The legal tussle over who is the authentic President of the federal republic of Nigeria ended few days ago with the loud pronouncement by the Supreme Court of Nigeria, SCN, that Senator Bola Ahmed Tinubu is the winner of the 2023 Presidential elections conducted in February. Litigations of the election started at the Presidential Election Petition Tribunal,PEPT and ended at the SC. At both levels, the issues were thoroughly presented and argued by the respective legal counsels of the respective parties. The legal fireworks took hold of the attention of the entire nation at the end of which they were thoroughly assessed, analysed and dismissed in favour of the respondent. When the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC announced and declared All Progressives Congress, APC ‘s Tinubu as the winner of the Presidential polls, the candidates of other parties went to court to chaallenge the decision insisting that there was no substantial compliance with the process. Both pre and post election matters were raised and argued vehemently at the tribunal courts until it was finally settled at the apex court in line with the provisions of our constitution.The constitution and the Electoral Act provides that whoever is not satisfied with the conduct of the election can go to court to file a complain challenging the declaration of the winner.
President Tinubu contested the Presidential poll along with former vice president Atiku Abubakar of the PDP and former Anambra State governor Peter Obi of the Labour Party. Following the declaration of Apc’s Tinubu as president, PDP’s Atiku and Labour’s Obi alongside another party went to court in protest leading to one of the most dramatic and fiercest political legal battles in the country. Lawyers of very high repute were assembled and drafted by all sides to advance their respective causes. Issues were raised and counter raised and finally, the panel of adjudicators, having gone through all the submissions, ruled in favour of the President and therefore all litigations have come to an end. The highest and final court has spoken therefore all respect must be given. This is the beautiful way of democracy in solving and resolving matters among and between the people.
I Congratulate the president for his victory at the courts and pray for him to succeed in moving the nation forward. Politics has come to an end and governance is expected to begin in ernest. Every form of distraction is expected to give way now for the president to concentrate and give the nation the needed leadership. All quarrels have ended and the whole nation, regardless of party inclinations, must look up to one man for leadership. The capacity and ability of President Tinubu to make a positive difference is very obvious. As former Senator and two time governor of Lagos state, he is not new to political governance and therefore is expected to pull his team together for better administration. He must prove this to his critics that he is the best for the moment. Even in the midst of the fierce legal battles, he had maintained his focus and therefore more exploits are expected from him. Nigerians are suffering many docio- economic pains. These pains are not caused by the president nor his new government, but inherited from successive administrations and therefore cannot be blamed on him. He can only be blamed if he fails to do something positive to change the narrative.
The principles and understanding of democracy is always the beginning of wisdom for any growth and development of society. Because we have chosen democracy as the best among other forms of government, we must nurture and sustain it for our collective benefit. There should be no ill feeling by anyone because he or she was unable to achieve his or her ambitions. It is a game that must be won by one person at a time to occupy one office.
Now that the Supreme Court has affirmed the election of the president, it only behoves that all issues are rested permanently under this dispensation. This is so that the person so affirmed can have the time and breathing space to administer governance without distractions.
President Tinubu is no doubt a man of ideas who hunt talents to help him do the work. No one is in doubt about the capacity of this administration to perform wonders and succeed except they chose not to do so. The take-off of the Tinubu government was quite rough and unpleasant because of the sudden removal of oil subsidy brought about so much pain. The socio- economic crisis of the removal has no doubt made things difficult for the people with high cost of living affecting virtually every sector. The show and communication of sincere and honest commitment by Tinubu himself has brought a sense of reassurance and confidence that things will work again. People are bearing the pains in anticipation of a favourable change in the governance approach considering the personality of the man involved. It is a vote of confidence in a man many believed to have since prepared himself for governance. It is true that regardless of any partisan considerations, even his enemies will admit that Tinubu is an all rounder, an energetic goal getter who does not take no for an answer. Unlike the immediate past Apc led federal government, round pegs are being located for round holes. Nigerians are eagerly waiting to see changes in the nation’s leadership through collaborative efforts. The situation of the nation’s currency is the leading challenge facing the country now, where a dollar is consuming over 130 naira as equivalent. The policy focus of the administration should be carefully tailored towards recovery in the areas of agriculture, education, foreign policy, infrastructure, security,and poverty reduction. Most critical areas such as the economy, agriculture, security and poverty alleviation are what matters most to the common person. Diversifying the economy is not an option at all and making available palliatives for immediate relief will be a plus to the nation and leadership.
In essence, democracy has its ways and principles embedded in due process that’s why it’s quite different from any political system. Its always anchored on basic rules and regulations to check and control behavioral and character excesses of both the governed and those who govern. At the centre of every democracy lies the three arms of government namely the legislature, executive and judiciary. While the legislature makes laws through elected legislators in parliament, the executive exercises power through the President and Governors as the case may be and the judiciary adjudicates or settle quarrels and disputes.
The laws made by the legislature are interpreted by the judiciary and executed by the executive organ. With this in place, we expect PDP’s Atiku Abubakar and LP’s Peter Obi to congratulate Apc’s President Tinubu as a mark of respect for democracy and the rule of law for the benefit of our dear country. Governance of the next four-years will be anchored by President Tinubu amd therefore all hands must be on deck for him to succeed. The President, as experienced as he is, is expected to extend magnanimity to those who contested with him as a show of leadership while in return, Atiku and Obi demonstrate sportsmanship to him. At this level, what is uppermost is the security, progress, prosperity and economic survival of the country. We have no any other country but Nigeria. Politics must give way to governance, good governance. Practical and realistic policies must be stamped on ground for the country to breath well. Now that all issues about the 2023 polls are over, what is expected is democratic understanding, patience and tolerance on the part of any aggrieved person for the country to move forward.
