I chose this ironic heading as my best way to explain how the governorship elections were rigged in Enugu State during the 2023 elections. Otherwise, rigging of elections is a terrible thing and there cannot be a right way to do a terrible thing. This post is an exercise in analogy – seeking to use the amount and variety of relevant similarities between two more events to strengthen a conclusion on what happened during the elections and what is expected to happen in the electoral tribunals. I shall use two other cases of rigging in two other governorship elections to show that anyone who rigs elections the way they were rigged in Enugu in 2023 will definitely fail. There are ways you rig elections and you will get away with it. And there is a particular way you rig elections and you will never get away with it.
It seems that governorship elections in Enugu were rigged in that particular manner that makes it impossible for the party that rigged to get away with it. I will show that what happened in Enugu was very similar to what happened in Ekiti in 2009 and what happened in Abia in 2023. It was partly when I compared the cases of these three states that I came to the conclusion that Chijioke Edeoga of Labour Party will defeat Peter Mbah of the PDP in the courts, just as Fayemi defeated Segun in the courts in Ekiti State.
Before I go further, let me issue a disclaimer again: I have nothing personal against Peter Mbah. I have no personal reason to like Chijioke Edeoga more than I like Peter Mbah. The two men are great sons of Enugu State. My position over this election controversy is driven by my convictions. I am convinced that INEC rigged the governorship elections in Enugu State to favor Peter Mbah. I am convinced that Chijioke Edoga won that election.
Nations Newspaper, 7th April, 2023, which was written by Femi Adesina, Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari. Adesina’s article is titled: “Prof Nnenna Oti: How Buhari loves them”, by Femi Adesina.
To understand what INEC did in Enugu after the March 18, 2023 election, you need to know what happened in Ekiti and Abia, as narrated in Adesina’s article below. Also, that will give you an idea what to expect as the outcome of the pending court cases. Compare what happened in the following three local government areas to understand my analysis – (1) Ido Osi Local Government Area of Ekiti State, (2) Obingwa Local Government Area of Abia State and (3) Nkanu East Local Government of Enugu State. You will see exactly the identical play in these three local government which are separated by time and space, but united by the same rigging style.
“There’s a striking similitude between what happened in the gubernatorial election in Ekiti State in 2009, and Abia State in 2023. And two women were at the center of it all, talking Christianity and conscience. But the denouement of the events were in sharp contrast.
votes were genuine.
“Then entered Madam Ayoka Adebayo, the 74-year-old Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). Despite threats, coercion, intimidation and other sleight of hand, she said a resounding no. She stood her ground, and told the country:
‘“My conscience as a Christian will not allow me to further participate in this process.”
“She reportedly first resigned, but was summoned to Abuja to meet the then Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Maurice Iwu. Only God knows what went down, but Madam Ayoka’s Christian conscience could no longer stand, and she returned to Ado Ekiti to announce Oni of PDP as winner of the election. She had admitted the rogue figures from Ido Osi local government area, and it took a legal battle for Fayemi of AC to regain his purloined mandate months later.
“Now see what happened in Abia State at last month’s gubernatorial election. Alex Otti of Labour Party was comfortably leading Okey Ahiwe of the PDP, when final results came from Obingwa local government area. The figures brought were so outrageous that Otti of Labour Party would have been easily knocked off his perch. Jumping Jehoshaphat! Robbery at dawn.
“The people said no. Labour Party cried foul. But the decision was with the REC, Prof Nnenna Oti (not a relation of the Labour Party’s candidate. She hails from Ebonyi State).
“Prof Oti is Vice Chancellor of Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO), drafted into the election business like her counterparts round the country. What would she do? Another Christian conscience about to be torpedoed? All eyes were on Abia State and her REC. Collation was suspended, and the results were taken to Abuja for review by National office of INEC.
“But Prof Oti had made her position clear in the unfolding saga. She said: “I shall stand squarely and unapologetically on these principles. The people’s votes and mandate shall stand. The pastor and the mother in me will not permit me to do anything that will adversely affect the future of our children.” Impressive. Inspiring.
“Hours turned to days, as INEC in Abuja scrutinized the figures from Obingwa with a magnifying glass. At the end, rogue votes were weeded out, and genuine ones admitted. And Prof Oti declared Otti as winner. He scored 175, 467 votes, compared to 88,529 scored by Ahiwe of the PDP. And to think that truth would have been murdered on the altar of those fake votes from Obingwa. And the supposed winner and his party would have gone to church a week later for thanksgiving. Simply astounding.
“Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people, says the Good Book. What if Abia didn’t have a REC of sterling conviction like Prof Oti? An impostor would have been parading as Governor-elect in the State now.
“During a hero’s welcome she received at FUTO on return home, Prof Oti said: “I have never in my life participated in an election. But duty came calling. I made enquiries from Abuja, and I said ‘if I perish, I perish.’
‘“They came with their threats, they came with their money, they came with their intimidation, I remained unshakable.
‘“I didn’t start today. I stand here before God and Jesus Christ. I have never defrauded anyone. Under me, votes must count, under me, the people’s mandate must be upheld.”
“This position by the erudite professor, a First Class graduate of University of Nigeria, Nsukka, reminds me of the challenge the biblical Samuel gave to the people of Israel, as he anointed a king to rule over them: “Witness against me before the Lord, and before his anointed. Whose ox have I taken; or whose donkey have I taken, or whom have I cheated? Whom have I oppressed? Or of whom have I taken a ransom to blind my eyes? And I will restore it to you” (1 Samuel 12:3). How I wish more Nigerian public office holders can confidently say this.
“President Buhari loves people like Prof Oti. That was how he found integrity in Prof Dora Akunyili (May God rest her soul), and he brought her into national limelight through the Petroleum Trust Fund (PTF) that he headed then. Many other people has he also appointed into positions, simply because they showed capacity, coupled with integrity. That is what he wants for our country.
“Prof Oti has been applauded and appreciated for her courage, fairness and integrity. But that is just the beginning. Something tells me that she will still further be garlanded. May God give us more of her type. Amen and amen.”
NOTE:
To Peter Mbah’s supporters that are offended by my post, I advise them to take heart. I did not meant to hurt them. I just want the best for Enugu State and I hope they will eventually be happy that Enugu State has a person who can say what he feels and the truth without fear. As for Peter Mbah, I actually feel a great deal of empathy toward him. He is a victim of INEC’s incompetence. Instead of spreading the eight thousand votes he needed among several local governments, they tried to get it all from one local government, thereby creating a numerical impossibility.
