By Boma Nwuke
Citizens of the World’s most powerful country will have another date with history 24 hours from now to determine who is better of the two candidates to pilot their affairs.
Already,over 90 million Americans have cast their votes either by mail in ballot or Drive Thru ballots in a tensed historic election amid surging covid cases and fatalities
The contenders incumbent President, Donald Trump of the Republican Party and his challenger,Joe Biden of the Democratic party have criss-crossed major counties and states that they hoped would swing votes to their candidacies and are doing all they can to appeal to target populations and flaunt campaign themes that would earn them electoral votes.
The contest in the world’s most admired democracy is not without some elements that rock African elections as the election has revealed. These are voter intimidation,hate speech, confrontation, doubts about the electoral process and lack of sportsmanship.
In North Carolina, voters who were on their way to a polling station to exercise their franchise were dispersed with pepper spray by the police.The incident captured in a viral video compounded health challenges of the voters and further puts an integrity mark on the police and governmebt.
In Texas, Trump’s supporters confronted the Biden campaign tram. The incident is being investigated.
At the moment, the polls are in favour of Biden although analyst say in some of the swing states, the polls are too close to call.
At the moment ,anxiety, fear and uncertainty have gripped supporters of the two sides of the aisle and the undecided.
At the moment,war drums are beating in the manner of unrest in case of unfavorable election outcomes There are reports of looming litigations that may further put a question mark on the integrity of the electoral system in a country that prides itself as fighter of freedom and idolises viable democracy.
A look at the events in the country suggests that if the election is not handled with utmost care, America could slip further into oblivion.
Why it might be so is because of its self isolation in issues such as climate , pandemic control and others it once spearheaded and showed leadership.
America until recently, earned reputation as a safe haven for the politically and economically stigmatized and traumatised and threw open its doors for those who want to actualise their dreams but the verbosely rantings laced with racial slur of 3 years has overturned the American dream.
Under the last three years, Africa, a continent and its people suffered unsolicited racial bruises from an American President whose forebears were reportedly immigrants, brazenly and in a horribly derogatory way referred to Africa as “shithole.’a very despicable and unpleasant place.
By making such remarks, the President showed intolerance for blacks whose resources in human and material forms helped in the building of economies of the developed countries.
By such remarks,Trump has earned the name of a slaver master, racial bigot,ego- centric, judgemental and ungodly.
In a world of a lingering covid pandemic where many nations are doing their best to save the lives of citizens by simple processes that are harmless but effective, the United States has deliberately rejected life saving measures and downplayed the seriousness of the pandemic.The consequences are highest death toll and cases in a single country world-wide.
The US as at the last count, has over 230,000 deaths and over 9 million covid cases.
Where there is no health, wealth is difficult which is why health is always on the priority list of leaders who want to take their nations to the next level.
It is important to state very clearly that the world is watching the United States .Africans who are always at the receiving end are watching, the Middle East- axis of evil are watching with keen interest so also are the Asians, some of whom by virtue of global recognition in purchasing power and GDP are only waiting in the wings to assume leadership of the world should the political issues in America degenerate.
The outcome of the polls should be seen as the decision of majority of the American people and should be accepted in good faith as long as it was devoid of fraud
Whoever wins should learn from the mistakes of the past and treat fellow human beings as having the right to life and growth,
We watch with curiosity as the clock ticks towards the dawn of election 2020 with eagle intensity as to which side of the divide the polls will swing into,blue or red?
