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Emerging perspectives on Kogi PDP victory
By Adinoyi Idris Adinoyi
Newsdiaryonline Sat Dec 10,2011
Idris Wada;Kogi
gov-elect
Since the announcement of the December 3rd governorship election
result in Kogi State, an avalanche of commentaries has surfaced.
Thanks to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for claiming to
have won with sweeping victory and then to the Action Congress
of Nigeria (ACN) for stating that the election results were
“scientifically” manipulated. This in my opinion will set the
tone for an interesting discourse in the days ahead.
While the ACN accused PDP and the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) over what it called scientific rigging, a new
phrase in Nigeria’s political lexicon, the ACN has also said it
cannot accept the results presented by INEC because it does not
reflect the will of the people.
On the other hand, the PDP countered the ACN’s allegation as
baseless. More so,a leader of the PDP and Chairman of its Board
of Trustees, former PresidentOlusegun Obasanjo sarcastically
remarked that the actions of the ACN in the just conducted Lagos
State local government election were unscientific as the results
of the elections produced a hundred percent victory for the ACN
with the PDP losing all its previously held posts to ACN. Tit
for tat you may say.
The simple interpretation of these statements is that there is
little doubt that this gambit has been part of a larger effort
of Nigerian politicians to uphold or discredit election results.
It is common knowledge that political parties in Nigeria if
given the opportunity would adjust election results in their
favour. As far as many Nigerians are concerned, there is no
reason to believe a word of politicians on dispute of election
results. Specifically, if there was no history of rigging on
both sides of the ACN and PDP in previous elections. it would be
interesting and engaging to dwell on the aftermath of the Kogi
State gubernatorial election. But regrettably most elections in
Nigeria are about politicians’ egos and gang warfare.
The recent Kogi election is not an exception, it was certainly
not in Nigeria’s best democratic interests but the subterfuge
and self-serving banter of politicians coming after the Kogi
elections will do nothing to further good electoral practices in
Nigeria or improve the well being of the poorest of us in Kogi
State.
Just few months ago, many political parties in Kogi State
appeared rudderless, divided and incapable of mounting an
electoral contest. Little wonder, the gubernatorial election
will likely go down as the most unpopular in history in terms of
percentage of voter turnout.
While the statements on the Kogi election are confusing, a
message has been sent across to the public. And what are the
issues? Did the
election result as some have claimed, represent a fraud? Simply
put, the Kogi State gubernatorial election was not free from
malpractices but whether the results are from an exercise laden
with fraud of enormous proportions is an issue that only a court
of competent jurisdiction can decide.
Meanwhile, with huge accusations of electoral fraud from the ACN
which means that the person who lost, won and the person who
won, lost. This makes it uncertain on who becomes the next
Governor of Kogi State but if truth were told, the scale of the
mountain facing the ACN remains formidable. The results from the
elections if actually scientifically rigged will be too
difficult for Nigeria’s many unscientific courts of law to
decipher. This is where the headache of the ACN lies.
However, the ongoing claim by the PDP that it emerged victorious
from the elections with a sweeping mandate for their efforts and
good governance of its outgoing Governor Ibrahim Idris is
weighed down by half truths. But this will form a sufficient
discourse elsewhere.
In many press releases made by the PDP, one obvious fact is that
the thought process of some persons behind such statements seem
a bit off; certainly, they are entitled to their opinion but
maybe they need to rethink their reasoning because anyone who
thinks that Captain Idris Wada, the governor-elect of Kogi State
won the election by the strength of his supporters is delusional
or simply not paying attention. It is even quite tragic for
anyone to believe that a man that has many cases pending in
different courts would have a smooth ride to Luggard House as
Kogi State Governor.
The alleged illegitimacy of Capt Wada’s candidacy remains the
problem to manage. It is very much a topic of discussion within
the PDP fold and a major interest of the ACN. It would be
recalled that the PDP spent the final week of the campaign
pleading“unity for victory”. Obviously the PDP was in great
disarray as most of its supporters who were disillusioned by the
process that brought Capt Wada as its standard bearer, were
willing to back the opposition party, but for the last minute
intervention of Mr. President, the National Party Leader, the
many members of the National Assembly who hitherto felt insulted
and marginalised by the disparaging displays by the outgoing
Governor.
Governor Ibrahim Idris imposed Capt Wada on the party,
disregarding Jibrin Isah Echocho, a man so acclaimed to be the
people’s choice with a command of large section of PDP
supporters. Specifically, before the President’s arrival, it was
obvious that some PDP supporters may have been swayed by the ACN
and the reasons were obvious. That leadership is a problem for
the Kogi State PDP has long been clear. What is certain is that
Wada Idris won the elections not because during his campaign he
did not put a foot wrong but for a last minute intervention of
the top hierarchy of the PDP and the efforts of Mr. President in
persuading key players in Kogi State PDP to work for a common
goal.
Any illusion of final victory by the PDP is a gross
miscalculation because the situation on ground rightly suggests
that PDP victory is resting on a shaky foundation. Even with
elections being over, it is still a far cry from the end of the
PDP in-house battle for who is the legitimate candidate for the
elections.
President Jonathan’s
involvement proved decisive in restoring unity within the
PDP but Capt Wada has many cases pending in different courts and
this has not ruined
the hopes of Echocho’s supporters. Their claim is that Echocho
immensely supported PDP to victory by using his network of
supporters to deliver votes for the PDP and may well have helped
discredit the ACN. Any decision by Echocho’s camp to have
campaigned against PDP would have
spelt doom for the PDP. This strikes as further proof of
Echocho’s wisdom and integrity. In simple reasoning, what
Echocho’s camp demonstrated is the necessity of victory before
going back to the court. It was not as much a vote forCapt Wada
as a vote to ensure that Echocho’s efforts in courts were not
wasted.
A few days before the election, I asked a taxi driver in Lokoja
metropolis who he planned to vote for. He paused, grinning
almost guiltily before answering: “I’m voting for PDP and
Echocho”.
Disillusionment within the PDP spread to its own supporters.
Majority of its supporters were ready to vote for the ACN if not
for Echocho’s insistent persuasion but unfortunately not many of
his supporters understood the wisdom in his call for continued
support of the PDP as it was reported that his personal house
was almost touched by some aggrieved supporters who felt he was
backing out of a noble course.
Whether and how to negotiate peace with the opposition within
the PDP has become the one major headache in deciding who
governs Kogi state and this is what the National Working
Committee of the PDP cannot avoid. Unfortunately, this important
aspect is being neglected in favour of victory celebrations that
may not stand the test of time. The truth is that the PDP should
be prepared to tackle this issue before the court reaches a
verdict on legitimacy or otherwise on CaptWada’s candidiacy.
There are those who hold the strong view that the only way that
ACN can secure an immediate victory in Kogi elections in a
country like Nigeria is through capitalizing on the weaknesses
of the legitimacy of Capt Wada’s candidature. As such, The PDP
supporters should understand that this is the easiest path to
send their victory to an early political grave.
With the National leadership of the PDP falling for Wada’s
electoral victory
and keeping quiet on the controversies on Wada perhaps to
protect self interests, it is obvious, that the PDP is set to
gamble with the privilege of its alleged scientific victory. If
this situation is not thoroughly examined, it seems ACN’s hopes
to be at Luggard’s House will not take too long to come to
fruition especially if the court rules against Wada on
illegitimacy of his candidacy. All of these reasons should give
signals to PDP that their candidate has a strong chance for
being replaced by the ACN’s candidate.
It is even very certain that now that PDP’s candidate is still
embroiled in controversy, ACN, the major challenger in the
election will find a way to ensure that they are able to raise
more questions on the legitimacy of Wada’s candidacy to make
sure the court rules against Wada at a time that will be too
late for him to resign and be replaced by the PDP.
Even with a long history of arrogance and infighting, it is
clear that the PDP can no longer pretend that it is acting on
the basis of popular will. PDP needs to look at the other
options otherwise it could squander its present advantage.
*Adinoyi wrote from Okene,Kogi State.
Th
This is the document referred to in the Witness
Statement on Oath of Clifford O. Kokogho as
“Exhibit
COK.2”
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