The relentless noise surrounding a “stolen mandate” ignores a fundamental political reality: the voters have already spoken.
In the theater of Nigerian politics, the line between strategic ambition and pure political delusion is often razor-thin. Lately, however, a select group of political actors in Kogi West has raised the bar entirely, staging a display of public grievance that borders on political paranoia.
At the center of the storm is a persistent, strident demand for a “mandate restoration”—a narrative that critics argue flips reality entirely on its head.
To understand the current friction, one must look at what actually transpired during the All Progressives Congress (APC) primaries for the Kogi West Senatorial District. The narrative being pushed by agitators is that an injustice was committed. But a closer look at the facts reveals a very different story: what occurred was not a theft, but the recovery of a mandate that was almost compromised.
The audacity of the attempted political heist witnessed during the process carries the hallmarks of outright desperation. The accompanying maneuvers, which allegedly bordered on forgery and other systemic infractions, remain a matter of serious concern—one that will undoubtedly face accountability at the appropriate time.
For now, the relentless public outcry by these agitators amounts to little more than empty wailing. Political truths are stubborn things; they do not bend to the sheer volume of a press conference or the frequency of a media release.
The current congregation of protesting politicians cuts a familiar figure in Nigerian politics: a desperate few pursuing narrow, highly selfish interests. Often, these forums become a gathering point for individuals seeking personal political rehabilitation. They operate under the flawed assumption that if a falsehood is repeated frequently and loudly enough, it will eventually morph into the truth.
Instead, it simply highlights a refusal to accept democratic outcomes. If these aggrieved actors genuinely believe they have a case, the path forward is clear, civilized, and legally codified:
All internal party mechanisms for dispute resolution have been thoroughly utilized and closed.
The appropriate arena for their grievances is not the court of public opinion, but a court of law.
Ironically, the current spectacle in Kogi West presents a bizarre paradox: a group openly lamenting the loss of items that were never legally theirs to begin with.
When the noise is stripped away, the hard numbers and democratic realities remain. Senator Sunday Karimi won the APC primary for the Kogi West Senatorial District overwhelmingly.
The party faithful cast their ballots in strict alignment with democratic principles. In a true democracy, the mandate belongs entirely to the people—not to a handful of disgruntled actors chasing illusions. No amount of political theater can overwrite the choices made at the ballot box.
– Ponle Adeniyi
ponleadeniyi457@gmail.com
