One event that eluded our political prophets and seers was the emergence of Senator Douye Diri as the governor of Bayelsa State after Chief David Lyon had prepared and rehearsed for his swearing-in ceremony as the governor. Lyon was like the proverbial Moses who saw the Promised Land but fate did not allow him to get there.
Lyon did not get there because the Supreme Court ruled that his deputy, Engr. Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, had issues with his credentials which bore different and inconsistent names. And since the governor-elect and his deputy had joint ticket, both would fall together. And the judgment was obeyed instantly despite Adams Oshiomhole’s admonition that Diri should not be sworn in as governor.
While the Supreme Court decision on Imo attracted only demonstrations in the state and across the country, the one on Bayelsa State elicited sponsored violence that led to destruction of houses and vehicles. While the apex court judgment on Imo State generated public debate and media commentaries that no Supreme Court judgment has ever attracted, the one on Bayelsa is attracting more destructions and attacks on people not even connected with the matter.
The Bayelsa matter has also led to the unwarranted attacks against the former governor of Rivers State, Dr. Peter Odili and family. Even the reaction of the APC national chairman, Adams Oshiomhole to the Supreme Court judgment over Bayelsa governorship election was the least expected of a person of his pedigree. His statement that Diri should not be sworn in after the apex court has ruled in his favour is unbecoming of a leader of his status. His reaction on Bayelsa is opposed to his celebratory reaction on the Imo case when Ihedioha was sacked by the same apex court.
With the Imo and Bayelsa election matters, the apex court is seriously asserting itself as the last judicial bus stop after which there will be no appeal. But there are problems. And there will be more problems for the apex court and the polity generally. There are now two cases before the Supreme Court asking for a review of its judgment. They include the Imo State governorship election and that of Zamfara State.
In the case of Imo State, Emeka Ihedioha of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has asked the apex court to review its January 14, 2020 judgment that sacked him as the governor of Imo State and replaced him with Senator Hope Uzodinma. This matter has been shifted to March 2. In the case of Zamfara State where the APC shot itself on the foot due to its contentious primaries and lost the governorship seat to the PDP, the APC is asking for the review of the May 24, 2019 judgment which nullified the victory of all the party’s candidates at the 2019 general election held in Zamfara State.
The Supreme Court has also fixed March 2 for the review of the case. And Nigerians are waiting eagerly for the outcome. With All Progressives Congress (APC) angling to approach the apex court for a review of the Bayelsa State case, it appears that if the outcome of the Imo and Zamfara cases favour those that sought for the review, it is likely that more cases may follow suit. Having dissociated himself from the violence that trailed the nullification of his election, it is apparent that Chief David Lyon may explore all legal channels available to him to seek redress concerning the Supreme Court judgment of February 13, 2020, which nullified the candidacy of his deputy.
Also, the former governor of Kano State, Alhaji Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso has enjoined the leadership of the PDP to ask the Supreme Court to review its judgment on the Kano governorship election, which was against its candidate, Abba K. Yusuf. Kwankwaso believed that the people of Kano were robbed of their mandate through voter disenfranchisement and manipulation of judicial processes. More cases for review of Supreme Court judgments are likely to come up in future.
Nigerians are exploiting the general notion that the infallibility of the apex court is because it is the final court and not necessarily that its judges are infallible, to seek for a review of some of its judgments in recent election matters. With this mindset, there will be no end in sight to adjudication of election matters in the country. If the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) was diligent enough in its screening procedure, may be the Bayelsa case would have been averted.
INEC would have discovered candidates with questionable credentials and weeded them before they become candidates for the poll. There may be more elected people with questionable credentials at all levels of government. It is not yet late, let INEC screen all credentials of our elected officials and call to question those with fraudulent certificates. For the Supreme Court to be saved from attacks and undue criticisms, which the cases of Imo and Bayelsa have elicited, all election matters must be decided before the swearing-in of all elected officials.
While the law must take its cause, it is equally sad that Lyon, who was pictured doing rehearsals for the swearing-in ceremony was sacked because his deputy has questionable credentials. This should serve as a big lesson to our politicians, especially the political godfathers, who delight in imposing their surrogates on the people to superintend the affairs of the state on their behalf. Those in power at state levels should stop insisting that their candidates must succeed them.
Apart from perpetuating the culture of corruption, it is undemocratic to impose a candidate on the people. The ugly relationship between political godfathers and their godsons has proved that imposition of candidates does not mean all will be well thereafter. Any outgoing governor should leave the political space for any candidate who wins to take over from him.
Many critics believe that if Lyon was allowed to pick his deputy, he would have gone for a person that would not derail his move to Bayelsa Government House. In Bayelsa, the primaries of the leading parties were characterized by imposition of candidates. This evil practice must stop for us to go far in our politics. INEC should sit up in the next election cycle and save the polity of elections being determined by the courts.
The outcome of our elections must be determined through the ballots. The courts can only come in where there is glaring evidence of miscarriage of justice. Politicians should learn how to play the game according to the rules and also without bitterness. The bitterness that characterizes our politics can explain our do or die approach to politics and election matters. For Diri, his election has divine touch and love having been sworn on February 14, the Valentine’s Day. He should be compassionate to the people of Bayelsa State and govern with the fear of God.