A Stygian Darkness Swoops On Nigeria -By Kene Obiezu

Five days after  the horses of hope and expectation charged through Nigeria, harrying many to vote in such a way to preempt change, a hush has fallen on Nigeria with the announcement by a thoroughly compromised and discredited Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that  Bola Ahmed Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) won the election.

For many Nigerians who have been reading the handwriting on the wall since the collation began by INEC, it is not such a surprise. Yet, it is still such a devastating blow to the gut that the man most Nigerians wanted has been shortchanged for one most Nigerians  did not want. In historic elections, it appears yet again that a country that was at  critical crossroads has missed an unprecedented opportunity to salvage what was left of it.

In what is fast emerging as a ploy to keep a giant country sedated and slumbering for as long as possible, there is the All Progressives Congress, the Independent National Electoral Commission and then of course, the judiciary. The role of the later  will yet come to light very soon as election petitioners besiege the courts with their petitions. However, with INEC having supposedly played its  part as far as the elections were  concerned, its role especially under the looming shadow  of the thoroughly discredited All Progressives Congress can be scrutinized.

In many states across the country, as results  trickled over the line, the suspicions of Nigerians were renewed that INEC was up to something. Even if the Commission was innocent of all charges heaped upon it, as frontal allegations of compromise beat down on it like relentless rain, its uncertainty in handling the questions  gave it away as a body with something to hide.

There were complaints that the Commission had failed to adhere to its basic guidelines and regulations especially in the collation of results. There were also  widespread complaints about  voter intimidation, suppression and outright rigging in a lot of polling units all over the country? Yet, amidst all the outcry, INEC did not bat an eyelid. All  Professor Yakub and his supporters have  been able to feebly  say to  say to all those who feel that their votes have been violated is  ‘go to court.’ As if many Nigerians have not lost all trust in the judiciary as it is presently constituted.

What was  an absolutely forceful slap to the face of many  Nigerians was that before the elections INEC promised to subject itself to its guidelines given that strong institutions have always proven to be the albatross of strong men in Nigeria. However, the Commission largely failed to keep its promises to Nigeria, showing itself  to  be vulnerable to the compromise Nigerians feared for so long.

Thus, with the declaration of Bola Ahmed Tinubu as  Nigeria’s president-elect in the dead of night, a stygian darkness swooped on Nigeria. The man himself may not be a bad person but while he ran for office, he left many crucial questions unanswered. Also, when he was governor of Lagos State, he left a lot to be desired. If the past is not a metric to judge a man, pray what else is?

If people deserve a second chance, should it be in Nigeria’s highest office? If there was a clear winner in polls cleanly conducted, many Nigerians would have swallowed the outcome like a bitter pill even if their preferred candidate lost which would not be possible in free and fair elections.

Instead, what is happening is that people are throwing up all over the place, soiling the image of Nigeria home and abroad with their righteous indignation.

It begs the question what next for a country that the APC has reduced to a husk even if it inherited a shadow from the Peoples Democratic Party?

It appears that Nigeria is poised for another four years on the edge of a precipice  and unless Bola Ahmed Tinubu can  answer the many unanswered questions  about himself, Nigeria will be left with more questions than answers in no time.

Kene Obiezu,

keneobiezu@gmail.com