If one did not witness the wanton barefaced rigging during the April 11, 2015 governorship and State House of Assembly elections held in Akwa Ibom State, it would have been fair to say that the Nigeria judiciary has saved the country from an untold embarrassment and international ridicule, following the marathon nullifications of the Court of Appeal judgements by the Supreme Court on the governorship election cases in the past weeks.
But nay, we are plunging deeper and deeper into the abyss of hopelessness, yet people are clapping hands. They are popping champagne to celebrate the diminishing of the judiciary often said to be the last hope of the common man. They are commending the boost of a murderous generation and promotion of a lawless State. They are menacingly ridiculing a nation, once the pride of her citizens. Some international organizations that participated in the monitoring of the said elections already consider our justice system as weird.
The apex court is supposedly made up of grey hairs, connoting wisdom. Men and women of integrity, whose decisions should be above board and respected. But without prejudice to reasons for their recent judgements on the elections’ appeal cases emanating from the Court of Appeal, since they are yet to release the full text of these rulings, it is obvious that a disturbing precedence has been set. A definite call to chaos, already fanning embers of hatred and senseless killings in the coming elections. Perhaps the Chief Judge of Nigeria, CJN Mahmoud Mohammed, GCON may retire as the most controversial head of the Supreme Court of all times. Allegations of bribery is not my concern but what prick one’s mind is the danger such judgements portend for the future as would be seen in the testimony of those, who took part in the elections. One of them, a mother from Etim Ekpo in Akwa Ibom, who lost her son during the election emphasised that she has lost faith in Nigeria.
“My son, I am a mother. If you’ve seen the way they even celebrate this evil judgement in church, you’ll believe there is no God. Church leaders, who we see as spiritual leaders supporting killings and fraud. My child didn’t die in vain, mother nature will fight for me, if there’s no God,” she moaned, tears rolling out of her eyes in torrent. “Our inability to secure justice in the law court without being the highest bidder or a man with a fat bank account shows Nigeria is in the hands of saboteurs, who have raped the economy and used the money to destroy anything that is good. Therefore, it seems justice in Nigeria is selective knowing the enormous cost and the fear that after such expenses even with stupendous known evidences it is difficult to obtain justice.”
To common Nigerians, the Supreme Court setting aside the Court of Appeal judgements indicates that we are free to kill, maim and manufacture election results to massage our whims and caprices, since it is the winners take all contest. The end result is to win, assume office and go to court to defend your victory, no matter the moral question behind such a victory. Presently as we prepare our weapons ready for reruns, those who witnessed the mass rigging and allocation of votes have already instructed followers to ignore the rules and be ready to vote money to bribe all bribeables, starting from security operatives to election officials. It is apparent that we expect more bloodshed in subsequent elections, ofcourse with the present picture and understanding of the common man, who is not a learned fellow, the rulings defy all wisdom known to man, because they witnessed the previous killings and riggings. Their minds are made up, with all accepting to possess reprobate consciences and smile to the bank thereafter.
Young men now believe that their lethal weapons can fetch them power and will be ready to use it devastatingly to rig elections and secure victory. This is why we strongly contend that future elections in certain states will be fratricidal because the ultimate target is winning by crook or whatever means and moving on to assume power. All of us, who witnessed those callous killings and rigging will become fratricides, especially those that involved our love ones.
“I cannot waste my money on going to court rather, I will keep it for the war during election and wait for the consequences,” A young man from Ibesikpo Asutan in Akwa Ibom, whose brother was murdered during the April 11, 2015 elections as thugs royal to a political party invaded his unit and carted away election materials challenged yours truly Wednesday February 3, 2016 after the Supreme Court delivered its verdict on the Akwa Ibom governorship election.
As an agent during the famed June 12, 1993 general election, there is no doubt that the election to date will continue to receive rave reviews as the most freest and untainted election ever organized in Nigeria. In 1993 voters and security agencies were ready to protect the votes. Electorate voted freely, and waited for the results to be announced at the polling units, took their personal records and went home. Those of us, who monitor the election used Thuraya phones to report accurate results to base. Unlike the 2015 case in Akwa Ibom as a participant, monitor and reporter, one was at a vantage position to witness everything. The electoral officials were very hostile even when the election materials had been stolen by their superiors – the thugs aided by few security operatives. At INEC State Office, Uyo, the Akwa Ibom State capital we saw staff exposing bags of ballot papers in the rain after the elections, a harmless enquiry and advice to correct the misnomer got the staff infuriated. Unfortunately the whole illegal conduct was supervised by security operatives.
A friend, who is a PDP stalwart wanted to know why we were so concerned about the rigging, submitting that it is a way of life in Nigeria. It was really sad, reminding him of the consequences made no sense as he wanted what he can grab and take home than the moral lessons. He confirmed his cousin died during that election. “Yes he was killed because he refused to join the winning team. He was stubborn, this is our time to flourish. Doc you always toe the moral part, we respect you for your integrity and achievements. I honestly admire you, your modest lifestyle is baffling, seriously but if I don’t join them I’ll starve,” he surmised and walked away briskly.
Sad though, but this is the reality, the hopelessness is easily deciphered. When the leadership makes it known that money is the last arbiter, you do not need any further probing to get the answer; the language a judge speaks is not different from the security personnel, with money you can buy justice. Impunity has been raised to a norm everywhere. Take note, when the new generation captivity is turned against us, our inactivity or queer verdicts will become our albatross. Today it is sweet revenge, a celebration of hell. Tomorrow our children will be in for the hammer.
Someone wants to know the implication of the judgements, it is very clear, an encouragement to election rigging and grave danger to our festering democracy. Soon Nigerians will be hiring the best election riggers. Nigerians had once given up on elections and showed great apathy after 1993. Now it will be normal to nurture their rigging arsenals, while exploring ways of outsmarting opponents in the rigging game, that era is back. By Sammy Etuk Public Commentator and Journalist
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