Strictly An Opinion: A Nation Pregnant With Hope And Dispair As The People Await Tribunal Judgement On Presidential Polls. 

I

This is one presidential election petition like no other. In the chequered political history of Nigeria, there had always been electoral disputes even right from the pre-indepedence elections to date. 

In all of those contestations, it had always been a work in the pack, as most of the cases presented at the elections petition tribunals were presumably watery, as non of the Petitions saw the light of the day, against the backdrop that, they must be proven beyond all reasonable doubt. 

Not even the celebrated Chief Obafemi Awolowo case against Shehu Shagari electoral victories of 1979 and 1983 respectively, could change the political trajectory of Nigeria irrespective of the weight of the cases presented. 

Outside the press that reported those cases, not many people new about them and showed so much interest in its outcome like we have today. The current tribunal unfortunately, appears to be at a cross road. The stakes are higher now. Technology had taken over. Evidence abound every. Besides, we are now in the era of ideas, far from the days of crude force. Bad behaviours in the thickest of the dark and even from your inner closet, comes out in the open for questioning with rude shock. What this means is that, there is no hiding place for the wicked and the evil ones. 

This is where I pity the jurists that are sitting to do justice to Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar cases at the Presidential election petition tribunal. Will they ever fix a date for the Judgement? That certainly would come with some anxiety. In the past, nobody would care. Unfortunately, not today. But, they have got to. The people are waiting. It is their undeniable right. But how do they get around around this intricate cases and be perceived to have done justice fairly and fairly well? I don’t know. But, may God guide them. 

However, what the tribunal does with the case before it in this present dispensation, would go a long way in shaping the future of this country, going forward. Is it going to be business as usual? Are we chatting a new path paved with fairness and justice? These questions are for the the tribunal to answer without undue pressure. Good luck.