A Rehash: Exit General Elections, Enter UI Elections

Photo credit: Saharareporters

This week’s editorial is a rehash. A second swing of the blacksmith’s hammer. The takeaways are timeless!

The election season in Nigeria is over. The elected and reelected are festive, runners up are licking their wounds or adding to the footfall in court houses, and the electorate are gradually returning to their lives. But in the University of Ibadan, the election season has just begun.

Customarily, the second semester is always pregnant with events. From the hall, departmental and faculty weeks to Jawwar and other society-based events, the semester is a beehive. But nothing screams second semester like the influx of political BCs, campaign knocks on your doors, morning cries but not the religious ones, and the flurry in holding press and manifesto nights.

Like most halls and departments, Zik hall is not left out in the scurry to contest political posts. So brace up Zikites, you may be sheathing your PVCs or lowering your GSM or GRV stanship, but be prepared for fresh political hassles. 

Reputed for its political vibrance, Zik hall will once again square up to the challenge of claiming its stake in the coming SU elections, in supporting Zik hall candidates contesting outside the hall, and in brewing strong solidarities in its intra-electoral campaigns. However, before we plunge into the mix there are takeaways from the general elections we can apply.

First is the decline of political apathy. This is a no-brainer. The prelude to the general elections and polling stats show that the younger Nigerian populace is demonstrating more political interest. For one, Twitter was agog with how Gen Zs reportedly spiked viewership of news channels during the presidential polls. 

While this energy is visible among ‘Obidients’, who are generally motivated by the desire to see a change in the political status quo, Zik hall did not let up in displaying its fervour at the polls with the vociferous ‘no structure’ refrain that followed every ‘Ellu P’ vote count. 

So, what is the lesson here? The last time Zik hall went to the polls to vote for its leaders not much could have been said for Baluba’s political vibrancy. For one, there wasn’t much of a contest. All the executive positions save that of the Hall Chairman were contested unopposed. Obviously, this saw a decline in the level of participation. If anyone could recall well the manifesto night lacked the liveliness that characterizes Zik hall’s election atmosphere. One might also want to throw in the fact that no Zikite ran for the SU presidency.

While several reasons may be called up to explain this observation, it still suffices to insinuate a measure of apathy among Zikites. Hence, the growing involvement of youths in national politics is a rallying point for Zikites to revive their political interests. If anything, Nigerian youths seem to have apprehended the notion that not taking interest in politics does not mean it won’t take an interest in you. As such, they demonstrably took matters into their hands.

In our microcosmic simulation of the larger society, practising political participation through keen contests, voter participation in the lead-up to the elections, and large turnouts during the polls will show that we have imported the national tempo into our sub-level community.

Second is the rejection of election shenanigans. This also goes without saying. The reports and evidence of electoral malpractices that trailed the just concluded general elections were vehemently condemned by Nigerians and the international community. From voter-buying, voter intimdation to hardcore rigging, distrust for the electoral process is probably the only reasonable outcome of the elections.

But how does this matter to Zikites and by extension UI? It is not unimaginable that there are pockets of malpractice that trail elections at the student level. Sure, we are not some institutions known for full-blown violence during elections but politicians here have their ways too.

One of such is the use of threat to intimidate fellow contestants for posts. Others could be in form of bigoted support, monetization of campaigns or what one may term subtle bribery to garner support, imposition of candidates, and heated rivalries that may escalate into hostility. If in our small-scale version of elections one would justify any of these practices and argue that all is fair in love and politics then what happens when the perpetrators step into full-scale political spheres?

Third is candidate credibility. This is no news too. The general elections featured several debates on the candidature of the Presidential post aspirants. Narratives flew around. The one who couldn’t trace his academic history is only contesting to add another feather to his political cap. The privatization apologist will move Aso rock to Dubai if he assumes office. The stingy one, armed with stats and maths and appearing to lead a youthful army to the promised land is no different from the lot.

If one asks what lesson applies here? A fitting answer is the question what is the motive of aspirants for student leadership positions? To make it broader. Is that guy suddenly greeting everybody eyeing a box room? What CV plans does that guy who constantly sends motivational quotes with a nickname at the end have? What personal networking intentions does this person passing as the face of student struggles have?

Of course, these motives are not inherently malicious. But when personal motives outweigh the quality of service, integrity, accountability, competence and true love for student unionism expected of student leaders then a line can be drawn from them to the politicians and national leaders we criticise every other day.

Let’s sum up these lessons in one. Before we attempt to call out and remove the speck of oddities we see in our nation’s electoral process let’s reflect and remove the beams in ours.

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