Following a 30 May 2024 public announcement in a Statement by the Prof Christian Ngwu-led Enugu State Independent Electoral commission (ENSIEC), that Local Government Elections in the State had been fixed for Saturday October 5, 2024, a flurry of political activities began and have progressed in an interesting and thought-provoking fashion. As a Lawyer, disinterested observer, public legal affairs analyst, a public-interest advocate, corporate and constitutional democratic-governance promoter, (and an indigene of the affected State), I have closely but keenly followed much of the developments, and I think this is the first time in a long time, genuine efforts are seen being made by contenders to engage in actual electioneering campaigns during a scheduled local council election in Enugu State. It’s highly commendable, and I particularly salute the extent Government in Enugu State. However, the discussion doesn’t end there.
I humbly recommend that towards restoring true democracy at the grassroot in our State, Enugu State, deliberate and honest efforts must be made, and seen to be made, by the Enugu State Government, the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission and other stakeholders, to create a level-playing ground for all participating political parties and their candidates by ensuring that all systems, stages and processes of the upcoming election are made and seen to be transparent and credible with the objective of assuring that the outcome/results of the elections come out as a reasonable acceptable and true reflection of the will of the electorate in Enugu.
For constitutional democracy to grow and be sustained, leadership recruitment processes and programs must be tailored towards ensuring that the will of the people are upheld at all times, through transparent elections that strictly observe the dictates of the rule of law and the Constitution.
A transparent election process improves good governance, engenders followership-coopertaion, and reduces tension and agitationsnin society, while eliciting people’s confidence in and genuine respect for their governments. If there is anywhere respect for the principles and precepts of democracy must start, it’s at the grassroot, because a thriving democracy at the grassroot is a recipe for accelerated national development. Many researchers have found that political development should start at the grassroots, especially because positive change in any country, in the long run, is usually traceable to distant rumbles at the grassroot level. This is perhaps one of the reasons an ex President of the USA, Barack Obama had to acknowledge that “I was elected because I believed in… ‘grassroots politics,’ politics from the bottom up, not the top down”. No wonder, a certain author, political commentator and consultant in the USA, Dick Morris believes that spontaneous combustion of grassroots politics is the future.
In the meantime, it’s respectfully suggested to all contending parties and candidates, to go about their campaign activities with peace, being law-abiding and respecting extant rules and guidelines in the interest of a peaceful election season and process in our beloved State, Enugu.
Best wishes to all contenders, and long live Enugu State.
Respectfully,
Sylvester Udemezue (udems),
Proctor,
The Reality Ministry of Justice (TRM).
08109024556.
[email protected].
(13 September 2024)
