dominant parties is always a high stake, desperate affair, in which politicians go to incredible lengths to win the party’s nomination. Unable or unwilling to mobilise and organise, Nigerian voters agonise perennially in vain. In a sisyphean routine, the moaning process is re-enacted every four years. And on and on it goes.
Not this time, though. We saw an intimation of a different and committed citizens movement during the #EndSARS protest. That citizen’s protest was violently put down by armed soldiers under the command of the Buhari government, but the indomitable spirit of #EndSARS has endured. Across the length and breadth of Nigeria, frustrated and angry citizens are channelling their outrage, and hope, towards this election in a manner we have never seen before- not since June 1993, at least.
The “Obidient” movement, as this movement now calls itself, transcends Obi the man. It won’t be amiss to suggest that the man himself is as terrified as he is inspired by the scale of hope reposed on him. He has become the rallying point for citizens who are determined, for once, to defy the inevitable. This can only be a good thing, whatever the final outcome of the election.
Peter Obi, nay, previously disorganised and angry citizenry, has sprung a surprise. Neither the presidency of former Governor Bola Tinubu nor that of former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, is inevitable. Should either of them win, I really do hope it is a narrow victory that sends the strong message that Nigerian citizens will no longer take it lying down. That raises the stakes in terms of performance expectation. All the entitled pretensions of these recycled politicians must be ended in order for Nigeria, or the constituent nationalities thereof, to make progress.
Obi’s candidacy is a compelling evidence of what is possible if citizens channel their perennial agonising to effective organising. Now they must stay the course for the long haul, beyond the election cycle. The collective will of citizens is the most powerful force in a representative democracy. No, scratch that. The collective will of human beings is the most potent force in any society. No tyrant, never mind pretend democrats, can successfully repress and oppress a people against their own will. Dictators need to force their victims to willing submission first, before they can exert and assert control over them. “Emilokan” must give way to “awalokan”. Then it will truly be a new day, and a new dawn.
