The Audacity of Electoral Travesty and Nigeria’s Judicial System -By Clement Uwayah

There is been no point in time since the existence of humanity that society was ever devoid of one form of malfeasance or the other. This stems from human nature itself, not being guaranteed of having a good heart and evidently desperate in wickedness, as described. That nature made society inundated with unabated spate of negative acts of various dimensions, including crimes of unimaginable proportions. Thus, society became very highly vulnerable to the subjugation of the “sold out ones” whose delight is in their engagements with activities of absurdities of various forms.

Malfeasances no doubts informed the decision of societies to be governed by rules and regulations. This is very necessary, because it is unarguably true that, “where there is no rule there is no offence”. Consequently, every nation, organization, and even events operate on a set of rules. And depending on whether nation, state, organization, events or whatsoever, they operate under their appropriate titles, like constitution, edits, bye laws, conditions of service, or simply rules. This provision notwithstanding, and the outright punishment as prescribed also notwithstanding, many have had to cross the red lines, sometimes unintentionally, though. Unfortunately, falling short of the demands or knowledge of the law has never been a sufficient rationale to be spared prescribed justice; ignorance is not a permissible excuse to break laws.

That “ignorance is no excuse” when it comes to falling short of the knowledge of the law, presupposes that justice servings on crimes and criminality would be irrefutably executory. In reality however, it is doubtful whether intentional acts have been sufficiently served expected justices to warrant enough self-caution or cessation from such criminal acts. This unarguable position tends to have created thick skin on some folks, because impunity have long become common sights. One expects that falling short of the law, knowingly or unknowingly, ought to attract some measures of remorsefulness. On the contrary, we have entered an era of continuous travesties where absurdities, abnormalities, insanities, illegalities, and impunity seem to have become our acceptable way of life. This is indeed an era of audacious travesties and an undeniable test of the efficacy of the laws of the land.

Laws are made to protect society. When the law fails to be protective, it becomes a call for limitless boldness in crimes. This seems to be the case with Nigeria, especially as it affects our electoral processes. Over the years, electoral offenses were so overlooked that it fast became a norm. Incidences of under aged or coerced voting, voters’ inducements, vote buying, ballot box stuffing and snatches, results falsification, and the many others associated with electoral processes were definitely not handled as desired. Of course, the level of the handling of such offenses speaks volumes of who engages them. How could a nation become so complacent with the obstacles to itself, perhaps a clear indication of the fact that good governance is not and never a top priority of those in leadership positions? How does travesty guarantee any foreseeable good future? And, given the audacity of the travesties, how does it become ever possible to check moral decadence?

That the electorates in their millions trooped out, killing their voting apathy, drowning their docility and unbelief, buzzing in hope, arising like true compatriots in obedience to Nigeria’s call, all to see the emergence of a new Nigeria through the ballot box was an eloquent testimony that everyone has long been tired of the present state of affairs. True to expectations, the turn up of voters couldn’t have been anything less than double of what it used to be. Pictures and video clips of the exercise truly reflected enthusiasm and strong desire for a new dawn. And there was no denying the fact that leadership recalibrations had become the existential order in the mind of the electorates. The clear indication was that the old order was overdue and only someone capable of injecting new breathe through prudence, integrity and purposefulness is best fit. Interestingly, nature smiled on Nigerians in the quality of their generally accepted candidate, Peter Obi for whom a global movement, Obidients got birthed and grew organically.

Like every other activity, Nigeria’s electoral processes is sufficiently guided by a duly legislated and approved act. Besides, there were other measures, like the Peace Accord, all aimed at ensuring that violations of the act is guided against. However, sufficient photos and videos reveal that the just concluded presidential elections in particular was a complete shambles. From all indications, it is highly believed that the exercise was nothing short of a collaborative effort of the electoral body, lNEC and the ruling party, as orchestrated by Bola Ahmed Tinubu, its presidential candidate, who against all moral standards was announced winner. That there was a complete rape of the people’s wishes in the phase of the obvious bold statement of the majority signals the intention to quake the nation with upheavals. Fortunately, this is far from what the victim of the rape, Peter Obi and his running mate, Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed stand for.

Interestingly, against the drumbeats of war that was largely envisaged, the due process of seeking redress towards the expected reversal of ill-conceived and pre-determined results and announcement, and diligent prosecution of the arrow heads involved. It must be noted that we cannot remain a mockery that this election had thrown us into. Already, we were nothing short of laughingstock in the comity of nations. With the current situation of the well planned and executed electoral end product, we are sure to have a worsened image, hence the inevitability of the reversal. This is where our legal system and judiciary are put to a very big test. The popular saying that the judiciary is the last hope of the common man must be brought to bear in this irrefutable audacious travesty of the people’s will. Any subversion could only mean the willful plunging of the nation into an unwarranted state. As it is now, there is already a tensed situation of an elected president different from an announced president. A stitch in time saves nine, they always say, and this is the caution with which the judiciary must operate irrespective of the unexpected approaches, instructions, directives, persuasions, or coercion. Nigeria must take its place towards greatness and only a right leader can engineer it.

Clement Uwayah, a public affairs commentator, writes from Edo State.
Email: csuwayah@gmail