Elections in Nigeria: Who decides?The judiciary or the electorates?

By Samuel Abasiekong-Abasiekong

As the fourth Estate of realm whose main objective is civic duty and patriotism, the ongoing nationwide public outcry of Nigerians on the outcome of courts decisions on various elections in the country has been so loud that 9newsng.com has decided to storm streets in Nigeria to enquire to know between the judiciary and the electorates who is actually the voter?

This question is timely, most respondents say in our online survey and on the streets of Nigeria as our Editors and Reporters took the question to cities, hinterlands and communities.

In this report, we have published very few alarming reactions and feedbacks out of several thousands gotten in the survey, which can serve as input from Nigerians to help the Federal Government of Nigeria and its appropriate agencies to reform the country electoral system and its jurisprudence.

“The Judiciary of course chooses who wins any election in Nigeria and not the electorates”, This is a paraphrased feedback from over 80% of respondents who reacted in our survey.

“The electorates choose the competent candidate for the job, but the judiciary reverses the people wishes and name the winner for them” a respondent made a comprehensive feedback affirming the position of many in the survey.

“Since the advent of democracy, electoral cases decided by the judiciary in fairness are not up to the sum total of a man’s pair of fingers. And as days go by, the Judiciary ridicules itself the more. As it stands, this arm of government has reached its peak of decay, and it needs helps”

“9News Nigeria should also asked the Federal Government of Nigeria, why she usually make huge budgetary allocations for elections. Why does the Federal Government even have the Independent Electoral Commission INEC in the first place? Why must the FG always stressed the electorates with electoral processes such as collection of Permanent Vote’s Cards PVC, traveling from one city to another to vote? Why must they always do that while we all know at the end of the day, our efforts will be in futility because, it has become a tradition for courts to choose who they want for us” a respondent reacted angrily.

“Million of people go to the poll and choose whom they want. But few days later seven persons or eleven meet and say they are intelligent than all the million voters. This seven or eleven sit and make the wisdom of million of voters a nullity and at the end of the day, they impose their respective personal interests to the majority in the name of the ‘Judiciary’. What sort of Judiciary is that?” another respondent queried

“The Judiciary is the voter(s) and the electorates are just a means to the aims or gain of the Judiciary”.
The case between Emeka Ihedioha and Uzodimma is what Nigeria will not forget in many generations. The Imo people were so infuriated by that judgement to the point that throughout Hope Uzodimma first term as Governor of Imo State, he was known and addressed by imolites as “the Supreme Court Governor”. He intimidated and threatened to arrest those who called him so, but that did not changed anything. Even when at some points they were no more addressing him so publicly, but in their minds they all knew how he emerged. That inverably meant that, Imo State people, knew who they voted”, a respondent, explained.

“It’s the judiciary which is the voter in Nigeria. All Nigerians can vote Mr. B, but if power brokers say we want Mr. D, all what Nigerians have voted will be in vain. And when they choose Mr D for themselves they now tell you go to court. Which court? Their court of course. And guess the outcome of the judgement of a court where the accused preside over his own case. The electorates are helpless in Nigeria. There’s nothing we can do. Only God will help us in this country. When I say so, they laugh at me. But I still believe, one day God will hear our cry and answer our prayers”, a respondent lamented.

Another respondent who got our survey put the question back and angrily commented in this tone: “What do you want to hear? The Judiciary is now the entire electorates”
She proceeded by saying: “Now that we know, count me out on anything election in Nigeria. Till Jesus Christ comes back again, I and my household will never vote anybody again in Nigeria. And I’m not the only one who have taken such decision. Most Nigerians are already disappointed by our country electoral system”

“I don’t know how we got here. But what I have noticed is that, we are not willing to correct our mistakes. Nigeria electoral process is going from bad to worse everyday. And all Nigerians except few who are benefiting from all these wuru wuru are blaming the judiciary for it”, another Nigeria remarked.

“Here in Kano, we have done our part, we have chosen who is to be the Governor of the State. But the court says we are all wrong. They want to impose their wish on us. And even in doing so, they do so under tension and confusion. And in that confusion they did things in a hurry to the point of delivering a conflicting judgement. As it stands the judgement has made two persons governor of Kano State. Can you see what the judiciary has done to us and to Nigeria?” a Kano State respondent reacted.

Space will fail us if we upload all public outcry of Nigerians who talked to us on this topic relating to electoral infractions all over the country.

But on the whole, over 80% of respondents accused the judiciary for being the cause of the country woes due to some judgements whom they claim do not correspond with their choices at the poll.

As it stands, and even with the widespread irregularities and infractions distorting normal electoral process in Nigeria, patriotic electorates still believe the country can be bailed out from this menace which has demarketed Nigeria internationally and grossly reduced its rating as a leading economy in Africa.

Thus, as one of those who believes there is still a way out for Nigeria to find medication for itself at this level of its electoral system impairment and frailty, 9newsng.com recommends that National Assembly should embark on an honest and sincere reform of the country electoral process and the judiciary ensuring that these two actors in our electoral processes are provided with globally acceptable protocols and punitive guidelines that will assist to ease out unpatriotic Nigerians from our electoral system.

©️Samuel Abasiekong-Abasiekong French & English languages Journalist, Researcher, Public Affairs Analyst.
Here reporting @ 9newsng.com
Email: abasiekongabasiekong@gmail.com

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