Politics
Let The Votes Count
Never in the political history of Nigeria that certain parts of the country are put in suspense just to hear the announcement of who will be the governor of their state that is almost one month after the elections that were supposed to produce who will govern us at the state level as well as those to preside at the state Houses of Assembly.
Up till now, states like Rivers, Adamawa, Benue, Bauchi, Kano and Sokoto are yet to get governors-elect. From all indication, this quagmire is not just the fault of INEC alone, but the brigandage exhibited by some members of the APC-led Federal Government and at the state level.
The Independent Electoral Commission (INEC), I believe is in a dilemma as some of the major actors have now resorted to be shopping for courts that will give them favourable judgements to hold the democratic system to ransom. Already, there are injunctions on INEC not to collate any result in Bauchi state, that of Rivers State was not granted, and we won’t be suprised if this copy cat syndrome will not spread to other states.
To those who are familiar with the political terrain proper, all these injunctions are an abuse of the judicial process as they are post-election matters and not pre-election issues. It is only an election tribunal under the law that can handle issues like this. Well, but this is Nigeria where rules are bent and intimidation and harassment of those who don’t do the bidding of the powers that be can be accused of corruption at any given day.
According to the German philosopher, Frledrich Nietzsche, “The value of a thing sometimes lies not in what one attains with it, but in what one pays for it, what it costs us.” The behaviour being exhibited by those who lost out in the last governorship election has not shown exemplary conduct. And their actions are not just costing the states good governance but also creating uncertainty especially in investment opportunities.
One begins to wonder, for how long some individuals will continue to be allowed to truncate or slow down the democratic process of free choice and making our votes count. The handover date for new governors is just about two months from now and are we certain that with all these delays and now legal ambush being unleashed by desperate politicians, the May 29th handover date will be sacrosanct? No one envisaged that the 2019 general elections in some parts of the country will turn out to be very ugly with broad day light ballot box snatching in vogue and security personnel playing active role in the process.
The problem is not just in the conduct of the elections but how to present the outcome to the public. From various reports which emanated from those who monitored the elections, it seems that there are a lot of discrepancies in the results submitted by collation officers from that gotten from the voting units. Just recently the collation officer for Tafewa Balewa local government area was replaced following threats to her life. This indicates that most results announced so far are highly questionable. This could be the reason state governors from Bauchi, Kano and Adamawa who contested to return for a second term had to go to the conventional court to get injunctions instead of the mandatory election tribunals. To those with understanding of how things work in Nigeria, this is just a delay tactic to prevent those who probably have the highest votes cast from being declared winners of the election.
But the big question is, for how long will this continue? Despite the arm-twisting and other overt strategies that might be used to postpone the eventual outcome, one thing is clear, there is always a terminal date for every elected public officer. The office of governor is not the reserve or birthright of any individual but for those who have the mandate of the people through a legitimate, electoral process.
It seems that Nigerians love the theatre of the absurd more than what is real and can move the society forward. Since 1999, elections have been conducted and results were either accepted or challenged in the courts. But why is it that today things are suddenly different 20 years after. If some say that we are still learning about democracy, the answer is strongly no! We are not learning anything new rather, we are dismantling our democratic institutions one-by-one with the aim of destroying the society if we don’t achieve our selfish interest. And this attitude must change. How can someone still claim that after learning to cast his vote 20 years ago, he is still doing the same learning 20 years after?
For now everywhere there is suspense, people are talking, questions are being asked, even little children are worried and are apprehensive as to when all these charade and Nollywood movies will end so that we can get back to reality. What we need now are people of integrity, of strong will, who can withstand intimidation, bullying, seduction and do the right thing so that those who truly won the elections will be announced. Nigeria is by far greater than the whims and caprices of individuals with inflated ego who want to play tin gods of our politics.
If this situation is allowed to linger more than necessary, the spiral effect will not only affect the individual states but also the federal government as people including foreigners are sad that the 2019 election had set a bad example for democracy in Africa. Were the five sets of elections from 1999 to 2015 a wasteful exercise? Why is it that announcement of election results has become such a herculean task that it will take more than a month to make such?
If the task has become quite difficult maybe it is time to outsource the duties of our electoral umpire to that of Benin Republic to manage, which I believe will do a better job. Benin Republic has had elections which can be described as the pride of Africa. This is a country where a dictator turned democrat lost an election, came back years after and won. This is a country where an Independent Presidential candidate without a political party contested against established political parties including a candidate of the ruling party and won and at the end of his second tenure in office gracefully bowed out of the political scene.
Why can’t we learn from these little countries? Can we say that we have anything to teach the like of Sierra Leone, Liberia, Senegal, the Gambia, Malawi, Namibia Seychelles, Zambia or Cape Verde? Our political class seems not have changed as we make the same mistake year in, year out. Nigeria is a country where critics of government interprete what is the truth based on their economic need. When he is hungry and in the opposition nothing is good but when he gets into office it is the opposition that is bad.
The solution to this logjam of the present situation is for INEC to conclude the collation process and announce the results and if a political party and its candidates are not satisfied they know where to get justice, the election tribunals. The tribunals, right from 1999 have been handling such cases and we should stop every pretence that such courts do not exist. The APC chairman, Adam Oshiomohle, or Peter Obi, the Iroko of Ondo politics, Olusegun Mimiko and a few others are all products of the election petition tribunals. So it is not out of place for election losers to go that way.
As a Nigerian, I don’t envy the INEC chairman Professor Mamoud Yakubu. First of all, he is truly under pressure and secondly his integrity is at stake. This is because the job is a thankless one. To midwife an election if we reflect back, has always been full of tension, accusations of being biased, inducement and outright partisanship against the incumbent chairman. From Eyo Esua in 1960, Michael Ani Ovier Whiskey, Eme Awa, Humphry Nwosu, Okon Ewa Sumner Dagogo Jack, Ephraim Akpata Abel Goubadia, Michael Iwu and Attahiru Jega, it has not been easy.
Let’s hope that by the time Mamood Yakubu concludes his assignment, he would put his experience in a book form so that future generations and scholars will learn a lot from him and understand why Nigeria is a strange country.
Tonye Ikiroma-Owiye
In a statement issued on Wednesday, December 31, 2025, and signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Mr Obiora Ifoh, the party said it had taken note of Mr Obi’s defection alongside some of his supporters, as well as what it called a “lacklustre speech” delivered by the former Anambra State governor at the defection event.
“We wondered what new he intends to sell to Nigerians,” the party said, adding that it was not surprised by the move, having “since September 2024, parted ways with Peter Obi and some of his blind supporters in the National Assembly.”
According to the statement, the faction said it had patiently awaited Mr Obi’s exit, describing it as a blessing.
“The party is finally liberated by this defection and as party leaders, we count it as a blessing,” the party said.
The faction further disclosed that it had previously urged Mr Obi and his supporters to leave if they were unable to work with the party leadership.
It claimed that several lawmakers had been suspended for anti-party activities and that similar action would have been taken against Mr Obi but for the intervention of “some well-meaning Nigerians.”
It also blamed its internal crisis on Mr Obi and Abia State Governor, Dr. Alex Otti, accusing them of sponsoring what it described as an insurrection against the Julius Abure-led leadership.
“The crisis we had in the Labour Party was caused by Peter Obi and the Abia State governor, Alex Otti,” the statement alleged, adding that it was surprising Dr Otti had not followed Mr Obi out of the party despite his suspension.
Reacting to Mr Obi’s defection event in Enugu, the faction claimed the gathering was largely boycotted by prominent political and traditional institutions in the South East, insisting that those present were “political spent forces who cannot win in their wards should there be an election today.”
It warned that this development signalled the failure of any future Mr Obi presidential or vice-presidential ambition, claiming he had “clearly lost the charm that had endeared him to the people prior to 2023.”
The faction also accused Mr Obi of misleading the South East during the 2023 elections, alleging that the region suffers political marginalisation under President Bola Tinubu’s administration as a result.
“He must be told that the South East lost out completely in President Ahmed Tinubu’s government because they trusted and believed in him in 2023,” the statement said, alleging disparities in ministerial appointments and infrastructure allocation to the zone.
The Abure-Led LP apologised to Nigerians for its decision in the last election.
“We gave Nigerians a candidate we thought was good for the nation in 2023, but time has since proved that we made the greatest political mistake. We plead for forgiveness from Nigerians,” the party said.
It urged Nigerians to watch out for a rebranded Labour Party, promising to present “the best prospect” capable of returning Nigeria to what it described as its “glorious days.”
steadily toward unity, justice, and shared prosperity”, he said.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday at his country home in Ikere-Ekiti, Dr Oluyede said the development came as a shock, stressing that INEC supervised and monitored the PDP governorship primary that produced him as the party’s candidate.
According to him, INEC officials documented the process, completed all required forms, and even affirmed his candidacy in court through sworn affidavits arising from cases linked to the primary election.
He maintained that no court order or injunction currently restrains INEC from listing his name as the PDP candidate, arguing that the electoral body lacks the constitutional power to determine who emerges as a party’s nominee.
Dr Oluyede described such decisions as the exclusive responsibility of political parties, not the electoral umpire.
While playing down panic over the released list, Dr Oluyede noted that electoral processes often involve reviews and corrections.
He disclosed that he had commenced wide consultations, including engagements with PDP leadership and formal correspondence with INEC, to seek clarification on the omission and determine the next line of action.
The PDP candidate assured his supporters across Ekiti State that he would appear on the ballot, expressing confidence that the situation would be resolved in his favour.
He described attempts to exclude candidates from elections as dangerous and undemocratic, warning that such tactics undermine the people’s right to freely choose their leaders.
Dr Oluyede called on the people of Ekiti to reject any form of disenfranchisement, insisting that elections should be contests of ideas, records, and acceptance by the electorate rather than exclusionary maneuvers.
He also declared that the PDP in Ekiti had resolved its past internal crises and was now united, focused, and ready to win the forthcoming governorship election.
He urged party members and supporters to remain calm and focused, expressing optimism that, with divine grace and the will of the people, the PDP would emerge victorious at the polls.
Mr Obi spoke while formally declaring for the African Democratic Congress (ADC) at a well-attended event in Enugu on Wednesday, where he outlined what he described as a fresh roadmap for rescuing the country from its socio-economic challenges.
Addressing party members, supporters and other stakeholders, the former governor stressed that leadership must be driven by integrity and accountability, warning against the culture of double standards in public office.
“We cannot continue to deceive our people. Leadership is about telling the truth and leading by example. You cannot promise one thing in public and do another in private. That is not leadership, and that is not the change Nigeria needs”, Mr Obi said.
He maintained that genuine national rebirth would only be possible if entrenched wrongs were corrected, adding that governance must be guided by competence, discipline and a clear sense of purpose.
Mr Obi also underscored the need for fresh thinking in the nation’s political space, urging political actors to move away from recycled ideas that have failed to deliver sustainable development.
“We must come with new ideas,” he said, adding that “Nigeria’s problems are not mysterious; what has been lacking is the courage and competence to address them differently. We need a new approach that puts people first and focuses on production, not consumption.”
Calling for a broad based political collaboration, Mr Obi appealed to parties and stakeholders across ideological divides to work together in the national interest.
“This country is bigger than any party or individual. All parties must come together to change the present trend. What matters is not the platform, but the future of Nigeria and the wellbeing of its citizens”, he declared.
Looking ahead to the 2027 general elections, Mr Obi challenged aspirants seeking elective offices to ensure transparency in their credentials, warning that the era of falsified certificates was drawing to a close.
“Anyone contesting for any position in 2027 must come with genuine certificates. All the machinery is now in place to verify what is genuine and what is not. Integrity must start from the very foundation of leadership”, he stated.
Drawing lessons from international development models, Mr Obi cited Rwanda and Indonesia as examples of countries that rose from difficult beginnings to become thriving economies through disciplined leadership and sound policies.
“These countries were once behind us,” he noted, adding that “Today, they are moving ahead because they chose competent leadership, clear vision and policies that support local production and human capital development.”
He also criticised the economic policies of the present administration, particularly the continued importation of food items that can be produced locally, describing such practices as inimical to national development.
“You cannot grow an economy by killing local production. Importing food that we can produce in Nigeria destroys jobs, weakens our farmers and drains our foreign exchange. A serious country must produce what it consumes”, he argued.
The event featured renewed calls from ADC supporters for sustained engagement and mobilisation, as Mr Obi reiterated his belief that Nigeria remains redeemable if led with honesty, competence and a commitment to shared national progress.
In his remarks, the National Chairman of the ADC, Senator David Mark, expressed confidence in the emerging coalition, assuring Nigerians that the party would deliver good governance at all levels of administration if entrusted with power.
The gathering also witnessed the defection of several prominent politicians from different political parties across the South-East and beyond.
The motion endorsing the defection was moved by a former Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, and seconded by former economic adviser to ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo, Prof. Osita Ogbu.
Goodwill messages from notable political figures, including Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, Mrs. Aisha Yesufu, Chief Sam Egwu, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, Chief Achike Udenwa, Mr Onyema Ugochukwu and Senator Gilbert Nnaji among others, further underscored the growing momentum within the ADC.