THE CHALLENGES OF YOUTH AND POLICE RELATIONS AND PARAMETERS
FOR A FREE AND FAIR GENERAL ELECTION
By Aj. Dagga Tolar
INTRODUCTION
There can be no better time than now, to speak
to ourselves, the police, and the youth in relation, to what is expected of us,
as we approach the coming 2011 General Elections, how we must conduct ourselves,
of course in relation to what our different interests are, which are in turn
acted upon by the existing socio economic contradictions in the country. This
for me is the only way to conduct a discourse of this manner, if in actual fact
we want to adjudge with a certain degree of accuracy, know how we would all
conduct ourselves, before, during and after the elections.
For so long the relationship
between the youth and police has been one of unfriendly disposition, this is
not unconnected to the fact that the youth constitute the most active layer in
any given society, and are therefore bound to be represented in a large
proportion in all spheres of life both positive and negative, and since the
police is an organ that must act on account against such negative social
menace, both parties are immediately on a war path.
But more so is the fact that the
police functions in an environment wherein they, like the rest of the working
masses, are underpaid, and made to work in the most of unfriendly conditions
and still faces enormous pressure to deliver, forces the police to either
conduct its work in what in local parlance we would call “gpagpa” and illegally
too, so as to argument it paltry earning, even if this means making scapegoat
of innocent citizens, what matters is that it must be seen to doing it works,
the fall out of the above in most cases finds the youth at the receiving side,
and this has meant that for a long time youth have continued to see the police
as enemy, rather than as friend.
GENERAL ELECTIONS
But elections are another ball game
entirely; we therefore need not come into the arena with our mutual fears and
suspicions.
An election as it were provides a
society a legitimate and orderly means with which a government can so
constituted, or change, as the case may be. For this to come about, it requires
that there must be candidates to contest, electorate to votes, and an umpire to
see to the actual conduct of the election. And it is from this point of view
that like all other issues, elections do have their dos and don’ts and as such
the police as an agency of law enforcement must necessary keep watch to ensure
that rules governing the conduct of the elections are adhered to by all
concerns.
But things are however not as
straight forward as stated above, Nigeria is a different league all together.
Ours is a country with abundant wealth and yet is characterized as a poor
country, not with over 90% of its population living on less than dollar daily1,
with unemployment
figure placed as high as 40 million, with the 3rd world highest
infant mortality figure, which turns out to be number one in proportional
reckoning to population, since India and China have a population above the 1
billion mark, the highest casualty figure of road accidents and death on the
roads. The statistics are horrendous,
for the working masses, wages are appalling, compare to rate of inflation, even
the so call new minimum wage of N18,000 falls short of the expected minimal
living standard possible in Nigeria today, when compared to the dollar value of
N125 minimum wage of 1981 which equals 235 dollars, going by the dollar value
of N150, this would amount to N35,250. What this translates to is that workers
in Nigeria today are earning nearly 50% less than what they earn in 1981.
This is the very pressure at work,
deciding what people do and don’t, how they conduct themselves, whether they
obey the law or not. In the face of the above fact is a ruling elite, that has
become notoriously known by all, not to give a hoot about society, with over
450 trillion of oil money squandered with nothing to show for it, elections
have therefore become nothing more than a process by which the very same of the
same are returned back to the corridors of power. This is the background that
we all must bear in mind, without which we cannot arrive at any scientific
prognosis in discussing the relation of the police with the youth at moments of
elections
ONE MAN ONE VOTE
Much has been said in this regard,
this has been greatly touted as the long expected panacea to a peaceful and
free and fair election. This is however far from the truth, because we need
first raise the question of political representation, to have a situation,
wherein the working masses, which includes the rank and file of the armed
forces, and the police, and the youth have no political representation, in the
fray to look out for their interest, the so much cry for one man, one votes,
becomes nothing more than a cry to keep things as they are…. It is this
consciousness that nothing will change, that would generate apathy from a
majority of youth and the lot of the working masses. Better still others would
develop a disposition, that would demand something, indeed anything, before
casting their votes, giving the convictions that after the election, nothing
would be heard from the politicians again , until when another election is
around the corner.
Elections have therefore become a
means by which those who property the public treasury into a private property,
seek to continue to be in office to continue to line their pockets, this is the
sole interest and motive driving the ruling elites and their quest for powers,
aided by their cohorts
And who are these cohorts?
1.
The families and friends of those in power \The
families and friends of those seeking political power
2.
Party members whose loyalty would earn them political
appointment or an award of contract that need not be executed.
These two categories of persons alongside
the ruling elites are the very architect of whatever would go wrong with the
coming general elections; the latter are the ones with the strongest of
motives, they are the ones who want to retain or want power, so as to retain
their hold or have their hands on the national cake. Given the personalization
of the public treasury as the private concern of those in power.
They are the very ones, that have
encouraged, the youths, party loyalists to engage in multiple registrations
during the registration exercise, with the lure and expectation, encouraged or
otherwise that their cards would translate to at worst a one day meal ticket.
This is why the INEC figure of over 500,000 multiple registrations, is not in
any way alarming. And unfortunately there is pretty little we can do about it,
the ruling elites have all the aces and jokers in this game, and they would
play this game dirty, if that is what is required to ensure that they return
back to their looting ways…. They can only truly be held in check by the
vigilance of the working masses, who are not politically represented by an
independent working people political platform, armed with a working class
agenda to wrestle for power, with the aim of organizing running society by
ensuring that the resources of society is used for the benefit of all, and not
that of Big Business as it is presently. It is rather unfortunately for the
working masses, that there exist in name a so call labour party, that as
nothing whatsoever to do with workers and is all, a bourgeois formation like
all the other ruling elites parties like, PDP, ACN, ANPP, CPC APGA etc.
THE BATTLE FOR LAGOS
Already in Lagos, we have been
treated with the unpresidential comments of the “Rascals” that must be chase
out Vs the label of the “shattered umbrella…of the Poverty Development Party”2
that must not be allowed to take over Lagos. In an election of one man, one
vote, truly the electorates should decide, Lagos, with the highest registered
voters of 6, 247, 845 million, should definitely have nothing to fear or worry
about... The electorate would simply decide, but no way, this is not how things
would turn out, for there are other unprintable issues involved in the battle
for Lagos. And both sides would do everything but in and outside the book to be
declared winners.
What one is trying to point out is
that electoral offenders are those who have interest at stake, for a majority
of youth, little or nothing in relation to their lives is at stake. And these
are the very untouchable who themselves are the ones presiding over society,
making the rules, is the police as an enforcement agency of the law capable of
arresting these untouchables, who with their comments so far are telling us
that they can do and undo, would the police not even become a mere observer,
while electoral offences are committed by members of the ruling elite or by its
agent that is if it is not even dragged into the gambit directly, induced by
financial gratification to assist or directly commit the electoral offence on
behalf of the ruling elites. And not with the poverty wages, who would ignore
such a golden opportunity to make free money
THE POLICE AND ELECTIONS
How many policemen are in the know
that they are relieved of escort job to public officials on Election Day? What
is the content of the specific programme (if any has been put in place) by the
police authority to even educate police men and women on the content of the
electoral laws? Is there any attempt to specify how they must conduct themselves
during and after the election?
The question of crowd control,
either those celebrating an electoral victory or those protesting a lost election,
what instrument of crowd control are available to the police, outside of
bullets and guns, or is that it is the police that would provide its own
working instrument, already police men and women are being made to buy their
own uniform, boots, stationeries, etc. if
the scenario so describe were to arise, would the police be left with
any other situation than to use what is available to carry out its work, and
would this in the face of a very persisting and stubborn crowd, not exacerbate
the situation, further present the police in very bad light to members of the
public.
How independent can the police
carry out its work during a General Election, free from the dictates of those
in power, who unmindful of the fact that they are involved in the electoral
contest would want to take advantage of the control of the organ of the state
to make the police carry some action that would turn to be of advantage to the
party of his\her electoral affiliation. Gani Fawehinmi commenting on the result
of the National Conscience Party in 2003 General Elections pointed that the
election was rigged before, during and after elections. What this implies is
that we have largely concentrated on during elections, ignoring the before and
after, wherein those politicians in power employ the resources of the whole of
society, and the organs of the state and their public officials to influence
the outcome of the election to their favour.
What is clear is that the police is
not in any way so organized that it can independently in a pro-active manner
carry out any action against those in power. And this if you ask me is the
product of how the police is presently organized, police men and women in
Nigeria lack any independent organ of its own with which it can adjudge for
itself, its work, how it must so carry it out and what it must therefore define
as public or national interest out of the narrow definition of the ruling
elites which in most cases is substituted as that of public interest. This is
where the question of appointment of the IGP and the top hierarchy of the
police comes to play, how free is this process detached from the narrow
interest of those in government. This also is where one need to raise the
question of the Police Union, there is no reason whatsoever why this does not
exist in Nigeria, and without such an
organ for the free assembly of police men and women , so long would it lack the
democratic organ to discuss with itself and contribute in defining how it
conduct its work for the overall good of the whole of society.
Let me here also state that I am
very positive that the police authority is yet to receive from INEC, a state by
state figure of the 500, 000 so call multiple registered voters list, so that
it can beforehand analyses it, I don’t even see why it should not be a public
document, so that the police can monitor such state or locality beforehand. Let
me now turn the focus on the youth.
EDUCATION
The growing level of illiteracy in
country is alarming, with more than a figure of 9-10 million of school age
children not in school. 20% of 310,007 students who took 2010 Nov\Dec. WASSCE
obtained only five credits in English and Mathematics, in 2009 only 31% of 342, 443, in 2008 only 23% of
372,600. Higher education is not any better off, not one of the existing 109
Nigeria’ universities is listed in the first rated 50 universities in Africa,
with more than 1millions prospective youth seeking admission denied university
education yearly on account of available spaces you can now begin to wonder,
how such a youth would not want to consciously act such an environment as this.
But let us ask, what is the stake
of the contesting political parties in relation to education budget, is party
ready to commit the demanded 26% of the budget as demanded by UNESCO, is Nigeria
not capable of providing free qualitative funded education to all its children
and youth, given the wealth of the country, not with oil selling presently at
above 110 dollars mark, with 2011 budget pegging oil price at 65 dollars. As we
speak approval has been given to 5 new private universities that would all turn
out unaffordable millions of youth from working class background…..
In the same vein the OAU was just
recently closed done, why? The school authorities, had increased the acceptance
fees from 2000 to 20, 000 Naira, and over 1,000% increase… what is acceptance
fee? Accept that you want to go to a university, why in the first instances,
did this candidates made 5 credits, did JAMB exams and some even losing their
lives in the process of criss-crossing the country to do post JAMB, would a
school now want to collect an acceptance fee, what can that mean and the ruling
elites are not in any way bothered. Not a single party contesting in the coming
election as a programme aimed at reversing the ugly trend in the educational
sector outside of rhetoric, how then must any youth take the coming election
ant serious, when little or nothing is in the offering to positively impact of
his conditions. The police therefore need not to worry, a majority of youth
would not going the extra mile or sweat themselves out over what in the end
would not make any difference to their lives.
This does not however ignore the
fact that some youth would not mind to earn N500 or N1,000 Naira on election
day, either to vote or thumb print as would be expected to happen in some
localities, but then shouldn’t the politician be the one to be held
accountable?
THE OCCUPATION OF THE STREET
If anything
is likely, it is that band of youth from street to street, would occupied the
street on Election Day not to disrupt the election or seize electoral materials
but for some other reasons. This occupation of the street from the wee hours of
the morning could last in some cases till about mid day. A lot of the youth see
themselves as already disenfranchised; they would rather therefore devote their
time to the pursuit of entertaining physical passion of football game as the
street is temporarily transformed to a football playing arena, with either a
five a side or three a side football game. This is one important feature of
events that restriction of movement of persons to a particular locality has
endeared in the urban space.
The police
and there convoys, would definitely have the right of passage, either as part
of escorts for electoral officers and electoral materials or as part of
monitoring team, the thing to say is that the police, must not see this as an
opportunity to carry out false or unwarranted arrest, which could provoke a
possible resistance from the boys, rather than engage in what Fela Anikulapo
aptly calls power show, the thing to do is even to greet the boys , as the
police pass through and allow the boys to continue with the occupation of the
street.
BOKO HARAM
Perhaps one
other issue that cannot be ignored, is the Boko Haram phenomenon, not because
it is a religious sect or anti – government, but more importantly because It is
largely made up of youth. The founder Mohammed Yusuf was killed in 2009 in
custody, but this as in no way stopped the Boko Haram from launching unending
attacks on state organs and functionaries, with Police suffering more and more
casualties.
How
prepared is the police to combat a possible attack by the Boko Haram on
election day, not with a governorship aspirant of the ANPP in Bornu killed by
the sect, if such were to arise without in any creating panic and fear in the
general public, or do we just like the governor of Bornu express our
helplessness by calling for prayers to God to intervene and save us from “Boko
Haram threat to peace”4
We agree in
totality with fact that the Boko Haram is caused by socio economic factors, “it
is largely populated by young and often educated but unemployed believers who
are , in the circumstance, restless and disenchanted with a life of idleness
and hopelessness”5. What this implies is that the Boko Haram like the rest of
society is out of wit with the ruling elites and it record of dismal failure in
the governance of Nigeria, but we must however point out that its method and
the absence of work out economic alternative to the policy neo liberalism would
not win the working masses in the long run to its rank, if anything it method
would again would rebuff more and more Nigerians.
CONCLUSION
We conclude
by stating that a free and fair election is imperative for any society to move
forward, but then can we dare to ask, free and fair for whom, the same ruling
elites who collectively condemn us this living in hell or free and fair for the
working masses, youth, the rank and file of the police and the armed forces,
who to critical upturn their present conditions of existence wherein basic
needs are priced out of the reach of the common people to one where all can
access all that is required to live a fruitful and fulfilled life, nature
interestingly has blesses us all the resources both human and mineral with
which to bring this into reality.
It
therefore flows that only the involvement of the working masses in their
millions in pursuit of their collective wellbeing, within the framework of
their own political platform that would bring to bear their vigilance to bring
to naught and neutralize any attempt by whoever to rig an election is whatever
form. The absence of such is the tragedy that is bound to befall us all in 2011
General Elections, the result might most likely not be any different from
previous uncheerful elections.
To expect
anything different is to live in a fool’s paradise, not with over 70 million
registered voters, 120,000 polling booths, 360,000 ad hoc INEC staff, 500, 000
multiple voters list, with a police force of 377, 000 members, 8,090
vehicles or is it that we expect that
the police would shut out all other of its statuary duties and focus all its
attention and men and women officers on the elections alone, this we know is
not possible, the police are humans as the rest of us, and can only bite as
much as they can chew. However all is not lost for Nigeria going by recent
events in North Africa and in the Middle East, the path of REVOLUTION, of the
entrant on the working masses into the arena of struggle and making history by
taking their destiny in their own hands by seeking to break the control of the
thieving Ruling elites over the whole of society, and begin History anew. From
Tunisia to Egypt and now Libya, the
truth is that Nigerians are watching and are increasingly concluding that the
way forward is the Path of REVOLUTION. The youth I am confident would blaze the
trail and stand up to be counted, even the police as we have seen in a place
like Egypt would not stand on the side line, or take position in opposite side
of the barricade against the working masses and the youth in a struggle to
transform Nigeria into a country, where we all would be proud to alive and be
happy to called Nigerians. Thank you for listening.
ENDNOTES
1.THE
GUARDIAN, Wednesday, February 16, 2011
2 . THE
GUARDIAN, Wednesday, February 16, 2011
3.
Wanted: A President for Nigeria’s Poor, Vanguard,
TUESDAY, MNARCH 6, 2010 Pg. 18.
4.
THE GUARDIAN, Wednesday, February 11, 2011, Pg. 14.
5.
ibid
