As a keen observer and commentator on Nigeria’s politics, one is at a loss
\nto understand the reasons, though not yet communicated on how the Supreme
\nCourt arrived at its judgement which upheld the electoral victory of
\nGovernor Nyesom Wike of Rivers state in view of what transpired on April
\n11, 2015 the gubernatorial election day, which was characterized by
\nmassive violence and was an extension of the violence which also blighted
\nthe political party campaigns in the run up to the election.<\/p>\n
if we recollect, Rivers state was the only state in the federation in
\nwhich the campaign ground of a political party was attacked with
\ndynamites, explosives and shooting of guns in broad day light, leading to
\ninjuries and loss of lives. The level of violence unleashed on the people
\nof Rivers state prior and during the 2015 general election was
\nunparalleled in our political history.<\/p>\n
It is an indisputable fact that on election day, hell broke loose as the
\nstate was virtually turned into a theatre of war as reports of violence
\nwas the order of the day. Political thugs and miscreants took over the
\nstate, snatching ballot boxes, assaulted security agents, political party
\nagents, voters, observers, INEC personnel were forced at gun point to
\njettison the use of PVC and Card reader in the process of conducting the
\nelection, limbs were damaged and lives were lost, etc.<\/p>\n
At the end of the day in an election which can best be described as an
\nelection of violence of which the whole world expected a cancellation due
\nto massive violence that didn’t allow for a credible election to take
\nplace and which was an anathema to democracy, INEC to the consternation of
\nlovers peace and democracy announced Mr. Nyesom Wike of the PDP as the
\nwinner.<\/p>\n
In their reports, the observers, local and international such as the
\nEuropean Union, American embassy, etc all condemned the exercise as a sore
\npoint of the conduct of the 2015 general elections and called on the
\nNigerian authorities to put in place machineries to correct the
\nabnormalities observed.<\/p>\n
In deference to the glaring fact that what took place in Rivers state on
\nApril 11, 2015 was not an election and cannot be an election, the Rivers
\nstate gubernatorial elections petitions tribunal and the court of appeal,
\nnullified the so called election based on petition from aggrieved parties.
\nNote also, that in this election the rules put in place by the electoral
\numpire was violated with impunity by electoral criminals which made it
\npossible for the “winner” to score more votes than the number of
\nauthenticated figure of voters captured by the e-card reader which was a
\nstrong basis for the nullification of the “election” by the two courts.<\/p>\n
However, the Supreme Court in its wisdom has upheld the results of the
\n“election” which produced Mr. Nyesom Wike as governor and this has left
\nadherents of peace and democracy perplexed and asking, if justice has been
\nserved in this matter to the good people of Rivers state in particular and
\nNigerians in general? If you ask me, I would respond with a capital No.<\/p>\n
While we await the reasons for the judgement of the Supreme Court, it
\nbecomes pertinent to state that though this judgement cannot be appealed
\nfurther, the truth which cannot be obliterated is that this judgement like
\nhas become noted of Nigeria’s judiciary in recent times is that, it is
\nhonestly speaking, a mystery.<\/p>\n
Nelson Ekujumi<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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