Is Nigerian Democracy Under Threat -By Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua

The recent judgements by appeal courts quashing election victories of many elected lawmakers and governors have given nigerians sleepless night. The 2023 elections have come and gone,the dust generated due to allegations of elections irregularities are yet to be settled. Little wonder, politicians who lost the last general elections or felt cheated besieged elections tribunal courts to seek redress.

The elections tribunal and appeal courts,through their judgements have either affirmed or nullified elections leaving bitter or sweet taste in the mouth of contenders. However,the rate at which appeal Courts deliver judgements have become a matter of great concern. For instance, opposition parties have blamed the ruling party of using judiciary to upturn elections victory in many states they could not win. The appeal courts have so far sacked Abba Kabir Yusuf of Kano state,Dauda Dare of Zamfara and Mufwang of plateau state. The sacking of these governors who are from opposition has elicited mixed reactions from Nigerians.

Besides, it has questioned the credibility of the last general elections conducted by INEC and impartiality of the judiciary.
While the Independent National Electorates Commission(INEC), had tried its best to conduct free and fair elections in the last general elections, Nigerians believe that, the barrage of litigations which flooded the courts are the commission’s great undoing.

It has also indicated that the last general elections were marred by irregularities as observed by some domestic and international observers. The inability of INEC to transmit elections result electronically even after relevant electorate laws have been enacted by the national assembly and adequate funds budgeted and released to that effect hampers the credibility of the last election. Though, INEC can take a blame of some glitches recorded in the 2023 general elections, political parties are not saint. Political parties had failed to manage crises emanated from the conduct of their primaries. Some political parties went to the poll with divided house. The desperation of political parties to win elections had resulted in the use of money to buy votes,deployment of thugs to intimidate voters and above all use compromised security personnels to rig elections.

Judiciary is said to be the last hope of the common man. The men of the benches were dragged to election matters in 1979 by the military government to adjudicate disputes arising from the activities of political parties and elections. Since the rreturn of democracy in 1999, judiciary has been handling various cases relate to elections disputes. The millions naira questions begging for answer are: has the third arm of government faired well in delivering justice and strengthening our democracy? is judiciary truly independent? These questions,i think remain contestable. The judiciary has been accused of partisanship. The outcomes of the election tribunal and appeal courts judgements have raised more questions than answer about the neutrality of men of the bench.

There is no gainsaying the facts, Nigerian democracy is being threatened by the combination of many factors,vis-a-vis the desperation of our political actors to win elections at all cost, the complicity of some corrupt INEC officials who aided rigging and corrupt judges who disperse justice to the highest bidders. While these obnoxious forces have been with our democracy for long,they are increasingly becoming cog in the wheel of our fledging democracy. Our courts have since become another INEC awarding underserved victories to rich politicians. For Nigerian democracy to survive amidst coups that continue to rock some african countries,there is an urgent need for further reforms of our electoral system. Judiciary which is the bastion of democracy should sit up and ensure it delivers justice no matter whose ox is gored. For our politicians, they should strive to play the game by the rules. In case our democracy collapses, God forbids, they are the biggest losers.

Ibrahim Mustapha Pambegua, Kaduna state. 08169056963