In an editorial on Monday, the New York Times
slammed the postponement of the Nigerian
elections. It pointed out that the action might
have been more credible if President Goodluck
Jonathan’s government had not spent much of the
past year playing down the threat posed by Boko
Haram and if there were a reasonable expectation
that Nigeria’s weak army has the ability to
improve security over the next few weeks.
“It appears more likely Mr. Jonathan grew
alarmed by the surging appeal of Muhammadu
Buhari, a former military ruler who has vowed to
crack down on Boko Haram,” the article said. “By
dragging out the race, Mr. Jonathan stands to
deplete his rival’s campaign coffers, while he
continues to use state funds and institutions to
bankroll his own.”
Recalling that Buhari led a coup against a
democratically elected government in 1983, it
argued that his emergence as potential winner of
the forthcoming election is more of an indictment
of Jonathan’s dismal rule than a recognition of
the former military chief’s appeal.
It criticized Jonathan’s performance over the
abduction of the Chibok girls and the attacks by
Boko Haram, saying they have exposed the
weaknesses of Nigeria’s armed forces and the
dysfunction of the government.
“Beyond security matters, entrenched corruption
and the government’s inability to diversify its
economy as the price of oil, the country’s
financial bedrock, has fallen have also caused
Nigerians to look for new leadership. Nigeria, the
most populous nation in Africa, and a relatively
young democracy, cannot afford an electoral
crisis.”
It would be recalled that following an
endorsement of Buhari by The Economist in its
edition dated February 7, a sulking Jonathan said
he did not need the support of the magazine.
Text of the editorial by the New York Times:
Nigeria’s Miserable Choices
The Nigerian government was supposed to hold
presidential elections this past weekend, which
presented voters with the dispiriting choice of
keeping a lousy incumbent or returning to power
a former autocratic leader. Now they will have to
wait at least six weeks to cast votes.
The Nigerian election commission said earlier this
month that it had pushed back the vote until at
least March 28, after the country’s security chiefs
warned that they could not guarantee the safety of
voters in northeastern areas of the country where
Boko Haram, the extremist militant group,
captured international attention last spring when it
abducted hundreds of schoolgirls. On Friday, Boko
Haram fighters attacked a village in neighboring
Chad for the first time, an alarming sign of the
group’s expanding strength in a region that also
includes areas of Cameroon and Niger.
Any argument to delay the vote might be more
credible if President Goodluck Jonathan’s
government had not spent much of the past year
playing down the threat posed by the militants
and if there were a reasonable expectation that
the country’s weak military has the ability to
improve security in a matter of weeks.
It appears more likely Mr. Jonathan grew alarmed
by the surging appeal of Muhammadu Buhari, a
former military ruler who has vowed to crack
down on Boko Haram. By dragging out the race,
Mr. Jonathan stands to deplete his rival’s
campaign coffers, while he continues to use state
funds and institutions to bankroll his own.
That Mr. Buhari, who helped launch a coup
against a democratically elected government in
1983 and ruled until late 1985, has emerged as
potential winner is more of an indictment of Mr.
Jonathan’s dismal rule than a recognition of the
former military chief’s appeal.
Nigerian voters have grown increasingly worried
about the stunning rise of Boko Haram, which has
committed terrorist atrocities including
bombings.
The abductions and attacks by the group have
exposed the weaknesses of Nigeria’s armed
forces and the dysfunction of the government.
Although Mr. Jonathan’s government has in the
past been less than enthusiastic, and at times
obstructive, in response to offers of American and
European aid, he appears to be growing
increasingly worried. In an interview with The Wall
Street Journal last week, he said he would
welcome American troops to fight the insurgency.
Beyond security matters, entrenched corruption
and the government’s inability to diversify its
economy as the price of oil, the country’s
financial bedrock, has fallen have also caused
Nigerians to look for new leadership. Nigeria, the
most populous nation in Africa, and a relatively
young democracy, cannot afford an electoral
crisis. That would only set back the faltering effort
to reassert government control in districts where
Boko Haram is sowing terror. The security forces
may not be able to safeguard many districts on
Election Day. But postponement is very likely to
make the security threat worse.
*An editorial by New York Times published today
with the title, ‘Nigeria’s Miserable Choices’
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