Encomium
THE cost of postponing the 2015 elections could be quite enormous. Here are what Nigerians would lose with the unexpected postponement of the elections.
CANDIDATES TO SPEND MORE FUNDS
With the political parties already spending billions of naira in campaigns, extension of the elections would mean sourcing for more funds. This comes at a time they have exhausted their budget.
EVENTS CANCELLATION
Heavy financial losses would also arise from thousands of events that were rescheduled as a result of February 14 and 28 botched polls. Events planners who might have opted for March and April would still have to re-plan at a huge financial cost.
UNCERTAIN ECONOMIC CLIMATE
The air of uncertainty that pervades the economic clime is more worrisome now that nobody can predict what will happen next. Business decisions are hence tied to the forces at play in the polity.
ECONOMIC INACTIVITY
Related to the above is the slowdown of economic activities in anticipation of major policy shifts should there be a change of government. It is also believed that being an election year all resources would be deployed to electioneering which naturally put the economy on hold. This will continue now the elections have been postponed.
TENSION STILL HIGH
Tension is high in the country. The reason is simply the fear of the unknown. Nobody knows what lurks behinds as politician’s scheme for power. This has again raised tension in the polity.
INSECURITY HEIGHTENS
Similarly, Nigerians no longer feel safe. And you don’t blame a nation already traumatized by bloody insurgents. Should the elections be held this month, the fear of security would have magically abetted.
TRIUMPHS OF INSURGENTS
For citing the menace of insurgency as the reason to postpone elections, it means the nation has obviously lost the battle to insurgents. And this would give the criminals the impetus to unleash more terror on Nigerians. More lives and properties worth billions of naira would be lost should they strike again.
GENERAL DISENCHANTMENT
The postponement of the General Elections has indeed demoralized Nigerians whose desire to vote for their preferred candidates had reached a feverish pitch before INEC struck! Nigeria with a record voter apathy will be the loser as many would shun the March 28 and April 11 2015 Presidential and Governorship elections.
MORE DIRTY CAMPAIGNS
Nigeria’s unenviable record of dirty campaigns would not stop now the campaigns are still in progress. It would be remembered that the two leading political parties had been at each other’s throat, promoting hate and malicious campaigns. The ruling PDP and the opposition APC dot the media with unprecedented campaigns of calumny which many fear would escalate now they have longer campaign period.
NIGERIA RISKS INTERNATIONAL SANCTION
The international community might also impose economic sanctions against Nigeria if they see signs to truncate democracy in the land. The west has already warned Abuja to be weary of this. In fact, the United States of America has condemned the postponement of the elections. Should there be economic sanction against Nigeria, the country stands to lose billions in aides. Nigeria also risks a return to a pariah status.
