…elections anywhere in the world are never burnt offerings offered to the unprepared.
We all can agree no less that in democracy, litigations are fundamental parts of the process – ventilation through the courts, however, what the All Progressive Party, APC, has recently constituted itself into is ‘litigation nuisance’ in Edo State.
I read somewhere today that the APC has filed a fresh suit against the Independent Electoral Commission, INEC, asking the court to exclude the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and its flagbearer, Dr Asue Ighodalo, from participating in the election in view of a said judgement of the Federal High Court, which they said nullified the process leading to the emergence of the PDP’s candidate.
Without going into the legal issues therein contained in the suit as well as the one the party is referencing, I am wondering why APC in Edo State is shamefully dragging democracy, which ought to emanate from the decision of the majority, into legal cul de sac by instituting over eight suits by itself and veiled surrogates.
The APC, knowing they have nothing to campaign with since its candidate, Senator Monday Okpebholo, is of no match for Dr Asue Ighodalo, has resorted to other means rather than through the ballot box. This is an absolute degeneration of the democratic process. APC is looking for a back door it will never get. Why is the APC not wooing voters, why are they not persuading voters, and why is the party not allowing its candidate to talk to voters?
Yes, we must agree that litigation is constitutional, but unnecessary litigation, in its overstretched and endless forms, cannot be seen as normal in a democracy. Suppose we define democracy in a simplistic way as the decision of the majority of the people. In that case, the rule of the majority of the people will not go through litigation to win elections, which negates such a definition that has been accepted worldwide.
The APC has about a month to prepare for the election, as it is obvious it is not ready at the moment. The party cannot win this election through the back door that has become irritating to any true Democrat. Elections anywhere in the world are never burnt offerings offered to the unprepared.