The Role of Christians In Electoral Process

Joseph O. Akharumere KSP

INTRODUCTION
It is remarkable to note that throughout all recorded history of independence agitations, civil societies have always played a vital role in mounting pressure on the ruling class to effect the desired change. Worthy of note is the clash of a hierarchy of values against the expectations of a traditional population and post colonial state seeking to modernize through politics and the attendant frustration meted out on the progressives. There cannot be a strong and vibrant democratic structure without an active and vibrant civil society. The historical profile and the indispensability of civil societies and pressure groups and the role they have played in the establishment and enthronement of democratic values and culture in Nigeria need be examined in the light of electoral process.
2. The electoral process include the following:
a. Registration of political parties
b. Conducting congresses to elect credible party leaders at ward, Local Government, State and National levels.
c. Election at primaries (and not selection of candidates) for elective positions in the tiers of Government namely Local Government, State Government and Federal Government respectively
d. Registration of voters
e. Campaign in order to sell manifestoes, which the candidates represent to the voters
f. The election proper and defending one's vote based on one man, one voter.
3. As a domestic observer of elections since 1999 under the auspices of JDPC (Justice Development and Peace Commission, Catholic Archdiocese of Benin City) I have observed that rigging of election starts with registration of voters.
It is at this stage that the electoral system is hijacked by holding to one's chest voters' register and cards which are freely used and votes no longer count. While many voters were indifferent, these muster-riggers were busy casting votes with names of others who refused to vote. At times, the vote cast is well above the number of those that registered for the exercise.
It is recalled that parties of the first and second Republics had manifestoes which guided the choice by voters in the elections to various posts of governance. For instance, N.C.N.C (National Council of Nigeria Citizen) focused on building nationalism whereby any Nigerian resident in any part of Nigeria could vote and be voted for. Chief John Umolu, a native of Agenebode (Etsako East LGA) who resident in the South Eastern part of Nigeria won election in that part of Nigeria without asking where he came from. Merit and credibility were some of the considerations for voting in his favour. A.G (Action Group) of the Western Region had in her manifesto, free education, free health among other amenities for the people.
In the present dispensation, there are sixty-two registered parties. There are no discernible manifestoes which should guide the voters in electing candidates to fill posts in Government. Such slogans as “power to the people, Democracy for Justice”, lets get it done, “One man, one vote etc are no manifestoes.
Almost all the political parties in Nigeria have ripples of crisis from founding fathers of parties resisting party congresses to elect credible leaders, at ward, Local, State and National Levels. If this structure is sound, the party will be sound. We must not allow this structure to be a private affair for selfish gain. Nigerians must confront these so-called godfathers who bestride the gates to government houses like the medieval caesar's statue under whom all must pass into the city of Rome. These are the same people who exercise power by proxy and control our treasury from a distance. This they do by insisting on their choice of candidates which usually range from the sick and over-pampered son or daughter, a favourite wife or concubine whose relevance is that he/she must never forget that he/she got to office as a god father's representative in power. All these impunity must stop! The wind of change is blowing and we all must follow this trend of our historical development.
At the election proper, the party agents should eschew sharing food and money with other party Agents under the veil of friendship for such money and food are Greek gifts.
Indeed, the already identified priority of the Church and hence the JDPC should include dismantling obnoxious political, economic and social policies and structures to free our men and women from insecurity, joblessness, abject poverty, dehumanizing laws, tribalism, ethnicity, bribery and glaring indiscipline. These citizens are looking forward to a Catholic Church (and a growing JDPC) that witness to justice even in her internal structures, as well as being in the forefront in the promotion of human rights and the establishment of an egalitarian society. This challenge of keeping hope alive among our distressed and dehumanized people should embody the social transformation that denies the oppressors the continued freedom to parade their exploits. But the Christian faithful who see themselves as the salt of the earth and the light of the world, must acknowledge that freedom is not without a price. They must recognize that true freedom does not come on a platter of good. In this regard, they must be thoroughly schooled to: See what our surrounding shows Judge them as they ought to be
Act in the way Christ wants us to in truth and love of God and love of our neighbours.

CONCLUSION
In all the electoral process which are highlighted in the above paragraph 2, the role of Christians is to resist Oath- taking (there are so many likes of Okijia shrines in Nigeria), joining secret cults etc in order to acquire power and money to the detriment of soul, conscience, love of God and love of neighbours.
Service, unreserved service then becomes the guide to the Christian conscience. When Christians and all concerned with the welfare of a transparent society live by this rule, he or she becomes an apostle of justice and ambassador of God's kingdom here on earth. Christian politicians are called upon to be enlightened on the need to enter into politics to show forth the light of the Lord amidst a people of evil intent and selfish motives.
William Barclay Succinctly writes, “Because the Christian is a man of honour, he must be a responsible citizen; failure in good citizenship is also failure in Christian duty, untold troubles can descend upon a country or an industry when Christians refuse to take their part in the administration and leave it to selfish, self-seeking partisan and unchristian men.”