Crusaderhotnews
By Gidigba Group
No doubt, the ongoing Edo election petition tribunal, now generating significant attention, promises to rally a viable ground for our country's reforms of the judicial sector.
The tribunal is equally considered by observers to also shapen subsequent polls, helping Nigeria's electoral body, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to be more credible in the discharge of its electoral duties.
Revelations since the resumed hearing at the tribunal, particularly by witnesses of the petitioner, Asue Ighodalo of the PDP may have shown significant inconsistencies, irregularities and malpractice in the September 21 Edo governorship election; ordinarily we ought to have outgrown such electoral woes; unfortunately, however, we are still soaked, with little or no hope in sight.
A situation where an umpire brazenly deducts votes from party A and allocates to party B, is not only criminal, but impedes development, denies the people of their choice and builds voter apathy, an ugly situation that the judiciary must not allow to fester.
The Edo election petition tribunal must approach the ongoing exercise with utmost dispassion, where justice must be done or be seen to be done, driving home a message of hope for the vast majority of Nigerians who have lost confidence in the process and sparking up the much desired reforms in our electoral proceedings.
Instructively, outcome of the tribunal proceedings stands to shapen popular mindset within the Nigerian voting population, even non-voters, who may have been discouraged by endless electoral malpractice, particularly as the 2027 election nears; unexpected judicial outcomes also have its way of forming opinions in the minds of the populace.
If people feel that court judgements flowing out of post-election matters lacks merit, fairness and dispassion, they may equally get discouraged in the process.
To enhance our democracy and build citizens' confidence in the electoral process, the ongoing Edo election petition tribunal provides that avenue for transparent electoral justice, strengthening internal democracy within our political parties, build helpful feedbacks from voters, and most importantly restore INEC's credibility, these and more should be seen flowing from the tribunal, now sitting in Benin City, the Edo State capital.
A note of commendation however goes to the tribunal for its stand thus far; reports flowing from its proceedings have shown capability to strengthen democracy, build confidence and restore hope in a battered process, it is believed that the final outcome will be seen to reflect the will and aspirations of Edo people as was expressed in the September 21 Edo gubernatorial election.
Need it be known that the ongoing cross-examination, with the accompanying reactions it is generating, also stands a litmus test of the Tinubu-led administration's commitment to institutional reforms; having successfully achieved local government autonomy via the interpretations of the Supreme Court, plus the ongoing conversations around tax reforms, observers within and outside Nigeria are eager to see how the Tinubu-led government will react, in any case the judgement favours the PDP.
Many have said however, that going by the documentary evidence tendered by the PDP legal team last week, the APC, whose victory is now laced with roping controversies, will have a difficult time defending its victory in court.
In all, the judiciary, being the last hope of the common man and final arbiter resolution of disputes and interpreting constitutional/statute, making her our nation's conscience, holds it a sacrosanct duty to deploy her wisdom and dispassion in administering fair, transparent, credible judgement in the final analysis of the ongoing Edo election tribunal; judgement capable of strengthening democracy, building hope and restoring confidence in our nation's processes, and by extension, rallying the necessary paraphernalia for today's judicial and electoral reforms that now occupies the centrestage of our nation's political discourse.
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