As recently advised by Dr Emmanuel Ojameruaye, Nigerians should be mindful not to repeat June 12 imbroglio. The annulment of June 12 brought in interim administration and military dictatorship of Abacha that set the entire country backwards.
Politics is not do or die. The courts are established to resolve disputes including election matters. Election grievances are being resolved in tribunals/courts. I think the best any aggrieved candidate should do is to approach the courts.
We shouldn’t forget the evil of military administration. We shouldn’t think of interim administration at all. Datti Baba Ahmed, presidential running mate to Peter Obi, should call self to order and those singing the chorus of fire should think twice.
I still recollect how the opposition ran down the NPN administration of Shehu Shagari that was truncated by Generals Mohammadu Buhari and Babatunde ‘Tunde’ Idiagbon on 31st December 1983. Since then the country has not recovered from the evil of that coup.
The First Republic administration was truncated by Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, Emmanuel Ifeajuna and co and it took years to get out of the woods with succession of military coups until 1979 when Shehu Aliyu Shagari was elected.
We should protect the Nigerian civilian democratic administration no matter what difficulties we’re going through as a country. Interim and military regimes are outdated in the 21st Century and never should we dream of it. Military administrations are evil and have no place in Nigeria.
Nigeria saw hell in the hands of Gen Sanni Abacha. Have they forgotten the evil of the military administrations of Buhari and Idiagbon when Guardian was closed down by Buhari and Idiagbon who locked up and jailed Tunde Thompson and Nduka Irabor of Guardian newspaper for doing their jobs as journalists by criticising their reckless and controversial press decree. Thompson and Irabor were locked up for about 11 months awaiting trials plus jail term.
We should protect the civilian democratic administration. It may not be perfect now but certainly we will overcome the challenges.
Those aggrieved candidates should be patient and rely on the judiciary to address all grievances.
We should not use our hands to set the country on fire that can’t be extinguished in a hurry. Those candidates who lost must show self discipline and approach the court and no other alternatives. Spreading fake stories to dent image of people is inciting.
Nigeria will loose greatly if some Nigerian elites deliberately set fire to consume the country just because their favourite candidates are not declared winners. There are legitimate procedures to follow and there are legitimate fights to claim stolen mandate through courts.
Running down and heating up the polity with inflammatory statements by opponents and their supporters is not a solution. Even Donald Trump that is under trial under New-York laws is still warming up to contest in US as a presidential candidate. Nigerian elites must learn from January 15,1966 and other military coups that have set the country on fire.
To quote Emmanuel Ojameruaye copiously, “I am not crying. Who is bereaved in this case? I am simply stating my opinion as I know it. The NBC has confirmed our assertion.
“I am concerned about the drift towards June 12 and anarchy. My opinion is that the constitution does not confer electoral privilege on Abuja residents notwithstanding Ozekhome’s recent abracadabra on this issue and Datti’s insistence.
“As I argued almost a month ago, it is either 24 states and Abuja OR 25 states without Abuja. I am prepared to take a bet on this as we await the Supreme Court’s verdict on this.
“Datti who has filed a petition should have been more guarded in his comments, and not play the role of both petitioner and judge. In my view, both the LP and PDP have weal cases against INEC, and both cases will be dismissed on this ground.”
We Mobilize Others To Fight For Individual Causes As If Those Were Our Causes!