By Bayo Fasunwon

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Democracy, which Aristotle described as the rule of the mob is a double-edged sword. When an edge is in your favour, democracy is working. But when the other edge inflicts a cut on any part of your body, it is said that democracy is under threat. The thing about democracy is that it does not present the most efficient leader, but the most popular. However, in practice, the most popular may fall on the wrong side of the edge, only for the most desired to emerge as the beneficiary of the democratic process. Under a secret ballot system, desirability is not measured by the mammoth crowds at campaign grounds, for some are professional attendees of various political campaigns.

Popularity also cannot be determined by the number of followers on social media platforms nor by the tantrums thrown by both supporters and or candidates. Unfortunately, in democracies, the votes during elections are determined by hydra-headed factors. If a Venn Diagram is used, we would observe there are compliment factors, union of factors, subsets and isolated factors.

So, a candidate who literarily won on social media can fall flat on his face on the day of elections if his ‘followers’ refuse or are prevented from voting. As it is, in a plural, heterogenous society the emergence of a generally accepted winner in the game of politics is very slim. Also, in a political system called Nigeria, where power is used for vendetta rather than national development, election results cannot go unchallenged.

The challenge of political outcomes is recognized by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and also the Electoral Act. However, there are basic rules, guidelines and laws guiding the process of challenging unaccepted results. Any action and or inaction taken outside the provisions of law, is criminal and a felony against the sovereign Nigeria State.

The law prescribes and guides behaviour. More often than not, the law in any State would seek the continuity of the State, the peaceful existence of the people, and the protection of all law-abiding inhabitants of the State. Therefore, it is expected that irrespective of the extent of hurt or grievance, every person must patiently await the justice delivered by the court.

Given that both the victim and offender would be given ample chances to state their case, motivation and expectations of their actions, would have access to representation by learned personalities and that the court being presided by men of knowledge in the technicalities of law, the judgment delivered shall be just and fact based. Even when a Judge or Jury is compromised, the ‘unfavoured’ party or persons also have the right of appeal to a higher bench of better learned personalities and experience; such that at the end of the day, just judgment would have been served. While many examples exist, the recent judgments on Osun State’s gubernatorial election outcomes is a good case study. The beauty of court judgment lies in the fact that judicial precedents are used, and the reasons for arriving at judgmental decisions are often well stated.

With these, yours truly finds it nauseating, disloyal and unpatriotic for losers (as determined by INEC, based on collated and declared results) to seek ‘justice’ through the jungle. Many unrestrained utterances from political parties and their losing candidates in the past weeks have insinuated a desire to see the nation in flames. While these losers berate INEC for their failures, they are quick to accept INEC’s results in the same election, if it favours their persons and political parties. It is unfortunate that calls for military involvement in politics, and the use of militias to claim perceived ‘mandates’ are emanating from the buccal cavity of those who seek to benefit from democracy. Beyond that is the ‘mobilisation’ their supporters to protest against the outcomes of elections on the streets.

Since a little leaven leavens all, it is irrational that a part of a process could be accepted, while other parts of the same process, given spatio-temporal sameness, could be rejected. The call for people to protest the outcome of elections is not only arm twisting but also acts of coup against the Federal Republic of Nigeria. It is also a call for mayhem, because both the aggrieved and supposedly beneficiary of the process have supporters. Protest therefore is a call for clash of supporters and presumption that electoral positions have become a wrestling match, where the mighty take the mantle of power. If one is to apply the judgment of Solomon over the maternal ownership of the living child, one would conclude that those who want this nation to go in flames by their utterances were the real losers in the past elections. But it is right to allow the courts to decide.

Politicians are always in the habit of using the common man fight their battles, while they take the glory and squander the spoils of war. It is the hapless masses who whether the storm, get sunbaked and act as errand runners for the ‘man of the people’ who is protected, with his family. Now, when the job of the common man is completed, the fought for rarely remembers the masses on whose blood they tread to power. Policies that decimate the poor and impoverishment the middle class become the norm. Salaries of workers become delayed and increment becomes debatable.

When power resides with them, even the common man who protested on their behalf become leeches that must be crushed and destroyed.  This is so because, those whose protested for them to become Kings have suddenly transformed into weapons of instability, acquired and equipped by ‘opposing parties. Rather than post ‘authentic results’ on social media platforms, Politiciansshould take their ‘outstanding’ evidences to the Tribunal and argue their way to victory.

The average Nigerian has fought well for the candidates, it is time to test the dexterity, tenacity and loyalty of the parties and candidates before the Law. Rather than telling Nigerians fables, lies and subjecting us to comedies, skits and bloodied make up on social media, parties and candidates should take their ‘verifiable evidences’ to the court.  A note of warning to cruise catching youths, who are ignorant of the ethics and consequences of journalism, but post lies on social media. While there is freedom of speech, but there are consequences for lying, and often times, it is grievous. Let no ‘influencer’ receive payments for his or her legitimate incarceration. Fake news is not just propaganda, but a crime against humanity and the Nigeria State.

Now is the time to implement the Jerubbaal principle, where all gods, and not men should fight their cause, appropriately. Fellow Nigerians on the street, we have fought our battles, and still do, it is time for the politicians to fight theirs, let them not involve us.  If xenophobicattacks or genocide should take place in Nigeria, those calling for violence now have escape routes. So, the masses suffer for their instigations. In order to secure this nation, all forms of election generated protests should be prevented, while the Tribunals decide on who actually got what, when and how? Politicians should therefore conserve their energies for the various court proceedings. If the Court could be fair in the case of Osun State, same is expected nationally. Nigerians, let the court speak, while we seek to survive the cash scarcity seeking to snuff the life out of us, let us live to fight with our PVCs, in few years to come.