The 2015 elections are now over. The ballot boxes have been put away, and the dust over the campaigning headquarters has now settled.
But heading into this quadrennial event, in the months leading up the March 28th election day, many worrisome election-scenario building exercises were underway. This was in anticipation of a pending doomsday - a voting process that for many was expected to be rife with corruption, opacity and violence. The memories of past elections still played havoc in the minds of Nigerians. We were long since exasperated with the downward spiral in our polity. Many agonized: where would we go from here? But at the same time as we felt anxious, we were all unanimously and quietly nursing one common goal: the need for change. It was long past due. But we also needed a reason to hope. To hope that this time would be different. But also to hope that we'd remain committed and steadfast in our resolve and our power to believe in the possibilities of the ballot box. But imaging what this change meant, or how and when it would manifest is itself hard to ponder. One cannot easily forget the long history of our country's woes - particularly in recent times.
This year, during the 2015 elections, for the first time as far as I can remember, the voice of the ordinary Nigerian was finally heard. Our clarion call that had never seemed to matter, finally made a difference. As the results of the March 28 elections were coming in, Nigerians from all walks of life were on edge. We were glued to our radios, televisions and mobile phones. Would we really be given a second chance? A chance for change and a chance to once again believe in ourselves, a country often lauded as the economic powerhouse of Africa, poised to be among the world's leading economies over the next 20 years. There is no doubt, these elections gave us another chance to prove our integrity and commitment for a new era of governance. And from May 29, when the President-elect and his team begin to contend with what can best be described as the 'gargantuan' task of rebuilding Nigeria, you can bet all Nigerian citizens will stand alert for what is to come. During the President -elect's acceptance speech, post-elections, he emphatically mentioned that 'Nigerians voted for change and now change has come'. It is precisely this, I believe, that is giving Nigerians a sense of hope for the future.
It has been 16 years since the restoration of democracy in our country, so the vast majority of Nigerians are very conscious about election-related issues. We are well-attuned to what a 'good' or 'successful' electoral process should look like and are cognizant of the power of our vote and the need for peace over protest. We also appreciate the actions of several vibrant civil society organizations on election-related matters, and as a Nigerian I now stand more proud knowing that in my lifetime, I have witnessed such a feat. To my people and my nation, I hail!
For the ordinary Nigeria, the election outcome begs a critical question: what does this second opportunity mean for Nigeria? What does the doggedness of the new president-elect, General Muhammad Buhari, to run for office over a twelve year period forecast for his upcoming leadership? Does his tenacity in campaigning foreshadow an equally committed resolve to repair the woes of our country? We can also look back to President Goodluck Jonathan and his exemplary (if not surprising) show of 'statesmanship' in conceding defeat. And what about the INEC Chair, Prof. Attahiru Jega? What did his cool and calm disposition amidst the fervor and anxiety in the last few weeks leading up to Election Day - even in the face of intense provocation - reveal about the confidence and trust in the democratic system among some of our leading electoral figures? In both explained and unexplained cosmic manner (depending on who one talks too), these three players - Buhari, Goodluck and Jega - were all key in ensuring Nigeria's continued unity and renewed global respect through their laudable actions during the elections. And for this, they deserve our collective commendation. We are indeed moving forward.
Remarkably, in the day's following post-elections, Nigerians with whom I spoke and from various walks of life, all accepted the election outcome and are now geared for change. This is also praiseworthy. Indeed our expectations were (and continue to be) high. We know that the next administration should take Nigeria to new heights and achievement. But how they will do this is yet to be unveiled. Currently, the task that sits before this new administration largely depends on what concrete strategies can be implemented - strategies that are aimed at improving the internal crisis within the polity. Certainly top of this list is the Boko Haram crisis and the kidnapping of the Chibok school girls. Sadly, we have marked the one year disappearance of these young girls who are yet to be accounted for. But there are also issues, namely the endemic corruption that is eroding all sectors of Nigerians social and economic landscape. So what can we expect from our new government? Their manifesto is replete with many promises of reform and change, one's primarily focused on: Securing our Nation, prospering our People, To Change Politics and Governance, Security and Conflict Resolution, the Economy and Infrastructure Base, the Society and Human Capital Development, the Environment.
In a nutshell, the incoming government aggressively campaigned to pull at the heartstrings of ordinary Nigerians. Their popular slogan 'CHANGE! POSITIVE CHANGE!!' has today become the number one catchphrase in the polity. While we are eager, we also know these reforms will not occur overnight. Personally, I am optimistic that we will see some reform during their tenure particularly in the security sector, largely due to the professional backgrounds and commitments of both the President- Elect and the Vice-President Elect, Professor Yemi Osinbajo. My expectation is to see some of the new administration's proposed reforms come to fruition. These reforms include promoting 'efficient administration and dispensation of justice with the creation of special courts for accelerated hearing of corruption, drug trafficking, terrorism and similar cases of national importance'. I also expect they will be able to fully operationalize the Freedom of Information Act, which will ensure 'government held data sets can be requested and used by the public and then such data sets published on regular basis'. These promises were highlighted over the last few months and translated into concrete projects that can make a true change in the lives of Nigerians over the next four years. During this tenure, Nigerians should be prepared to scrutinize every action of this new administration through credible information-sharing platforms. We should be ready to hold them accountable from their first day in Aso Rock. As ordinary Nigerians, we must also aim to robustly contribute our quota by not only demanding transparency and accountability from our leaders, but also by ensuring that we remain transparent and accountable to ourselves and those around us by leading by example in our daily activities. Again, the new administration will not be able to bring to fruition its many promises without constant pressure from 'we', its citizens.
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This new dawn for Nigeria shows glimpses of a prosperous future - a future where our leaders take charge of their campaign promises, where citizens remain informed and actively engaged in holding them accountable and where the two groups work in synergy through vibrant and robust civil society actors, to ensure we are communicating effectively and progressing, in an inclusive manner, towards a brighter future for our country. And this, I believe, we can truly achieve.
Mikang Longjan is OSIWA's Program Coordinator based in Abuja, Nigeria. Follow Mikang on Twitter @mikoqp
