That the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections have been shifted to Saturday, March 18, 2023 by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in a surprise move by the umpire owing to what it described as logistics problem, perhaps is to right the wrong. Going by the last experience, all did not go well. No thanks to the malfunctioning of the BVAS machines which was the case when the Presidential and National Assembly polls were held. Two weeks after the Presidential election, the dust raised is yet to settle. Already, the aggrieved parties have gone to court to challenge the pronouncement of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Presidential candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu by INEC, as the winner of the February 25, election. Following the hue and cry that trailed the outcome of the election, international observers, many people and bodies, including the Civil Society Organisations, and the youths especially have continued to express their misgivings on the electoral process which INEC superintended as the umpire. The main opposition party, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), few days back also staged a peaceful protest at INEC office in Abuja.
Earlier, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar the party’s Presidential Candidate addressed a World Press Conference, kicking against the outcome of the election, so also his counterpart, Mr. Peter Obi. INEC on its part had declared that those who were instrumental in the abysmal performance of the commission during the presidential election, whether ad hoc or permanent staff would be sanctioned decisively. Those who reacted to the statement credited to Professor Mahmood Yakubu, however told him to purge himself first and not to divert the attention of Nigerians whom he promised free, fair and credible polls only for him to under deliver at the end of the day. Now that the major political parties have gone to court to challenge the declaration of the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Ahmed Tinubu by INEC as winner of the just concluded presidential election, the citizens therefore cannot do much but rather wait for the outcome of the court process. The idea is to encourage ourselves and to continue with the exercise of electing our leaders through the use of the ballot as a democratic society no matter how flawed the system may appear. We enjoin the electorates to still have faith, and come out to vote at the gubernatorial and State House of Assembly elections rescheduled for Saturday, March 18, 2023, with the belief that the right thing would be done this time around. Having also participated in the electoral process two weeks ago, showed also the spirit of resilience in each and every Nigerian. We must continue to make progress and also look into the future, especially in preparation for 2027 elections whereby those who failed to perform, indeed know what awaits them.
Despite the disillusionment and the pensive mood that trailed the presidential elections as never experienced before; and the glaring flaws, the people have spoken eloquently that their votes count this time around. The gain therefore is that, it cannot be business as usual, no matter how we pretend. The rejection of many Senatorial aspirants and those of the Federal House of Representatives members by the electorates is a pointer that there is serious awakening among the people of Nigeria and that the electorates hold the real power in a democratic society. The upcoming governorship and the State House of Assembly elections deserve careful handling by the INEC, such that the experience of the past should not repeat itself. The State government is nearer to the people and should not be toyed with by the supposedly power brokers and the cabals that masquerade as the leaders of the people, unfortunately. As succinctly put by Barack Obama, former US President, we do not need strong individuals who would subvert the wishes of the people using the Machiavellian tactics. Rather, we need strong institutions and this has to begin with INEC to ensure that people’s vote counts always. Whether INEC would redeem its image this time and give Nigerians a glimmer of hope depends on how it handles the outcome of next Saturday’s elections.
