Election outcome shows signs of change


This week, Muhammadu Buhari emerged victorious in Nigeria’s presidential election. Beaten by a 55 to 45 percent margin, incumbent President Goodluck Jonathan conceded defeat to Buhari. Jonathan’s defeat to the former military general is a major step forward for Africa’s most populous country. For the first time, there will be a peaceful transition of power from one ruling political party to another. In a country mired by constant military coups, threats of terror from groups such as Boko Haram and a budding yet unstable democracy, the election of Buhari and the acceptance of defeat by Jonathan should be lauded as tremendous signs of the maturity of Nigeria. The country is laying a foundation for a more stable and potent democratic nation.

Conflicting military rules and instability characterized Nigeria until 1999, when Jonathan’s People’s Democratic Party (PDP) took power. The PDP has ruled since, and Buhari’s win marks the party’s first loss. Ostensibly, Nigeria has been a democracy, but one test of a true democracy is the capacity to transition to another ruling regime. Post-apartheid South Africa experienced democracy with the election of Nelson Mandela in 1994, but the African National Congress has been in power ever since. It is difficult to call a nation a democracy when one party continues to hold power. With Buhari’s All Progressives Congress set to take control, Nigeria will hand over power without bloodshed or conflict. Regardless of where on the political spectrum either candidate stood, the fact that an opposition candidate won an undisputed election is a necessary democratic characteristic.

This historic Nigerian election might also signal the beginning of an increase in plurality in political parties. Now with true competition evident in elections, a plurality in political parties and the ability for differing groups to organize and represent their interests and platform is yet another sign of a burgeoning and strengthening democratic regime.

Nigeria is one of the most important countries in Africa. It has one of the most powerful, diverse economies, and the most people. This transition to a globally respected democracy elevates the nation as well as the entire region. Scholars and political scientists have long criticized what is called “African-style democracy,” which is to say, an all-too-powerful central leader of an omnipotent political party. Buhari’s rise to power sheds that image and demonstrates the ability to realize a true democracy.

Even with cause for celebration, the road in front of Buhari is not easy. Perhaps Buhari’s largest and most concerning issue at hand is the terrorist group Boko Haram. The ISIS-pledging organization has been reigning terror both domestically and abroad and is the biggest threat to the security and welfare of Nigeria. Buhari must find a way to mitigate the terror threats and squash any plans for action by Boko Haram. ISIS has become a cancer to the Middle East and is proving to be a factor in the development and failure of states in that region. The same narrative does not need to follow in Nigeria, and Buhari’s leadership will be tested to see if he can stave off the same fate. If Nigeria is to continue its rise as a democracy and as an economic power, Boko Haram must be removed and the threat of terror extinguished. With Boko Haram waging war both domestically and abroad and militias sparking sporadic unrest in the country, it will be a tall order for Buhari to temper militants and strengthen national security. Boko Haram has slain more than 7,300 civilians in the past year, and the terrorist group’s insurgency, coupled with the government’s lackadaisical response, is part of the reason Jonathan faced defeat. A new ruling party not only ushers in a new era of democracy in Nigeria, but also marks the beginning of a renewed effort for Nigerians to claim autonomy and cease the threats posed from outside forces.

Nigeria is proving the international doubters of its political abilities wrong. Its peaceful transition of power is a harbinger for its rise on the world stage.

Athanasius Georgy is a sophomore majoring in economics. His column, “On the World Stage,” runs Thursdays.