By Ona Kingston O.
I had a strong burden in the night yesterday to write about the so called INCONCLUSIVE ELECTION of INYC because of the reactions we had yesterday when Mr. Andyson Egbodo raised an alarm about what concerns every human regardless of tribe, an incoming epidemic that is claiming lives of human beings made in the image of God. But I woke up in the morning to see a heartwarming article from Dr. Ogi John of Benue State University, which tackles the issue to the core. Just nothing special in this my write up again, but let me satisfy myself and react a little. Thanks a million Dr. John Ogi, the world according to a Philosopher will not be destroyed because of evil people, but because the good people refuse to talk.
Let me first of all thank Mr. Andyson Egbodo for the sacrifice of love for Igede people and humanity. In whatever capacity, one thing that is vital is that we are first of all humans before we belong to Igede tribe and also before we aspire to lead in the Youth council. Some us prayed and got our friends to cry to God for Igede land when the news came, we try also to get to all relevant contacts that could assist, while other were busy identifying what capacity he used to send out the distress call.
So let us get into the crux of the matter- INYC INCONCLUSIVE ELECTION.
Ephesians 5:3-4 “But among you there must not be even a hint of sexual immorality, or of any kind of impurity, or of greed, because these are improper for God’s holy people.”
This Bible quotation may not fit in perfectly into the point at stake, but one point is clear, there are certain things that are not supposed to be mentioned among us because originally they are not part of us. These kinds of things are alien to the people of Igede and strange to our values and brotherliness encoded in the fabric of our culture. So one question that begs for answer is who transported us to this dismal state of AN EVIL PRACTICE BECOMING A LIFESTYLE. Where shame is thrown away in our public life and replaced with sinking and stinking lifestyle.
We all know when and how this inconclusive election syndrome came into Nigeria space. Because of the hate speech law hovering over our heads, let me careful, but it is not a deniable fact that inconclusive elections sprang from selfish interest, unfairness or injustice and animal-like desperation. So we should be ashamed that this word is coming into a body like INYC, the assumed leaders of tomorrow of our beloved Igede nation. In every inconclusive election they are things involved and it is more on the part of the electoral body than the contestants. It is either the electoral rules are not good enough or the electoral officers are careless or ineffective or they compromised on the laid down standard.
A desperate contestant cannot have his/her way if the handlers are up to the task and know what they are doing. If the electoral committee complains of faulty electoral rules, one would wonder why they waited until the middle of the process to complain or if they had complained, what kept them there if the operational tool is faulty. Taking a holistic look at the whole inconclusive syndrome, it is all about the electoral body and less about the contestants and the electorates. If there is over voting, it is because the electoral officers were careless about the accreditation and pattern of vote cast, if it is introduction of wrong ballot papers, it is still the error of the electoral officers in monitoring and point of ballot paper issuance. Like BOVI the comedian will say- “Any how you wan turn am”.
In other parts of the world, offenders are made to suffer, but in this part of the world, it is the offended that suffers. Instead of electoral officers owning up to inadequacy and with humility resign, they will shamelessly either cancel or declare the election inconclusive.
Let us not be absolute and condemn the electoral committee of the INYC, let us believe the reasons for their declaration is valid, just that responsibility is laid on them because as it is, it has become a matter of public interest, so they should come to clear the air. May be the number of votes cast versus the number of votes cancelled, or accreditation number versus voting number or if over voting or under voting and then what constitute that nomenclature or general unrest that deprived intended voters to cast their votes, any other necessary explanation. They should not say, we don’t have the right, it has become a matter of urgent Igede interest and so anybody can demand from their explanation. This is necessary because, we don’t have overseeing stakeholders that will stop crises from escalating as most of them are interest group. For my safety, let me not mention Omyi nya Igede that is supposed to be an umbrella body to this seemingly crisis ridden INYC.
On a day when efforts to get the whole nation Nigeria to hear us was the goal, some were busy informing the whole nation of our inconclusive election and why the bearer of the distress call is not qualify to blow the trumpet using a particular capacity. On a serious note, does it really matter if I sign the notice of an epidemic with Adams Oshiomole’s name for it to have weight?
Because the office is more important than the information, come out like honorable people and tell us how and what led to the election been declared as inconclusive.
Like Dr Ogi John said, we must be able to lead ourselves before we aspire to lead others. Let me add, that you are a good follower does not automatically translate to good leadership; we promote people into leadership position because they are sheepish followers.
We are all ears- we wan hear how e take be inconclusive and when una wan conclude am.
Dated: 30-01-2020
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