In the very early days of Yar’Adua’s administration when he was tortuously going about putting together a Federal Cabinet, Andy Uba, fresh from an ignominious expulsion from the Government House in Awka, approached Yar’Adua for a Ministerial job.  After pondering his request, Yar’Adua asked Uba to go get his Doctoral diploma.  Uba promptly replied that “the courts had settled my degree matter.”  Ironically, Yar’Adua would now have to use a slight variation of Uba’s line.   The Presidential Election Court (Tribunal) seems to have settled the matter of Yar’Adua’s election as President.

Unfortunately for Yar’Adua, the verdict returned last Tuesday (26.02.2008) by the Tribunal did not remove the cloud of questionable mandate hanging over his administration; it has only offered him a get out of jail card.  What the Tribunal has also done is to ignore the political emancipation of the Nigerian people and State.  Alas, a propitious opportunity is lost to properly set about re-engineering the country’s political and electoral mindset and system. 

Fortuitously, I’ve heard a lot of people say that Yar’Adua is the best choice of the troika of Gen. Buhari, Atiku and himself.  That may well be but that is completely missing the point.  The issue at hand is to set right a system that allows a clique within the Nigerian State to not only arrogate onto themselves the privilege of deciding who becomes ruler of the land; but then go ahead and undermine organs of State in a most distasteful manner in order to foist their chosen one on Nigeria.  This has been the trend since the 1950s.   Curiously, at every occasion when we have been so battered, we join them in the idiotic, sheepish, contradictory, and empty chorus of moving the nation ahead or forward.  We have moved the nation forward so many times in our chequered history that it is a wonder we have not yet fallen off a cliff.

But how many chances can a country get to put it right?  Things have been looking hopeful recently until last Tuesday.  Yar’Adua - to his credit - at his inauguration acknowledged that his election as President was flawed and had in fact since put in place an electoral reform committee.  Presumably, he said and did this because he was in Nigeria during the elections and his Party’s agents that monitored the polls had passed relevant information to him and his team.  However, the Tribunal has now declared that Yar’Adua (and all Nigerians except Iwu) was wrong.  The election was not flawed.  Or to be kind to the Judges, the election was not too flawed to matter.  In Nigeria, the template is one step forward and another step back.  We have been running in place for a very long time.  It is all motion, no movement. 

I had gone back and listened to the verdict of the Tribunal.  In retrospect, I wish I hadn’t.  If God had come down to testify against the election, the Tribunal would still have come to the same verdict.  In spite of what unfolded before our very eyes in April 2007, the Tribunal actually dismissed ALL grounds of allegations before it.  Nigeria has a way of killing a man’s spirit.  The lead judgement was delivered by Justice John Fabiyi in a shockingly poor, discordant and ponderous tone and manner.  The courtroom itself was conducted in an unserious and shambolic way.  The incredibly sub-par performance by Fabiyi was however in consonance with the court’s perfidious ruling.    The Tribunal actually pronounced that there was no evidence that any Nigerian was excluded because nobody went to court.  What it conveniently neglected to point out was that during hearings, the Tribunal itself had systematically disqualified almost all of the petitioners’ witnesses.  Very early into its sitting, it had directed and later ruled that the petitioners’ lawyers merely include in their paper documents what would have been presented as oral evidences.  In its judgement however, the Tribunal turned around and lambasted the petitioners’ lawyers for lack of oral evidences!

It did not stop there.  The petitioners’ lawyers presented reams of ballot papers that were used during the election that had no serial numbers on them.  Now, to understand the import of this: the Electoral Act under which the election was conducted states that ballot papers must have serials numbers on them to be valid.  The Tribunal ruled that this does not invalidate the exercise.  It does not matter.  Effectively we are being told that the Electoral Act can be ignored.  INEC can do as it pleases.

Still on the matter of serial numbers:  It recently came to light in court that the result sheets that were presented for the governorship election in Ogun State were actually those of Ekiti State.  This was rightfully determined through the serial numbers on them.  But here is our Federal Court of Appeal ruling that this is actually inconsequential.  Okay o.  The next time I print N500 and N1000 notes in my garage without Central Bank’s serial numbers on them, I hope no one challenges their validity. 

What this deceitful ruling by the Tribunal has succeeded in doing is to re-heat the poisonous broth served up by Obasanjo and Iwu some ten months ago.  All that bad feeling and bad taste has come flooding back overshadowing the largely good works of the various State Electoral Tribunals nationwide.  Thank God those Tribunals had been sitting and delivering commendable judgements before this obtuse one from the Presidential Tribunal.  They might have taken the lead from this discredited court and become contaminated by its ruling and wrong message.  You know; the same disease that afflicts most Nigerian institutions (for example, the Nigerian Police) – rot from the top seeping downwards.  The truth is that this Federal Court of Appeal has a consistent record of rendering dreadfully and cowardly wrong judgements that had to be later deodorised by the Supreme Court.  Atiku’s attempted illegal exclusion from the election based on one yẹyẹ EFCC list and Rotimi Amaechi Vs Celestine Omehia immediately comes to mind.

I fear now what Justice Ogebe is bringing to the Supreme Court.  Chief Justices Alfa Belgore and Kutigi had had to do a yeoman’s job of restoring the credibility and dignity of that vital body after the merciful exit of Uwais and the stench he left behind.  Perhaps the slot left vacant by Ogebe at the Federal Appeal Court can be filled by one Justice Ayobode Lokulo-Sodipe who is currently enjoying himself in Asaba at the expense of the Delta State government.  God knows who would fit right in there.

What actually caught me completely unawares in all of this is the overt and determined manner Yar’Adua and his camp went about bribing all bribables in the lead up to the Tribunal’s judgement.  Completely at variance with his earlier pronouncements, blather about the rule of law and gentlemanly mien, Yar’Adua employed a full-court-press good old Nigerian corruption to ensure he remains in Aso Rock.  So it isn’t beyond Yar’Adua to have dinners with relative of Justices at the eleventh hour, etc.  When the lead Justice of the Federal Appeal Court is promoted to the Supreme Court virtually the night before, and when Justices were being conferred with the highest national honours willy nilly, you just know…  So power is sweet afterall.  Nobody wants to give it up.  Another thing that baffled was the pockets of very well coordinated “solidarity” demonstrations for Yar’Adua immediately right after the verdict was read.  That to me seems to confirm that Yar’Adua’s team knew the flavour of the judgement in advance as reported in some media.

In the circumstance, I’m not even sure that the ruling of the Tribunal serves Yar’Adua well.  I mean, he would always be seen now as a product of a very flawed election who carries not a political mandate but a legal conferred one because five judges sold out.  The whole thing has a certain bad odour about it and it is unbefitting.  In a re-ordered election that Yar’Adua wins, surely that would be better for him and the country?

In my view, even if the Tribunal had voided Yar’Adua’s election and the Supreme Court for some odd reason overruled that decision, the point would still have been made.  As it is, the nation has lost another grand opportunity to begin to redress one of the biggest ills that holds us in perpetual under-development.  An opportunity is lost to let Nigerians and Nigerian politicians known that election rigging would no longer be a profitable pursuit. 

The Tribunal has basically told Nigerians to move on.  Don’t worry, be happy.  The message is that you certainly can do-or-die and Iwuruwurunize any presidential election here because, well, the judiciary is not prepared to rock the boat at that level.  The same way the Supreme Court under Uwais told the nation to move on after the 2003 elections in the “national and public interest.”   Which public interest is that?  Well, we know where forward OBJ moved us in the 2007 episode.  But undaunted, the choir has now taken up the “lets move the nation forward” refrain again.  I know that as Nigerians, we can rationalise anything; but please let no one talk to me about this verdict being in the national interest.  The national interest is actually being flogged to death.  When all else fails, we place the credit (blame really) on God’s doorstep and ask everyone to move on.  Nigeria, the cowardly giant continues to die many times in the course of “moving forward.”  We have been moving-on over heaps of rubbish for so long that the soles of our shoes have craters in them. 

Amazingly, I have heard some say we can now set about some proper electoral reforms.  It just breaks your heart doesn’t it?   Given what we now know, Yar’Adua’s electoral reform will not yield anything.  Nigeria has perfected the act of ignoring the suture and placing a plaster on a severed artery.   Please take a look again at the electoral reform body Yar’Adua put together headed by Uwais.  Then look at the problem of elections and the domineering cabal in Nigeria.  It is only slightly better (only just) than the Police Reform Committee he inaugurated the other day.  It is a wonder Prof Iwu is not on the panel.

Speaking of his lordship, Maurice Iwu. I hope to God the often inebriated Professor does not see the Tribunal’s verdict as a validation of anything to do with him.  The wide scale and applauded nullification of the results of his supervised elections nationwide puts paid to that.  He failed loudly and contributed handsomely to this mess today from which the nation is currently trying to extricate herself. 

Finally, perhaps the time has come to seriously ponder an uncomfortable and unfortunate question:  Should we do away with elections in Nigeria?  I mean, what is the point really?  In any event, at least Yar’Adua can now finally sack Iwu.  It appears he doesn’t need him now for his election rerun.
 

demdem@hotmail.co.uk

Robot  Villager

# 1 In the very early days of Yar’Adua’s administration when he was tortuously going about ...Read the full article. Posted by Robot| 01.03.2008 19:39

apanajare  Villager

# 2 I am amazed at the blind optimism of those who still want Nigeria. No good can come out of Nazareth!!! How can evil bring forth the good? Posted by apanajare| 01.03.2008 21:16

Sapele Man  Villager

# 3 =apanajare;4294993043>I am amazed at the blind optimism of those who still want Nigeria. No good can come out of Nazareth!!! How can evil bring forth the good? apanajare What would you rather have? Yes, mistakes were made. Yes, Nigerians have been held against their wishes. Yes, Nigerian resources have been squandered for years due to mismanagement. But let me tell you this. You listen well. I mean it. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Just as days follow darkness so will the glorious years of Nigeria follow the dark years. The beauty of a nation is that it outlives its citizens. Nigeria will have the last laugh at us. Today we have people that were there when the Nation got its independence. These were mentally primitive people who felt previledged to sit on the same table with the whitemen. They caved empires for themselves and they made the nation very fragile to suit their needs. These people created the mess we have now. The reality is that one-by-one they will die and gone forever. I tell you this, they will rot in hell. A new generation will eventually come up that has no connection with these self-ordained leaders. It is then that the real Nigeria we wanted will be born. Believe me brother when I say that time isn’t far away. If by saying this makes me an optimist then I am proud to know that I am a rational optimist. But I am proudest when you call me a Nigerian. Posted by Sapele Man| 02.03.2008 03:45

overdryv  Villager

# 4 =Sapele Man;4294993061>apanajare What would you rather have? Yes, mistakes were made. Yes, Nigerians have been held against their wishes. Yes, Nigerian resources have been squandered for years due to mismanagement. But let me tell you this. You listen well. I mean it. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Just as days follow darkness so will the glorious years of Nigeria follow the dark years. The beauty of a nation is that it outlives its citizens. Nigeria will have the last laugh at us. Today we have people that were there when the Nation got its independence. These were mentally primitive people who felt previledged to sit on the same table with the whitemen. They caved empires for themselves and they made the nation very fragile to suit their needs. These people created the mess we have now. The reality is that one-by-one they will die and gone forever. I tell you this, they will rot in hell. A new generation will eventually come up that has no connection with these self-ordained leaders. It is then that the real Nigeria we wanted will be born. Believe me brother when I say that time isn’t far away. If by saying this makes me an optimist then I am proud to know that I am a rational optimist. But I am proudest when you call me a Nigerian. Sapeleman, After going thru your post the first thing that came to my mind was that you could be high on that your special "water". This opinion could only come from an irredeemably corrupt and lazy mind. We are talking of the original band of treasury looters who have constituted themselves into a cabal, replacing themselves when they quit the stage with their offsprings and cronies and you are saying Nigeria would outlive everybody. The new generation you mentioned would perhaps come from outer space. In this age of information and enlightenment why dont we put our foot down and demand justice from our rulers? How can a sane adult think that Nigeria may be okay say in a thousand years? All too often I find people who give opinions such as this are benefitting one way or the other from Nigeria. In your own case, if your handle is an indication of where you come from, you or people close to you could be engaging in oil bunkering. Nigeria is a country of forced nations sustained by a clique of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba people who dont necessarily represent the wish of their people. Nigeria is a country where nothing is working. Every scandal is quickly swept under the rug after a few weeks. What has happened to the siemens scandal, what of Iyabo Obasanjo involvement in Austria, what of murder of Bola Ige, Dikibo, Harry Marshall and the rest? The list is endless. Try to smell the coffee and know what time is it. Posted by overdryv| 02.03.2008 05:11

ajimoh  Villager

# 5 =overdryv;4294993066>Sapeleman, We are talking of the original band of treasury looters who have constituted themselves into a cabal, replacing themselves when they quit the stage with their offsprings (e.g. Saraki, whose son is a Governor, Lamidi Adedibu, Son a Senator, and Olusegun Obasanjo, whose daughter is a Senator and a shaddy one too) and cronies and you are saying Nigeria would outlive everybody. The new generation you mentioned would perhaps come from outer space. In this age of information and enlightenment why dont we put our foot down and demand justice from our rulers? How can......adult think that Nigeria may be okay say in a thousand years? Nigeria is a country of forced nations sustained by a clique of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba people who dont necessarily represent the wish of their people. Nigeria is a country where nothing is working. Every scandal is quickly swept under the rug after a few weeks. What has happened to the siemens scandal, what of Iyabo Obasanjo involvement in Austria, what of murder of Bola Ige, Dikibo, Harry Marshall and the rest? The list is endless. Try to smell the coffee and know what time is it. (Words in bracket inserted by me) Overdryv, Thank you for your very wise counsel. Sapele man, I sure understand your optimism and patriotism but I hope it is not loyalty misplaced to a country hijacked by a small clique aptly described by Overdryv. It is difficult not to define Nigeria of today with reference to the small group controlling the destiny of millions of people; those who are above the law, who kill with impunity and impose mediocrity on a nation of intelligent people. It is obvious that a country founded on dishonesty will never survive and we are slowly, but surely, moving to the precipice that will shatter the sham the British created for us. A situation where a group of Hausa/Fulani can sit down and decide that another Military man be chosen as the President of Nigeria (the origin of Obasanjo as the civilian President) shows that we are doomed. In the same way, Obasanjo decided on the choice of UMYA as the next President of Nigeria! Tinubu, in Lagos, decided on the choice of Fashola as the Governor of Lagos State! Kalu decided on his brethren as the Governor of Abia State! Ibori, in Delta, chose his cousin as the Governor! Lamidi Adedibu brought his son from the USA to become a Senator! Now, Sapele man, I fail to see where you are deriving your optimisms! Look at all the people murdered under the watch of Obasanjo and nothing has happened. What lesson does that send to the next person about dealing with political opposition? Why is it in our own polity that we always say 'accept injustice so that the nation can move forward'? Could somebody enlighten me, how much 'moving forward we have done since the annulment of Abiola's election? It is a fact that there is no suffrage in Nigeria, the people have no votes; a cabal of thieves aided by corrupt Police, Judiciary and the military decide the votes. Are we ever going to get it right? Two justices of Appeal were recently sent to the Supreme Court. Should AC & ANPP decide to appeal the recent decision, you can be rest assured that those justices will sit on the appellate committee. That is how predictable we are, and the way we go about getting things right! The point may not be obvious now but it will when the matter goes to the Supreme Court: that court is being diluted in anticipation of the appeal! Nigeria? I am lost for words when it comes to Nigeria! Posted by ajimoh| 02.03.2008 11:59

apanajare  Villager

# 6 =Sapele Man;4294993061>apanajare Sapeleman: What would you rather have? Yes, mistakes were made. Yes, Nigerians have been held against their wishes. Yes, Nigerian resources have been squandered for years due to mismanagement. Apanajare says: What would I rather want? I want the country to be broken up according to the desires of the people. It has taken 50 years to get to no where. I am not willing to risk another 50 years Sapeleman: But let me tell you this. You listen well. I mean it. Every dark cloud has a silver lining. Just as days follow darkness so will the glorious years of Nigeria follow the dark years. Apanajere says: When a dark cloud persists for this long, you begin to wonder if there would ever be a silver lining. And if ever there would be one, you can begin to see the seeds of such right now. But as for me, I can not see any. Sapeleman: The beauty of a nation is that it outlives its citizens. Nigeria will have the last laugh at us. Today we have people that were there when the Nation got its independence. These were mentally primitive people who felt previledged to sit on the same table with the whitemen. They caved empires for themselves and they made the nation very fragile to suit their needs. These people created the mess we have now. Apanajare says: First the claim you made in this paragraph is not entirely true. I remember reading somewhere where Ahmadu Bello wondered at the brilliance of the Yoruba lawyers at tackling the whiteman and making them looking ridiculous in some of the constitutional conferences. He then wondered if the North would ever be able to compete. I do not think the North could not compete given the chance, it was just that the Sardauna was wowed. However, those brilliant people have been rendered redundant in the NigeriaN system. We have seen the children of these hoodlums taking over. How old was Ibori in 1959? How old was Duke and Andy Ubah in 1959? How old was Fayose in 1959? How old was President Umar Yar'Adua in 1959? Sit down and do the Math and you will see that your point is not tenable. Sapeleman: The reality is that one-by-one they will die and gone forever. I tell you this, they will rot in hell. A new generation will eventually come up that has no connection with these self-ordained leaders. It is then that the real Nigeria we wanted will be born. Believe me brother when I say that time isn’t far away. Apanajare says: Your prognosis is fatally flawed. If you are able to answer the question relating to the age of fraudsters that have been very notorious in the last 8 years, then you will see that your optimism is highly misplaced Sapeleman: If by saying this makes me an optimist then I am proud to know that I am a rational optimist. But I am proudest when you call me a Nigerian. Apanajare says: You are not an ordinary optimist, you are an incurable optimist. One man's meat is another man's poison. Congratulations for being a Nigerian. As far as I am concerned, it is a dream that I wished I never had. The greatest misfortune of my life is having my Yoruba nation being part of this Nigerian tragedy. The earlier I can help create a divorce, the better for the generations of Yoruba sons and daughters coming to inherit a NATION WITH GREAT HISTORY AND UNBOUNDED FUTURE. THE MAN DIED IN HIM WHO KEEPS SILENT IN THE FACE OF TYRANNY - Wole Soyinka Posted by apanajare| 02.03.2008 12:02

Sapele Man  Villager

# 7 =overdryv;4294993066>Sapeleman, After going thru your post the first thing that came to my mind was that you could be high on that your special "water". This opinion could only come from an irredeemably corrupt and lazy mind. We are talking of the original band of treasury looters who have constituted themselves into a cabal, replacing themselves when they quit the stage with their offsprings and cronies and you are saying Nigeria would outlive everybody. The new generation you mentioned would perhaps come from outer space. In this age of information and enlightenment why dont we put our foot down and demand justice from our rulers? How can a sane adult think that Nigeria may be okay say in a thousand years? All too often I find people who give opinions such as this are benefitting one way or the other from Nigeria. In your own case, if your handle is an indication of where you come from, you or people close to you could be engaging in oil bunkering. Nigeria is a country of forced nations sustained by a clique of Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba people who dont necessarily represent the wish of their people. Nigeria is a country where nothing is working. Every scandal is quickly swept under the rug after a few weeks. What has happened to the siemens scandal, what of Iyabo Obasanjo involvement in Austria, what of murder of Bola Ige, Dikibo, Harry Marshall and the rest? The list is endless. Try to smell the coffee and know what time is it. overdryv Noooo!! Your mindset is in overdrive! You have ignored similar examples in other parts of the world, from Asia to Europe and America. When you say “This opinion could only come from an irredeemably corrupt and lazy mind”, I didn’t disagree. I only wonder who that remark is appropriately suited. You have made the erroneous assumption that there would be no growth in the opposing group to “the original band of treasury looters who have constituted themselves into a cabal…..and their offspring and cronies”. You have alluded to my point that we will reach a stage when we the progressives will “put our foot down and demand justice from our rulers”. At that point the stage is truly set for Nigeria reformation. Nigeria being a country of forced nationals is no excuse. The citizens of UK, USA, Italy, Spain, etc will equally say the same. And the scandals in Nigeria today did happen in these countries and is still happening today but at a much reduced level compared to Nigeria. When you asked, “How can a sane adult think that Nigeria may be okay say in a thousand years?”, I laughed and wondered about your state of mind. A sane person would have asked “How can any sane adult think that Nigeria may not be okay say in a thousand years?” I am very sober. I have no oil bunkering contract and it isn’t one of aims in life. I am happily self-employed in the UK as a Joiner and carpenter. Posted by Sapele Man| 02.03.2008 12:40

Sapele Man  Villager

# 8 =apanajare;4294993112> Apanajare says: The earlier I can help create a divorce, the better for the generations of Yoruba sons and daughters coming to inherit a NATION WITH GREAT HISTORY AND UNBOUNDED FUTURE. Apanajare Yours will be a one-man soldier!! But it takes more than just one man to create the divorce you are talking about. I can see the NVS Biafrans laughing at your comment. Need I say more? Posted by Sapele Man| 02.03.2008 12:48

apanajare  Villager

# 9 =Sapele Man;4294993119>Apanajare Yours will be a one-man soldier!! But it takes more than just one man to create the divorce you are talking about. I can see the NVS Biafrans laughing at your comment. Need I say more? Sapeleman, The prospect you painted above does not scare me in any way. Before the State of Israel became a reality in 1948, it was an obscure journalist that mooted the idea about 50years earlier. When he mooted the idea, the majority of his people were against him, they campaigned against him and demonised him. Today, the entire world is a witness to the reality of an Israeli State. When Mahatma Gandhi started as a poor lawyer in South Africa, only very few gave him the chance that the freedom of an entire subcontinent would be realised through him. When Rosa Parks refused to stand up on that fron seat of the Bus, I am sure there were African Americans who saw her as a rabble rouser and condemned her behind scenes. When the Thomas Paines of this world were calling Americans to the resistance of a foreign domination, some were actually laughing at him. If the founders of ANC thought like you are doing, the History of South Africa will not be what it is today. I believe that in the not distant future, the Yoruba people will stand up to salute their own flag, singing their own national anthem in their own country. It may be a dream NOW. BUT IT WILL BECOME A REALITY. It is just a matter of time. And to the "NVS Biafrans" that you contend are laughing, they are all welcome. Even others outside the NVS and anywhere else, they are all welcome. No bitter feelings at all. THE MAN DIED IN HIM WHO KEEPS SILENT IN THE FACE OF TYRANNY - Wole Soyinka Posted by apanajare| 02.03.2008 13:22

Sapele Man  Villager

# 10 =apanajare;4294993129> Sapeleman, The prospect you painted above does not scare me in any way. Before the State of Israel became a reality in 1948, it was an obscure journalist that mooted the idea about 50years earlier. When he mooted the idea, the majority of his people were against him, they campaigned against him and demonised him. Today, the entire world is a witness to the reality of an Israeli State. When Mahatma Gandhi started as a poor lawyer in South Africa, only very few gave him the chance that the freedom of an entire subcontinent would be realised through him. When Rosa Parks refused to stand up on that fron seat of the Bus, I am sure there were African Americans who saw her as a rabble rouser and condemned her behind scenes. When the Thomas Paines of this world were calling Americans to the resistance of a foreign domination, some were actually laughing at him. If the founders of ANC thought like you are doing, the History of South Africa will not be what it is today. I believe that in the not distant future, the Yoruba people will stand up to salute their own flag, singing their own national anthem in their own country. It may be a dream NOW. BUT IT WILL BECOME A REALITY. It is just a matter of time. And to the "NVS Biafrans" that you contend are laughing, they are all welcome. Even others outside the NVS and anywhere else, they are all welcome. No bitter feelings at all. apanajare I cannot dispute the point that "in not too distant future, the Yoruba people will stand up to salute their own flag, singing their own national anthem in their own country." Let me tell you why I am not surprised. In the UK, the Welsh, English, Irish and Scots have their own national flags that they salute in addition to the British flag. So if Nigeria was a proper federation, each federating units can have their own flags. There is nothing wrong with that. Even a school or a club can have its own flag. What worries me is why you think it has to be in the distant future before the Yoruba people can have their national (ethnic?) flag. If they really want one they can have one made for them at Onitsha market. Posted by Sapele Man| 02.03.2008 15:39

---

The conversation continues in our forum. Click here to read all comments

---