THE PDP, APC, ELECTORAL FRAUD AND THE IMO CHIMERA; WHY CRY FOUL? By KEMKA S. IBEJI

It is no longer a breaking news that the Imo State Governor Emeka Ihedioha as declared by INEC on the 2019 election has been deposed by the judgment of the Supreme Court of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is no longer new to the ears. It is no longer news that both political parties and their candidates in that election rigged in one way or the other. It is also not new to discerning minds that right from the Tribunal through the Supreme Court, the judiciary has been a supermarket where justice is muzzled while judgement are wares. But there may be something new from all the oldies.

These two (PDP and APC) are the same with different names. They are friends and family teamed up for same purpose. They are also like father and son or mother and daughter living without trust for each other. An old woman in my village usually exclaimed; "that there's a should while mother and child were eating in the dark that light should quickly be brought" she continued "do we search the mouth of the mother or that of the child"? Like the lady musician Omawumi will want me to say, "if you ask me, na who I go ask"?

I also will recall the sight of a social media comedy of two Asian boys who engaged in a competition of eating water melon while having a prejudiced judge. While the judge tried to help one with the already eaten up water melon, the other competitor took it and kept his full portion for the cheating fellow. He beat them (his opponent and their corrupt judge) to their game. That video always come up on the social media every election period and it usually is meant to depict the PDP and APC.

In the above analogy, one could see the APC and PDP in the same light in Imo State. Let it sink that the PDP used rigging to win most of their elections in Imo State during the season. Though many of our readers may want to argue otherwise, of course, it is for the reason of our traditional saying in Igbo Proverb that "at the anniversary of a taboo, it becomes a culture". The wrong has been so practiced that it has now become normal and part of our electoral culture. But every sane mind knows that it is unlawful and criminal.

Did they buy votes? Did they snatch ballot boxes? Did they buy the security? Did they buy the Electoral Officers? Did they intimidate voters? If you check closely these questions and if you are sincere, your answer to all the questions will be the same and you will be heard echoing YES to all the questions. Those at least are marks of the mega and big parties. The new law for aspirants now is; get huge sum, buy the delegates of the big political parties, win their tickets and have the rest for yourself. It does not matter if you are knowledgeable of the problems of the people. It does not matter if you have the capacity to solve their problems. Just clinch the ticket of the mega parties and get richer before the main election and then wait for the party to rig you into office.

Yes! The PDP introduced this formula in 1999, held and practiced it till their ouster in 2015. The seeds planted by this mega establishment has been watered, fertilized and have germinated. But the big dangerous thing is when the hunter becomes the hunted. But the inferential danger is that they return to the polls each year with their tools for the same purpose. However, their offspring (APC) has matured and is now vibrant in the game. They are playing the same game with the same rule

But my wonder is why cry foul?

The PDP was rigging, the umpire (INEC) was badly mannered and legally immoral and the APC were the same. It is indeed a game of dog eat dog. Both political parties and their politicians are harlots who claim virgins.

What do we now say about the judiciary? They are the proverbial dog that ate the bone hung on her neck. The Nigerian judiciary, in respect to elections, are akin to an immoral male friend with a height of unguarded libido. I do not understand how we still allow our wives a stay with them and expect their sanctity. Certainly, if his friend's wife refuses his illicit advances, he will force down rape on her. Our judiciary have served us cold and soured meal yet have consistently sang themselves into sainthood. Unfortunately, they do all their atrocities in the company of both the Executive and Legislature. Our government in totality is the problem. The Nigerian electoral predicament is like the enigma of the perfect sphere which has no specific starting point. But whatever it is, we will choose, if arbitrarily, one spot to begin from.

It is very obvious and acceptable fact that even those who hated Emeka Ihedioha prior to his saddle of the Government House in Imo State began to fall in love with him for his great and fascinating sagacity. He showed in his few moments what leadership and due process should be. Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha showed class in Imo leadership and raised the bar of qualitative governance to a height that has never been seen by the new generation. He was or is what a good Governor should be. Every common observer of political engagement in Imo State fell in love with him. The only people who remained indifferent or antagonistic were real time politicians. But this is understandable because in that profession, it is all about interest and nothing more.

Granted the foregoing, it never absolved Gov. Emeka Ihedioha from the fact that his victory was liquid and on quicksand. He won by simple majority but did not fulfill the lawful demands to be declared a winner in the election. Why he held sway and tightened his grip on the seat is still obvious; the anniversary of taboo.

Going through the proceedings from the campaign, the elections, the Tribunal to the Supreme Court, you could simply find a system fraught with fraud. Will the criers want us to believe that they do not know from the beginning that the election was inconclusive? For those who share same social media platforms with me, I shared the information that the PDP should not rejoice yet because it was a runoff. Why Rt. Hon. Emeka Ihedioha was announced still remains a wonder to every truthful man or woman. But who does not understand the new ethos of politicians in Nigeria. Have you not heard the new law amongst candidates thus; "announce me first and let the rest go to court"? Every political student will immediately remember the Machiavellian principle of the end justifying the means. Yes, even Owelle Rochas Anayo Okorocha is sitting tight today in the Red Chambers of the National Assembly on the same method. Have we forgotten that he was announced winner under duress? Did the court not let him go with that gestapo victory?

But even after the wrong declaration by the INEC, the courts went to the market with trumpet sounds. The judiciary and all her athletes were playing from all wings of the field aiding and abetting the bad moral upon legalism. The divorce of morality from law will see that noble profession die! Were the courts not meant to simply interpret the clear situation of runoff and have the INEC ordered back to the field to have Gov. Emeka Ihedioha and Ugwumba Uche Nwosu only on the ballot? Why did the Tribunal feign blindness on that sacred truth? Why did the Appeal Court uphold same immorality to the worship of crime and failure? These are the real problems! And now the will of the people do not need to count anymore in an election. The courts now will have to decide for the masses who should govern them. What a failed system!

Hulks gather for stealing and the people are left to suffer. Where is the will of the people? And who is the righteous amongst these people - the PDP, AA, APGA and APC? I see no clear mind and clean hand in their congregation. 

The legislature should quickly make legislation that will have biting consequences on electoral criminals in/at all ranks. It has to take cognizance of the players and contributing bad fellows beginning with the INEC, the Judiciary, Executive, Legislature, agencies of government (especially the security outfits) and the citizens. The electoral laws need to be energized, emboldened and strengthened. The laws should have conditions that will not let the criminals walk away safe and proud. The judiciary should be moralized enough with hypothetical imperatives and penal codes sharpened for dread and lawful kill.

Until the above is done, the rule of the game will remain as the then Pablo my elder brother (now Ebuu) taught me; "whenever mugu shouts chai, aroba has collected or eaten". But here, you need to remember that both the mugu and aroba are one and the same people when the chips are down.

KEMKA S. IBEJI 

I am, 

KEMKA S. IBEJI

(One of the Great Thinkers living)