Those conversant with the ways of politicking in Nigeria sure know that election season is also the season of freebies. These freebies come in different forms, shades and sizes and are called different names. The most notorious and perhaps most basic of them all is the celebrated ‘stomach infrastructure’, made popular by Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State. For those who don’t understand this or who are so removed from the Nigerian reality that they don’t understand what we are talking about here, freebies include gifts, handouts, favours, protection, support, opportunities etc granted or offered to an individual or group with a view to obtaining their support in the immediate or afterwards. It is the quid that comes before the quo, if you understand the legalese or Latinism known as quid pro quo which is something given to get something.
Let me bring this home the more for those who are still hiding behind the high walls of the ‘big grammar’ I have so far couched this writing in. At the end of one spectrum, freebie could be the fresh-looking (we simply call it ‘mint’) N20, N50 or N100 notes that politicians and their supporters tip into the palms of extremely poor voters in the rural communities, before, during or immediately after voting to buy their votes. It is also the distribution of mini or micro bags of salt and seasoning cubes (‘maggi’ for short) that targets poor women. Freebies also come in branded top-up or ‘recharge cards’ for mobile phones which are freely given and often targets young voters.
At the other extreme of the political spectrum lie such freebies as import duty waivers, oil blocs, contracts of humongous nature and even political appointments. In the middle of the spectrum, however, are cars, expensive mobile handsets, plasma television sets, motorcycles, tricycles, sewing machines, donations to social and religious groups and leaders and favours and free tickets to go on travels, including the religious tourism otherwise called pilgrimage.
The above, unfortunately, are some of the things that define our elections. And why is that so? One reason is poverty and that is as far as the people at the lower end of the spectrum are concerned. Having been denied the basics of life by a state that cares little about them, they see the freebies in the electoral season as their only opportunity to get from the society. There is also the greed of citizens that would make them fall for any freebie, and that is where the middle level and high-end citizens are. That is one of the greatest obstacles to our democracy. The greed of the freebies grabbers and guzzlers knows no end and they are ready to bring down anything, including institutions and systems, just to cushion their stomachs.
This threat is only matched (or over-matched) by the hugely insatiable greed of the political elite to grab power by all means possible. I have said it severally that on the altar of politics, nothing is sacrosanct to the typical Nigerian politician. Many politicians are ready to bring down the system and even country in order to preserve or promote their interests. And that is why I often have sympathy for the leadership of the electoral management bodies in our country. This is because too often, they find themselves as a simple minority of persons and groups who want the system to succeed.
They are, however, staked up against a majority who would rather manipulate the system to their selfish ends. This includes the potential voter who, on registration days, wants to jump the line to get registered ahead of others and he/she does so even if it leads to commotion which makes it impossible for anyone to register. It includes the voter who wouldn’t mind voting multiple times or the party supporter who goes about destroying electoral materials or bribing voters and electoral officials. It also includes electoral commission staff who, despite knowing the sacredness of the ballot, is ready and willing to be bought over by politicians. It includes the security personnel who helps manipulate the electoral system, using the paraphernalia of the state. And they do this through harassment, intimidation etc. It equally includes heads of state agencies, who imbed campaign messages of incumbent governments in their service delivery.
With so much going against the electoral system, I worry for the country, as it seems very few people speak and act for it. I often ask those who feed large on freebies: how long can a vote-inducing freebie really last? Truth is, freebies may last but a season, but what endures longer is the result of our votes, and this lasts for at least four years. And four horrible years are long enough to deform a country and its future. So why would anyone promote the imperfection of the vote if our future lies delicate to be affected by the choice we make today?