NASS Elections and the Road To The Courts

It is no surprise that, for and against, there's been a mole hill or a mountain (depending on your perspective) of opinions, both informed and otherwise, about the election of principal officers at our bicameral legislative chambers. Some have made allegations, from the amusingly sublime to the utterly ridiculous, against parties on both sides of the divide in the most bilious terms possible. There's even been an attribution to karma in some cases and in other cases, to "cutting several over-bloated influential politicians to mouthful chunks." As many as there are armpits, there have been views.

What I've seen as the most overarching opinion is that the election was inherently flawed. Several reasons have been adduced to back this stance and some have alluded to the President's cautious remarks to back their stand that it wasn't fair enough and thus cannot and should not be.

No begrudging this stance. Good enough those so aggrieved have shown their desire to seek redress. And the proper mode of seeking redress in a disposition of democratic practice as ours is via the courts.

This is where the raison d'etre of this post lies. I always am excited by court cases (and it's not because of any truth-value, a virtue as alien to the courts as can be, nor is it because of any personal pecuniary rewards). No. Rather, it is because these cases not only enrich our legal system but the entire litigation process serves to inform the generality of the non-legal-educated public of the provisions of the law regarding said case(s) and how portions of the constitution that apply therewith are interpreted, explained and brought to bear on the case(s). This process brings the legalese to an easily comprehensible level for the mostly average Joe and allows us an opportunity of appreciating the law as it currently stands or immediately seeing loopholes that ought to be plugged by appropriate constitutional amendments.

By and large, the consequence will be a refining of our democratic practice in a way that ensures that as we mature as a democracy, some gaffes will either not recur or, should there be any recurrence, have appropriate legislation at hand to deal squarely with them.

So, anyone who feels that election at the NASS is a democratic aberration should quickly seek legal redress. Please. Hurry up, in fact.

I can't wait to read the proceedings from that one (or those ones). The wealth of knowledge I'd obtain? PRICELESS. I can't speak for anyone else, though.

Sorry.

Contenders for GEJ's Consensus Spot Arise

Good morning Panel of Judges, co-debaters, accurate time-keeper, ladies and gentlemen.

Allow me to argue against the motion which states that "Allowing Other Candidates Pick Presidential Forms to Contest Against the Consensus Candidate of PDP is Democratic and the Candidates Have a Chance"

The points of those favouring the motion are beautifully expressed and quite impressive. But were these other candidates not thought of when the hierarchy of the party were junketing across the country in their heavily publicised signature-gathering in all the zonal rallies of different opportunistic groups for support for their "Best President Nigeria Ever Had"?

2. Where were these other contenders at the time? I'm not going to aver that they were in the contingent of these cross-country travellers. It's likely, but...

3. Were they not aware of the party's decision to stick with a "winning formula" in the person of GEJ and his acolytes in power?

4. Did they not notice how N98.1m was purportedly raised by governors and other "well-intentioned" individuals (whose names were later listed) in a bid to "help" the once "shoeless" Otuoke son buy a N20m presidential form?

5. Can they claim to have been oblivious of the fact that having gathered signatures and provided the funds for the form, the party stooped to their most recent low to beg the incumbent "messiah" to contest so as to consolidate on his "good luck" to Nigeria?

6. Is their ignorance so massive that it missed all the media time purchased by a coterie of managed and tele-guided groupings to remind amnesic and senile Nigerians of the amazing "transformation" that has been Nigeria's lot since he took the reins of power as president, even though this (indirectly, if you like) flew in the face of the country's electoral law?

7. Have they forgotten that he is the incumbent with the blessing of the current party "leaders" and the faith family consisting of the biggest pastors in the world from this country?

8. Is it beyond them to witness the strides being made to secure the release of the girls abducted by Haramites and acquire for the country an unprecedented ceasefire with blood-thirsty extremists? The first of its kind anywhere in the world? Instantly making the incumbent the international celebrity model of terrorist dealings?

9. Do they not note how the incumbent singlehandedly fought Ebola to a halt, thereby acquiring a cult-like following internationally as the WHO gave the country a clean bill of health?

10. Haven't they noticed how Mama Peace, Dame Patience has become kingmaker across the South South, only needing to raise the hand of the "handpicked" candidate for the next election for said person to have the best chance of becoming the party's flagbearer? Such power only comes with longstanding and obese patience.

So, my ladies and gentlemen, with these few points of mine, it is hoped that you have become convinced beyond rational doubt that their attempts at democratising the process is a ruse and that some more observant of the populace see beyond the smokescreen. You don't democratise by giving one of the contenders an unfair advantage. For 2015, there is, as Adewumi Noah Adeniyi said, "only one Usain Bolt in the race" for Aso Rock in PDP.

Thank you.