British Decides
An explanation of two related discourse: UK & Nigeria, Intention of electoral umpire and the voter’s in electioneering process.
By Justine Emenike
The waves making the news not only in both Nigeria and UK but also in the global village is the recapturing of the state power by the Labour party after 14 years when it was kicked out of power in 2010. With the defeat of James Gordon Brown, the political party became the opposition party and loss its relevance as the ruling party. What led to its downfall in 2010. History revealed that it was the party’s manifesto, with its pledges of unilateral nuclear disarmament and withdrawal from the European Common Market, which was memorably described as the “longest suicide note in history”. What this means to students and products of history is that any policies of the government that is anti-masses and unpopular could be prevented and eventually stopped. The two events of 2020 and 2024 evidenced this position. The people of the United Kingdom went to the poll on the 4th of June and the results from that election was a prediction come true. No surprise because the handwriting was already on the wall. Based on intention and trust, the people of UK had believed in the promises of their leaders embedded in their 2019 manifesto: Get Brexit Done, Unleash Britain’s Potential which found expressions in ‘take back control of our boarders, take back control of our job, secure our boarders, etc.
The Brexit deal was successful and two years down the road the promises made within the manifesto where still hanging in the air. As someone who do not want his name mentioned said ‘the people cannot wait any longer to pure out their furry on the Conservative Party who has been misleading the people all this while: from Camerron’s miscalculation of Brexit referendum to Johnson’s Gate party Scandal and to Sunak’s public relations blunders.’.
They told us that they will take control of our borders but what we see is the influx of illegal migrants? how is it possible to take control of this when we are not in good political alliance and ties with France? After COVID 19, people can no longer have access to physicians for treatment unless it is an emergency. I really don’t know their explanation for this but there is no reasonable explanation why sick person will have to wait for 6 months to meet a health-related appointment. Which country does that? Rising of living cost is becoming unbearable for the citizens and there is no plan to deal with it. Rather their manifesto suggest that tax would increase, social benefits will continue to be reduced. Then what is on the table for us the hard-working citizens?
In Nigeria, the People’s Democratic party (PDP) clinched to power for 10 years after winning the post military rule controversial election 1999. Why did PDP loss out of power in 2019? It was identified that her political manifesto promises, good governance, accountability, infrastructural development, fight corruption to a point of stand still. However, favouritism, mis management of government resources in the states and federal level at the expense of fundamental of development. Uncontrollable pace of corruption and looting by political office holders. Dis- respect to the court rulings and abuse of human rights. Police brutality, However, the party strived to implement some far-reaching developmental programs that has moved the country forward. For instance, in 2005, President Obasanjo launched Nigeria’s first National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) to ensure that every Nigerian has access to basic health care services. Stabilizing the banking industry, founding the digital and mobile telecommunication system
In the UK, to effect the needed change, an opportunity presented itself with the announcement of the General election date and to be conducted by an electoral umpire. Whose job descriptions include, conduct, collate, transmit and conclude all the process of election in the land. Because in the UK the law is the law, if one of these processes is compromises the court would rely on the rule of intention and evoke the implied law to either invalidate the whole process or call for a partial cancellation of the process. In arriving at this, the court would ask whether it was the intention of the people to continue to be led by the party which manifesto promises had not been fulfilled. Whether it was the intention of the Government to spend money huge amount of money to put the process in workable and result oriented shape before the election and if as a result of these spending the transmission became impossible, the next question would be what was the government’s intention of spending taxpayers’ money on providing the needed tools for the umpire to conduct an election? Whether the resources were meant to organised free and fair elections or discreditable election marred with rigging, ballot snatching, over voting etc. Whether the breakdown (breach) of any part of the electoral process has impacted on national security, national interest and public order and on these bases would decide what the conducts and acts of the umpire implies. The UK has surmounted the above challenge, as a result of investment on digital connectivity. For the past decade, information collection and dissemination has been made easy with professionals working in highly effective teams across government to deliver high volume digital services to a good standard, manage complex technology estates well, and innovate and respond rapidly as citizens’ needs change.
Available data revealed that in Nigeria, the last concluded election budget with the latest introduction of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), the cost of conducting elections in Nigeria has risen by 61.7 percent. In 2011, N42 billion was earmarked for Nigeria’s general election The amount would cover the printing of ballot papers and registration of voters, among other needs. In 2015, legislators assented to an electoral expenditure budget of N108.8 billion, while in 2019, the electoral budget increased to almost twice the amount, N242.2 billion. In 2023 it increases to N305 billion. However, the point is not about the cost but about the intention of the umpire to introduce BVAS and at the end just used it for half job and jettison the other important aspect of it. But the court did not see it having significant effect on the overall outcome of the election.
Before any law becomes law, it must be clear, specific and concise. After defining the law, its contextual framework is always be found in the purpose of the law. And if the purpose changes overtime and space the Mischief Rule will be used to interpret the law and must never depart from the intended purpose. It is on this note that one would have expect the court in Nigeria to ask INEC (the umpire) what where the purpose(s) of introducing the BVAS? What was the purpose of raising the bar and price of conducting election from N243 to 305 billion? What were the words of INEC to the intended voters to enter the contract to register to partake in the electoral process. The answer is not farfetched it was the assurance that the BVAS would be deployed to carry out the presidential elections and has been test runed in two states elections successfully. In reliance of these promises largest voters had registered for the 2013 election. The number rose significantly from 84 million to 96.4million registered voters.
…….to be continued in the next edition
