Some lawyers expressed worries last week that in the aftermath of the 2023 elections, political petitions have congested the courts, crowding out and slowing other matters that are equally essential in nation building, economic and social development.
As for those lamenting the menacing number of election cases, they mean well for the polity, but it’s doubtful if they speak for all. We say this because election petitions have become the new economy for many and they will pray and fast that such cases never cease in the country. Mimiko and then South-west Leader, Bola Tinubu, had some quid pro quo understanding for the interest of the zone, but it was poorly consummated. It appeared that Mimiko preferred to be his own man instead of being allied in the South-west concentric, an attribute Tinubu considered to be foxy and they broke up. Equally, governorship electionrerun was ordered for in Ekiti, wherein Kayode Fayemi also benefitted from the intervention of the court and he defeated PDP’s Segun Oni.
But sincerely, elections in Nigeria are not just a burden on the judiciary, they are a heavy burden on the economy because everything about it, from paying INEC staff, procuring hard and software and hiring consultants are funded from public treasury apart from the support of international agencies. Even the election petitions are funded indirectly from the Federation Account.
INEC should do more to verify the documents submitted by candidates of parties. INEC is paid heavily to do its job so that the institution of the judiciary should have less election matters to deal with.
Politicians in the National Assembly frowned at this and conspired an amendment that transferred to parties the responsibility to present candidates to INEC. It no longer matters whether INEC monitored or witnessed a primary election. The party can wake up in the night to field a candidate who did not participate in primaries and heavens will not fall. These are some of the cases that end up burdening the Supreme Court. A return to the old rule will make sense, provided INEC itself is sincere.
History has documented what happened in Rivers State during the last election. The BBC did a report of that election titled “Nigeria election: The mystery of the altered results in disputed poll.” YIAGA Africa WTV did a report as well. Go and read them.
Source: News Formal (newsformal.com)