A peculiar case of delayed justice

It was last tuesday that I was informed that people are on the streets in warri and that it delivered by justice monica dongban-mensem, the first thing that came to my mind was that The Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta [MEND] have struck again, but the carrier of the bad tidings as i was assuming happens to be an eminent judge of the court of appeal, thus could an illegal organisation be so powerful as to attract the collaboration of a senior member of the bench, eventhough their capacity to embarrass nigeria is limitless yet a conservative member judge would still be above their rhythm of influence. These prodded me to investigate the reasons for the wild jubilations in the oil city, what I found out made me highly elated yet with a sour test of disappointment, as the election of the governor of delta state Dr. emmanuel eweta uduaghan was annulled for inflation of votes, however the verdict only confirmed that a re-run election is to be conducted within ninety days by the independent national electoral commission.

The reason for the wild jubilations that later spread to asaba the capital of delta state, was the courageous decision of the appealate judge that made a declaration, that the votes tallied at the governatorial elections held in delta state did not represent the actionable wishes of the citizens of the state, as the prosecution representatives of the candidate of the Democratic People's Party [DPP] chief great ogboru, proved beyond reasonable doubt that the purpoted governatorial elections held in the state was an act that could not be proven in the realm of reality, this is a testiment to the belief by many deltans and greater percentage of nigerian people, and fully affirmed by the local and international election monitors, that indeed no elections was held in delta state in particular and the greater niger-delta in general, rather votes were merely allocated to the highest bidder.

The echos of the jubilant deltans (except may be the people of oghara, the home town of the removed governor) and the shouts proclaiming the end of chief james onanefe ibori's dynasty, jolted my sense of reasoning in the nigerians innate capacity to think within the prism of the psychology of the mob, were pronouncements and issues are reacted upon on the basis of mere impulse, rather than a dissection the content, context and likely implications of the issued pronouncement. A simple probing of the fast annulled elections would have availed anyone that in the context of nigeria's elections, no governor that lost his seat at the election petitons tribunal fails to win the re-ran elections, also not minding the empty threats and shouts by chief edwin clark and his ijaw collective, that governor emmanuel uduagha and his ilk can never be able to rule delta state again, The People's Democratic Party [PDP] has never changed its incumbent yet removed governor from its ticket as its candidate, these position was later affirmed by the national working committee of the party.

The unexpected verdict at the court of appeal complex, benin division. Has placed a heavy burden on the shoulders of madam farida waziri, and her credibility as an honest and diligent fighter of corruption in nigeria, because the contention and argument of her agency, The economic and Financial Crimes Commission [EFCC], regarding the war against corruption is that the nigerian governors are barricaded by the immunity clause, thus making their prosecution in the courts to be highly difficult if not outrightly impossible, more so as the task of gathering verifiable evidence against such powerful individuals with state protection is a herculean task. However the current trial of the former governor of delta state chief james onanefe ibori in a london court has provided a relief to the agency, because through the activities of the london metropolitan police otherwise known as the scotland yard and the actions of the london municipal court, all the criminally collaborative withdrawals of the removed governor then in his capacity as the secretary to the state government in the administration of chief james ibori was exposed and indicted upon, thus the hard task of the interdiction of the removed governor now seems easy and achievable.

The presumption and ascribtion of electoral fraud as a right and an infringement upon only the parties involved in the political exercise, thus it is only within their realm of interest that justice is obtained is quite erroneous. Because, although it is only the person and individual denied the right and privilege of accessing political position or office, that could seek the affirmation and confirmation of such legal status, however issues pertaining to the evidences presented at such trials are uniquely criminal in nature, thus falling within the realm of infractions impacting upon and affecting the latent rights of the generality of nigerian people, as such should a competent court of law make a declaration of fraud against a party, yet at the same time ignore the statement made by merely denying such party the privilege of a political office, that by all sense of proportion and reasoning could not serve as an effective deterrance against electoral fraud and rigging in the federal republic of nigeria.