MANY PEOPLE mis-understood the concept of stolen mandate. A “stolen mandate is an electoral mandate or legitimacy that is not given to anyone occupying a political office by the majority of the people of a given political polity via a popular process of a free and fair democratic election”.
Many thought that i was talking of the mandate been stolen from the IGALAS(the acclaimed majority)and given to one of the minority tribes.
In the case of Kogi state, I can categorically tell u that anybody that the tribunal declares victorious and been sworn in, in respective of political party,tribe or religion affiliation, be it Wada, Yahaya Bello or Abiodun Faleke is still riding on the back of a stolen mandate.
The only way that any one of them can be declared a gov,without the tag of a stolen mandate hanging on him is Via a RE-RUN ELECTION where the political parties will go back and conduct fresh primaries and present acceptable candidates for the people to vote, and the person that emerge winner is assumed and vested with the blessed sacramentalized oils of power, authority, legitimacy by the people of the state.
Let’s be frank, the truth remain the same and cant be changed, the winner of the last gubernatorial election was Late Prince Abubakar Audu, (despite the fact that i never supported him).
Firstly, in the case of Yahaya bello who came to power based on the believe that votes belongs to political parties hence he was nominated by the party to inherit the votes of late Audu, via a supplementary election. Then how does this become a stolen mandate? Simply the concept of legitimacy in a democracy takes into consideration the personality involved, the manifestos and the actually votes gotten by the candidate in question in the election and not a product of been awarded by a political party or electoral tribunal.
Moreover in the Nigeria Constitution, their is no provision for inheritance of votes, hence a clear case of stolen mandate has been established.
Secondly in the case of Abiodun Faleke, he too want to be declared as a governor. Based on the fact that he was the running mate to late prince Audu, hence has the moral right to inherit the votes of his late boss. Just like the case of Yayaya Bello, the all taking about inheritance of Late Audu’s votes. But Legitimacy is not a product of inheritance of votes, but a person been actually voted for by the people and couple with the fact the Nigerian constitution does not make provision for inheritance of votes, a clear case of Stolen Mandate is also established.
Thirdly, in the case of Idris Ichalla Wada, who seek to be the governor. Based on the fact that since he is the second runner up in the election and the winner Prince Audu is no more, and the constitution does not make provision for the inheritance of votes by either individuals or political parties, he should be declared winner by virtue of him been the candidate with the second highest votes. In the case of Wada, he is not seeking to inherit votes but trying to take opportunity of the vacuum created. As logical as this seems to be, the fact still remain the same that he was not given the popular mandate by the people, hence he came second in the election and by common sense implication he was not given the mandate to govern the people by the people. Declaring him as governor will amount to same concept of STOLEN MANDATE.
In a nutshell the concept of stolen mandate implies occupying an office without you as a person winning the popular vote during an ELECTION and its not a product of the decision of a political party, electoral body or tribunal. Declaring any one of them as a winner will amount to the a clear robbery on the people of the state.
The solution is just for a re-run election in Kogi State, so that people will be made to exercise their franchise and rededicate their legitimacy to someone who the trust and believe in to change their socio-economic status.
– Enemama Akubor
