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The recent Memorandum of Understanding with the European Union by the Federal Government to ensure violence-free fair and credible elections in 2015, as divulged by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Danjuma Sheni, could not have come at a better time.

These observers, it is hoped, among many others things, will help the local observers and the Independent National Electoral Commission in making sure that the 2015 elections are free, fair and credible judging from the 2011 elections in which the EU sees as the freest, fairest and credible elections.

But I have pondered about these election monitors sent to observe elections in Nigeria over time.

Have they really helped Nigeria to strengthen our democratic institutions? It is as if the elections are the only important event and, they never mind, how the winners behave between the day after these and, the next elections.

How essential, has, election surveillance been to our national life by the EU so far beyond just being there? Many pundits agree that it has not achieved much since 1999.

The effect is the destruction of the democratic magnifying glass that ought to make this country move forward.

Instructively, Nigeria is not beyond repairs. If the Berlin Wall can tumble leading to the unification of East and West Germany and to the liberation of many impoverished people in the communists affiliated-bloc of the former USSR, then we can also be liberated within, but, the country has to adopt certain measures as a way of life.

When the opposition parties honestly criticise the policies of government, one anticipates that ombudsmen appointed by the administration will investigate criticisms as a matter of course for development.

Democracy should not be only an attention-grabbing exercise and its dividends have to scale downwards for national growth. If governance by the ruling party goes contrary to this principle, criticism becomes necessary by the people and opposition and the party in power must not overreact.

Most politicians today get away with what the people allow them to get away with. If all groups of people genuinely put the elected to task, then we should expect a few more straightforward ones and a host of others with sterling qualities.

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European Union and 2015 elections