Fellow Kogites, the dice is cast! We are in big trouble, those whom we thought were our sympathizers are now the greatest adversaries. And those who should uphold the sanctity of the rule of law and orderliness are now the traducers.
The presidency has frittered billions on Yahaya Bello’s reelection and INEC (the right judge of whom wins an election) is now at the whims and caprices of his overreach.
As we speak, a game is currently on. Aspirants either accept Bello’s N5 million bribe or face ridiculous intimidation from the electoral body.
Substitute I for D (as in INEC – DNEC) and you have an honest meaning of Nigeria’s electoral body- Dependent National Electoral Commission. They are now the impotent enabler of corrupt politicians’ inviduous tactics. What motivate them is anything that constricts democracy and the rule of law. As a matter of fact, they act and interprets judicial precedent without remorse to the law of the land.
Just as the president manipulates judicial ruling to vent anger on perceive political enemies, INEC no longer regard the supremacy of the law which in a nutshell they are bounded by.Section 117 and section 178 of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria states the criteria for contesting an election into the office of the governor in Nigeria. It specifies 35 as the minimum age requirement. However, the electoral act 2019 was also in affirmation with the constitution of the federal Republic which INEC had deliberately and severally utterred.
First, the 2019 presidential/governorship election was flooded with underage candidates. In Abia state, a governorship candidate Mr Nanna Igwo Okpan of AGA party was 30 years old. Uka chukwuma prince was 34 and was the deputy governorship candidates of APP. Still in Abia, a female deputy governorship candidate, Chika of FPN was 32. Adamawa had 23, 30, 31, 32, 33 and even 34 years old candidates who contested as governorship/deputy governorship candidates. Akwa Ibom- 30, 32, 33, 34, etc. Shockingly, the serving deputy governor of Zamfara state, Mr Mahadi Aliu Gusau is 33 years old. INEC never disqualify him or any of the candidates during and after the election. They all contested in the 2019 gubernatorial race in their various states.
Even when Buhari’s certificate saga raged on, INEC maintained the threshold and told the world it has no power to disqualify any candidate who neither present certificate nor meet the age requirements.
Now my question; why is INEC exercising the same power it never had over the above named under age candidates but on Natasha Akpoti/her running mate? The electoral acts made provisions for substitution of candidates 45 days after, and INEC on the contrary stipulated the 19th of September (which actually falls below the day stipulated by the electoral act 2019) for such substitution. Social Democratic Party (Natasha’s party) on the order hand complied and submitted the name of a revered technocrat, Eng. Khalid Adams. But lo and behold! SDP governorship candidate, Natasha Akpoti was disqualified on account of erring what God alone knows.
Fellow Kogites, isn’t this clear that Nigeria is now a lawless nation? The same offence that a 23 years old Adamawa state deputy governorship candidate absconded is the same offence that both a 34 years deputy governorship candidate and even the governorship candidate in Kogi state is being held to ransom for.
The similar requirement which INEC had no power to disqualify the president for is what its playing the role of the judiciary for.I am ashamed of INEC. Truly, they are no longer independent, but a petter of Nigeria’s corrupt politicians.
Be that is it may, a deep look into the polity of Kogi state will unravel certain facts. Check this, Bello, after boasting that a party (PDP) that should form a strong opposition against him is a dead horse, and upon claiming that his allies littered the party, he seemed not worried on its upshot, perhaps, a probable last minute change. But he has been utilizing the high financial muscles to induce candidates on several parties. And base on the available info, Natasha and the APM candidate rebuffed Bello’s bribe. As a matter of fact, they were threatened to either accept the bribe or loose on both ends.
Again I ask; could it be possible that Bello has extended the same financial wing to the INEC officials? Why are they so bold knowing that their integrity is on the line, and even when evidences against their maliciously inclined acts liters?
Fellow Kogites, Natasha’s aspiration is sacrosanct to the removal of the enfant terribles in the Lugard House. Bello and his second in command knows that the third force is so sophisticated. We must therefore unite against this injustices now or live at the mercies of these clueless politicians. It’s unruly and uncalled for to disenfranchise Natasha over the immunity others had enjoyed. Not when the country is advocating for the ‘Not too young to lead Ideology’.
Kogi will be great again. We will meet again.
– John Paul.
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