02 Dec 2008 |
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I am suffering from a brain wave this morning; the decision of Thailand’s Constitutional Court, that the ruling party in Thailand was not properly elected caused this brain wave. Somchai's People's Power Party, the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai party were found guilty of committing fraud in the December 2007 elections that brought the coalition to power with a thumping majority. As a result, The Court dissolved Thailand's top three ruling parties for electoral fraud Tuesday and temporarily banned the prime minister from politics, bringing down a government that has faced months of strident protests seeking its ouster. I got thinking; if the Federal Court of Appeal, sitting in Benin found that Adams Oshiomole was the actual winner of the There was no doubt in the mind of the Court in Thailand; Somchai's People's Power Party, the Machima Thipatai party and the Chart Thai parties were found guilty of committing fraud in the December 2007 elections. Moreover, an earlier Supreme Court had convicted a PPP executive committee member, Yongyuth Tiyapairat, and was found guilty of buying votes. Under Thai law, an entire party can be disbanded if one executive member is found guilty of electoral fraud. Similar individual cases had brought down other parties. Nigeria has much to learn and a long way to go. In Nigeria either of two things would happen: a new election might be ordered, and the same corrupt incumbent would simply come back to win a far more resounding victory at another poll as happened in Kebbi, Adamawa, Akwa-Ibom amongst other states, or as in the case of Edo and Rivers States, the opposition party would be ordered into office. But who would met out justice for the Nigerian State; against whom a crime has been committed, The Nigerian people; the long suffering victims of electoral injustice, and to the perpetrator of the crime, to deter others from following in his path? I have long opined that the only thing that would save the Nigerian State would be a revolution, but seeing that a revolution is impossible in Nigeria, the time is nigh for our courts to become more activist in order to clean up the Augean table. The Thailand judicial system goes a step further. Yesterday, the court dissolved the parties "to set a political standard and an example," said Court President Chat Chalavorn; "Dishonest political parties undermine Thailand's democratic system”. The ruling sends Somchai and 59 executives of the three parties into political exile and bars them from politics for five years. Of the 59, 24 are lawmakers who will also have to resign their parliamentary seats. Other lawmakers of the three dissolved parties who escaped the ban can join other parties, try to cobble together a new coalition then choose a new prime minister. Until then, Deputy Prime Minister Chaowarat Chandeerakul will become the caretaker prime minister. A big blow to political corruption! Could you imagine the Tsunami effect such a resounding ruling would have on Nigeria’s electoral system? Our stinking politicians would think twice before committing further electoral frauds that stunts our political and economic development. The era where a Court would simply rule that Nigeria’s election is marred by rigging and electoral fraud, and then either order a new election or usher the opposition into office would be over. I had been studiously following the political drama in Thailand over the past week; Thais had been engaged in strong but largely peaceful protest, Up to 10,000 protesters have besieged the airports, forcing authorities to shut them down, cutting off all commercial air traffic to the capital, stranding more than 300,000 foreign travelers and bleeding millions of dollars from the country's economy in lost business and tourism and besieged the Prime Ministers office. The protesters accuse Somchai of being a proxy of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the alliance's original target. Thaksin, who is Somchai's brother-in-law, was deposed in a 2006 military coup and has fled the country to escape corruption charges. Yesterday Courts ruling brings an end to the drama. Prior to the Courts ruling, I had been musing whether such a coordinated protest could happen in my dear country. The answer is obvious. But I believe the Thai Constitutional Court have shown us a better - and I believe, potentially more effective alternative.Daniel Elombah Esq
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