RIVERS RE-RUN ELECTION AND THE MENACE OF INCONCLUSIVE ELECTION

Literally speaking, election is said to be a contest of ideas. It is the process through which the electorates choose people whom they deem fit are capable to represent them at various capacity be at executive or legislative level in a peaceful, fair and frequent manner; but Nigeria seems to have a different definition.

Elections in Nigeria has become a do or die affair. Indeed, Nigeria is repleted with history of election rigging and mal-practices. One cannot forget in a hurry, the violence that characterized the Western election of 1964/1965 which ultimately led to the inglorious end of the first republic. What about the 'operation wetie' of 1983 in Ondo State. The 1993 election debacle not less the 2003, 2007, 2011 and the recent 2015 electoral violence are still fresh in our memory.

Be that as it may, the recent impunity in Rivers State is quite becoming unbecoming with lives been maimed and killed all because some people want to win election at all cost. Or what can we say when people are beheaded in broad daylight?  My pain is for the relatives of the bereaved. 

The fact however is that many Nigerians eased a sense of relief with the introduction of card readers in the last general election, until the judgement of the Supreme Court in Rivers, Taraba and Akwa Ibom made a mockery of the exercise with many politicians now believing that you can win election anyhow. The various judgments and the consequences thereof are issues for another day.

One issue that however worried me is the recent inconclusiveness of various elections held by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) since the exit of Prof Athairu Jega. From the failures of the card readers, to late arrival of materials, and indecision of the electoral officers; the various elections held since aftermath of 2015 General Elections have been marked by inconclusiveness.

This becomes worrisome if INEC cannot conduct free and fair election in a State like Kogi, re-run elections in Rivers State; then what happens in 2019. How about the clamour of the Diaspora for participation in election?

In other words, what can we attribute such election regularities to - unethical practices by politicians, incompetency of the electoral umpires, and or what? 

Until we answer these above questions and many more, we will remain a joke of the global community as a people and a nation. Certainly, there must be a way out; and perhaps one of the ways out is to ensure that all stakeholders in an election played by the rule including punishing perpetrators of election irregularities and illegalities.