Atiku and Buhari
With the declaration of the Independent National Electoral
Commission that the results would be declared in a not too distant
future, one can reasonably begin to fear that something is going wrong
or is about to. The collation is taking so much time and the toll of
violence is rising. In 2015, we already knew who the next President was
by Sunday afternoon.
It is not impressive that the elections so far have not reflected
free and fair with some areas having experienced blood letting with
deaths recorded, massive explosions, electoral disruptions, tribalist
threats, burnt ballots and other such irregularities which have marred
the ballot with the Senatorial candidate of a registered party even
excluded from the ballot paper in Lagos state.
As it is clear now, two options are taking a home run towards the
Presidency and they are the incumbent Muhammadu Buhari and his closest
rival Atiku Abubakar. Their supporters have insisted that they are both
winning in an election where there can be only one winner. Both teams
believe strongly that they have the lead and it is certain that whoever
loses would be unlikely to accept the results with the conviction with
which both teams push the narrative that they are in the lead.
Right from the start of the electioneering, the groundwork of
contestable and unacceptable result was laid with the early morning
postponement on February 16, 2019. That postponement already created
enough issues for whoever loses to base his faith upon that it was not a
free and fair election with the complained low voter turnout yesterday
being one of the complains linked to the postponement or the
proliferation of sensitive materials which may have been used in polling
units where there was disruption.
What we should call into question at this particular time is if
Nigeria is Winning. What substantial change does the devil or the deep
blue sea represent for the Nigerian state? Is any of the two choices the
correct outcome for Nigeria?
What do we see in the next 4 years? Will aged Buhari take us to the
Next Level? Will Atiku Get Nigeria Working while also making his
friends rich?
What substantial change can occur between 2019 and 2023 if either of the two candidates emerge?
Atiku is Winning, Buhari is Winning. Nigeria may not be winning.
****
Koye-Ladele Mofehintoluwa writes from Obafemi Awolowo University.
He is a Law Student. A Civil Rights Activist. A Public Policy and
Economic Analyst. A public commentator, Legal opinion contributor and
Opinion essayist with several reputable print and online media such as
Premium Times (Campus Reporter), Sahara reporters, Lawyard.NG and
several other outlets.
He can be reached on:
koyetolu@gmail.com.
Twitter @Koye_tolu
Linked In Koye-Ladele Mofehintoluwa
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