The battle for the ‘soul’ of Nasarawa State currently at the tribunal is getting increasingly interesting by the day. At every election in normal societies, there must be winners and losers. But Nigeria is far from being a normal society (no pun intended). It is a nation riddled by contradictions of unimaginable proportions.
Over the years, obvious winners of elections have been denied victory, while losers have been handed the trophy of victory in a manner reminiscent of spitting on the hallowed temple of justice or worse still, a desecration of the rule of law and natural justice.
It would be recalled that at April gubernatorial election held in Nasarawa State, the then Governor of the state, Alhaji Akwe Aliyu Doma of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) were the front runners. At the end of the keenly contested election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Al-Makura the winner of the election in controversial circumstances.
Feeling terribly disappointed with the massive irregularities associated with the conduct of the election, Alhaji Doma and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had approached the state election tribunal to contest the declaration of Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as the winner of the election. Joined in the petition as respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), INEC’s Returning Officer (RO) and of course, Alhaji Tanko Umaru Al-Makura.
Alhaji Doma and PDP are at the Tribunal seeking a declaration that the electoral umpire, the INEC breached relevant provisions of the Electoral Act by declaring Al-Makura as the winner of the election. Indeed, Doma is praying the Tribunal to declare that Al-Makura did not score majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and that he did score the required 25% of the votes cast in two-third of the local government areas in the state.
In the light of the foregoing, Doma prayed the Tribunal to declare the ‘dash’ of victory to the CPC candidate by INEC, the REC and the Returning Officer as unwarranted, unlawful, null and void.
In a 320-page petition, Alhaji Doma averred that there were irregularities in nine out of the thirteen Local Government Areas of the state namely: Keffi, Keana, Nasarawa, Obi, Wamba, Toto, Akwanga and Doma, a development that tilted victory in favour of the CPC candidate.
He alleged that the election did not comply substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and that it was marred by widespread irregularities. He also alleged that the election was marred by violence and corruption perpetrated by the 4th respondent and his party (CPC)’s thugs which include but not limited to multiple voting, ballot stuffing, over-voting, inflation of results, thuggery, attacks on PDP agents and supporters.
Narrowing the allegations of irregularities to specifics, the petitioner averred that in Keffi Local Government Area, the number of votes cast exceeded the number of ballot papers used. In some units, it was alleged that the total votes cast exceeded the number of voters on the queue, while in others, the total number of used and unused ballot papers exceeded the total ballot papers issued. In the same vein, in other units, the number of voters exceeded the number of persons accredited to vote.
In Nasarawa Local Government, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents were accused of wilfully excluding or discountenancing the actual result of votes cast, thereby depriving the petitioners their lawful votes. There are also allegations of multiple voting, thumb-printing and ballot stuffing, leading to over-voting. All these discrepancies were replicated in virtually all the other local government areas the petitioner complained of.
Elections the world over are supposed to be an opportunity for people to freely express their wishes in electing government of their choice. This is one of the fundamental principles of democracy; that is freedom of choice. When such freedom is denied the people through acts of electoral misconduct, then the essence of such elections is defeated.
While the people of the state were eager to cast their votes, the INEC officials in collaboration with other mischievous elements and enemies of progress stoutly denied them the opportunity to express themselves by casting their votes. Throughout the state, there were also reported cases of underage voting with security agents looking the other side when much malpractice was going on.
At the pre-hearing of the petition, CPC’s frantic efforts to have the case dismissed were turned down. At the close of the pre-hearing session, Doma and PDP presented an avalanche of 125 witnesses. In their testimonies, they enumerated awful and shocking instances of massive irregularities that attended the conduct of the election.
To lend credence to the allegations of the petitioners, one of the witnesses, Alhassan Hussaini from Dadinkowa, Sabongari Electoral Ward of Doma LGA said that immediately after he had cast his vote, PDP was announced as the winner at the unit, but strangely, this victory was later upturned and awarded to CPC.
To cap it all, Dr. John Michael Abdul, deputy governor under the Doma dispensation said that the election in the wards and units being contested in the petition was ‘’characterised by acts of violence, rigging, over-voting, multiple voting, intimidation and other criminal acts----committed by CPC thugs to ensure victory for the 4th respondent.’’
It is rather unsettling that the result of gubernatorial election conducted on the same day, the same time and through the same ballot boxes with that of the State House of Assembly would be substantially different from each other. PDP won 20 out of the 24 seats in the House. Simply unimaginable!
It is unfortunate that with every general election, including the last one, the electorates continue to lose confidence in the ability of the ballot box to express their will. This is a dangerous trend that must not be allowed to continue if we are to avoid our country sleep-walking into a disaster that we may not come out of.
Ochela is Personal Assistant (Media & Publicity) to Former Governor of Nasarawa State, Akwe Aliyu Doma
The battle for the ‘soul’ of Nasarawa State currently at the tribunal is getting increasingly interesting by the day. At every election in normal societies, there must be winners and losers. But Nigeria is far from being a normal society (no pun intended). It is a nation riddled by contradictions of unimaginable proportions.
Over the years, obvious winners of elections have been denied victory, while losers have been handed the trophy of victory in a manner reminiscent of spitting on the hallowed temple of justice or worse still, a desecration of the rule of law and natural justice.
It would be recalled that at April gubernatorial election held in Nasarawa State, the then Governor of the state, Alhaji Akwe Aliyu Doma of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura of the Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) were the front runners. At the end of the keenly contested election, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared Al-Makura the winner of the election in controversial circumstances.
Feeling terribly disappointed with the massive irregularities associated with the conduct of the election, Alhaji Doma and his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) had approached the state election tribunal to contest the declaration of Alhaji Tanko Al-Makura of Congress for Progressive Change (CPC) as the winner of the election. Joined in the petition as respondents are the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), INEC’s Returning Officer (RO) and of course, Alhaji Tanko Umaru Al-Makura.
Alhaji Doma and PDP are at the Tribunal seeking a declaration that the electoral umpire, the INEC breached relevant provisions of the Electoral Act by declaring Al-Makura as the winner of the election. Indeed, Doma is praying the Tribunal to declare that Al-Makura did not score majority of the lawful votes cast at the election and that he did score the required 25% of the votes cast in two-third of the local government areas in the state.
In the light of the foregoing, Doma prayed the Tribunal to declare the ‘dash’ of victory to the CPC candidate by INEC, the REC and the Returning Officer as unwarranted, unlawful, null and void.
In a 320-page petition, Alhaji Doma averred that there were irregularities in nine out of the thirteen Local Government Areas of the state namely: Keffi, Keana, Nasarawa, Obi, Wamba, Toto, Akwanga and Doma, a development that tilted victory in favour of the CPC candidate.
He alleged that the election did not comply substantially with the requirements of the Electoral Act 2010 (as amended) and that it was marred by widespread irregularities. He also alleged that the election was marred by violence and corruption perpetrated by the 4th respondent and his party (CPC)’s thugs which include but not limited to multiple voting, ballot stuffing, over-voting, inflation of results, thuggery, attacks on PDP agents and supporters.
Narrowing the allegations of irregularities to specifics, the petitioner averred that in Keffi Local Government Area, the number of votes cast exceeded the number of ballot papers used. In some units, it was alleged that the total votes cast exceeded the number of voters on the queue, while in others, the total number of used and unused ballot papers exceeded the total ballot papers issued. In the same vein, in other units, the number of voters exceeded the number of persons accredited to vote.
In Nasarawa Local Government, the 1st, 2nd and 3rd respondents were accused of wilfully excluding or discountenancing the actual result of votes cast, thereby depriving the petitioners their lawful votes. There are also allegations of multiple voting, thumb-printing and ballot stuffing, leading to over-voting. All these discrepancies were replicated in virtually all the other local government areas the petitioner complained of.
Elections the world over are supposed to be an opportunity for people to freely express their wishes in electing government of their choice. This is one of the fundamental principles of democracy; that is freedom of choice. When such freedom is denied the people through acts of electoral misconduct, then the essence of such elections is defeated.
While the people of the state were eager to cast their votes, the INEC officials in collaboration with other mischievous elements and enemies of progress stoutly denied them the opportunity to express themselves by casting their votes. Throughout the state, there were also reported cases of underage voting with security agents looking the other side when much malpractice was going on.
At the pre-hearing of the petition, CPC’s frantic efforts to have the case dismissed were turned down. At the close of the pre-hearing session, Doma and PDP presented an avalanche of 125 witnesses. In their testimonies, they enumerated awful and shocking instances of massive irregularities that attended the conduct of the election.
To lend credence to the allegations of the petitioners, one of the witnesses, Alhassan Hussaini from Dadinkowa, Sabongari Electoral Ward of Doma LGA said that immediately after he had cast his vote, PDP was announced as the winner at the unit, but strangely, this victory was later upturned and awarded to CPC.
To cap it all, Dr. John Michael Abdul, deputy governor under the Doma dispensation said that the election in the wards and units being contested in the petition was ‘’characterised by acts of violence, rigging, over-voting, multiple voting, intimidation and other criminal acts----committed by CPC thugs to ensure victory for the 4th respondent.’’
It is rather unsettling that the result of gubernatorial election conducted on the same day, the same time and through the same ballot boxes with that of the State House of Assembly would be substantially different from each other. PDP won 20 out of the 24 seats in the House. Simply unimaginable!
It is unfortunate that with every general election, including the last one, the electorates continue to lose confidence in the ability of the ballot box to express their will. This is a dangerous trend that must not be allowed to continue if we are to avoid our country sleep-walking into a disaster that we may not come out of.
Ochela is Personal Assistant (Media & Publicity) to Former Governor of Nasarawa State, Akwe Aliyu Doma
