DANGEROUS AND UNEVEN PLAYING FIELDS

The electioneering heat is taking its toll on the political playing fields, and as we move nearer to the elections, they are likely to be even more uneven and threatening to the conduct of free and fair elections. Credible elections are not decided only on polling days, but require transparent fairness to all competing parties and candidates. Any attempt to limit the capacity of all Parties and candidates to reach the electorate is an assault on the electoral process, and will ultimately affect the quality of the elections in April. It is important at this stage of the preparations that these threats to the elections are addressed by all institutions and persons responsible for them.

The most obvious threat to a level playing field is the tendency to use the powers of incumbency to muzzle the opposition. There are a number of ways this is being done. One way is to deny the opposition access to public places to hold rallies under all sorts of pretences. The most common excuse given is the need to ensure security of venue and of followers. Opposition Parties are being frustrated by the use of technicalities such as late submission of notice or requests to hold rallies, or failure to mention venues when applying for permits to hold rallies. Other tactics are to get the Police to stop the opposition’s activities on the grounds that their supporters will clash with those of the government’s party.  

The Police is being stretched to the limits of their professional capacity by the manner politicians, particularly those in elective offices, use them against the opposition. Ordinarily, the Police need to be neutral, and limit its activities to the protection of public order and safety and security of citizens. But Governors have immense powers to influence how the Police carries out its duties as Chief Security Officers, and the Federal Government on the whole has a major role in determining how neutral the Police is. The public needs to be assured that the Police will operate above the limitations of political partisanship, and will be even-handed and fair in applying the law and rules of political engagement.

Another major institution with a capacity to influence how level the playing field is is the media, particularly government-owned media. There are very clear rules and guidelines with regards to ensuring access to media, but the manner government-owned media operate leaves oppositions under serious disadvantages. Parties and Candidates which control or own media receive huge exposure and publicity, while the opposition is given little or no coverage at all. This is against the law; against the rules of fair play; and against the spirit of a democratic dispensation. It must be addressed by the institutions which have statutory responsibilities for ensuring fair and adequate access to all Parties and candidates.

A level playing field, in which all parties and candidates have a fair chance to sell their candidates is vital to the conduct of a free and peaceful elections. When opposition supporters are arrested, or prevented from exercising their basic rights by those in power, we increase the possibilities of raising the levels of violence. By all means, the law of the land must be applied, but it should be applied fairly and transparently, so that the population does not see abuse of incumbency or arbitrariness on the part of security agencies. This is the only guarantee that the elections in April will be peaceful, free and fair.