How INEC visited catastrophe on Nigerians especially on the people of Enugu State
4 min read
Professor Mahmood Yakubu, INEC chairman
By Emeka Ugwuonye
In every democracy, the electoral body performs a foundational job in the democratic structures of such country. They are kingmakers. When they fail, the society fails. Nigeria is witnessing that right now. Trillions of money needed for development are being squandered in litigation over elections that ought to have been simple with undisputable outcomes. But the INEC failed woefully and has foisted upon the country a calamity of unmitigated proportions.
Each time the INEC fails to conduct a fair and free election that reflects the will of the citizens of this country, the consequences are so profound that it can actually be compared to a declaration of war on Nigerians. This is so easy to understand when one looks at the calamity that befell Nigeria due to the widespread failure of INEC in the 2023 elections. We can try to tabulate the consequences and the massive hardship and disruption INEC’s failure has visited upon Nigerians.
(1) Due to the failures of INEC in the last elections, the entire Nigerian judiciary is currently diverting its scant and insufficient resources to settling election cases. All the time, this country lacked sufficient courts and number of judges to adjudicate ordinary cases. As a result of this deficiency in judicial resources, basic cases stay pending in courts for average of five years. As a result, over 80% of Nigerian prison inmates are untried (awaiting trial) cases. It is a tragedy that these precious judicial resources have now been diverted to resolving issues that INEC would have resolved if only its staff had done their work without corruption.
(2) Reports in the media show that INEC itself set aside Three Trillion Naira for the fees of over 100 lawyers it has hired to defend itself in these electoral challenges in the courts.
(3) Over 80% of candidates in the elections are challenging the election results.
(4) It will take the courts several months to resolve these disputes. It means that if the candidates select by INEC have been sworn in, they would be in office for months before the final results are determined by the courts. And this is the worst hardship the country suffers. Some of such candidates know that they would likely be removed by the verdicts of the courts. They will spend their few months in office robbing their states blind.
(5) Those candidates who will eventually be removed by the courts would have appointed into their cabinet some of the best people of their states. As they are booted out of office, those people will be forced out of their appointments as well. That is a tragedy.
USING ENUGU STATE AS AN ILLUSTRATON:
Mr. Peter Mbah was declared the winner by INEC. His rival, Chijioke Edeoga, who is the winner had there not been corruption by INEC, is in court challenging the results. Peter Mbah is facing multiple uphill task in the case, given the posture of the evidence assembled against him. Yet, Peter Mbah has gone ahead to appoint people to serve in his government. And you cannot blame him for this. That is the nature of the mess INEC created. Having been declared the winner, regardless of the absurdity of that declaration, he must go ahead to act in accordance with that declaration. Hence, he is forming his government.
However, Mbah realizes that the outcome of the cases pending may not favor him. In fact, he should be deeply concerned that the outcome may cut short his days in office. He will most likely attempt to recoup his huge expenses within the short period of time he is in the office pending the verdicts of the courts. That means that Enugu State resources will be pillaged and plundered to squeeze out every penny Mbah and his team must have spent so far, including money used to buy INEC.
On the other hand, even if Mbah eventually wins in the courts, the fact will remain that INEC’s poor handling of the elections has put the state and its resources through enormous stress.
No politician should go into office not being sure how long his days in office would last. No politician should go into office with such level of insecurity as Peter Mbah faces right now in Enugu State. Such insecurity of tenure is a maximum cause of instability of any regime. The Governor-Elect will not be making any long-term plans for the State. Rather, he will be watching his back everyday, not sure what will happen at the tribunal.
