The Court of Appeal through its judgement that nullified Ibrahim Idris’s election as governor of Kogi State confirmed that electoral victory got through the back door can only be temporarily enjoyed. The appellate court upheld the decision given last October by the state’s Election Tribunal.
Clarence Olafemi, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, whose election too was quashed and now a subject of appeal, has been sworn-in as acting governor.
The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, is expected to organise another governorship election within 90 days.
The governorship election nullification is first of its kind under the President Umaru Yar’Adua administration but second since the advent of democracy over eight years ago. It deserves commendation for coming at a time that the polity was becoming impatient with the slow pace of petitions before the tribunals.
The judicial verdict would spur other election tribunals across the country into action and would serve as a veritable catalyst for more courageous and steadfast judgements. The judgement is a triumph for democracy and constitutionalism that were verbally assaulted through irregularities and malpractices that marred the April 2007 elections.
This judgement affirms that democracy in the country is maturing: And that whenever untoward act attempts to threaten its very existence, the judiciary would always be there as a saving grace.
This trend should continue so as to engender people’s confidence in governance and the process of bringing it forth.
The judiciary must sustain the tempo of rectifying electoral fraud imposed on the nation, where-ever it is proved to exist, by a cabal that have little regard for electorate wishes during elections.
The victory is not an end in itself until the process is completed when INEC conducts a fresh election that would be devoid of mockery that was the hallmark of earlier ones.
The outcome of fresh election in Kogi State must satisfy and meet up with electoral rules and must be conducted under an atmosphere of peace. INEC could show that it has learnt from its previous mistakes if it remains dispassionate in ensuring that fairness prevails in the coming election in Kogi State.
We call on political parties, politicians and people of Kogi State to cooperate with INEC in ensuring that the fresh election is free and fair so that the state can move-on on the democratic ladder of the country.
Kogi State governorship election verdict remains an epochal one that sends signal to other tribunals to do what is right as soon as possible. The various tribunals must dispense with cases before them in order not to waste precious time of litigants and that of the country.
