All Hail The Nigerian Judiciary!

The Patriots Alliance (TPA), heartily commend the Nigerian Judiciary for the bold step taken in order to ensure that violence and electoral fraud does not become a norm in our society.

The nullification of the elections that illegally brought in three Rivers State Senators and twelve Federal House of Representatives members (PDP) respectively, is a historical action which has reaffirmed this ageless maxim: "the law court is the last hope of the common man."

As Patriotic Nigerians, we believe that anyone who is interested in political leadership must be ready to adhere strictly to the Nigerian Constitution, Electoral Act, and INEC Guidelines. By now, it should be clear to all and sundry that the days of political gangsterism has finally come to an end. Those who want to lead others, must first respect the will of the people whom they intend to lead.

While we continue to hail the Nigerian Judiciary for defending the voting rights of Rivers people, we however urge the Nigerian Legislature and Executive to make and implement laws with stiffer punishment for electoral offenders.

With respect to the nullification hurricane that is currently blowing in the Rivers State Elections Petitions Tribunal sitting in Abuja, we believe that those who were responsible for the wide scale violence and wanton irregularities which formed the basis for the ruling of the most respected Judges of the Court of Appeal, should have questions to answer before the law.

First in this case is the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Dame Gesila Khan, who supervised the broad day light robbery called elections in Rivers State. We believe that there must be some form of punitive lesson for this woman who desecrated her oath of office on the pedestal of crass partisanship. We also believe that those Senators and Federal House of Representatives members whose elections were annulled, should be investigated and interrogated in other to ascertain their respective roles in the shambolic and violence ridden electoral exercise.

Finally, we urge members of the All Progressives Congress (APC), to be magnanimous in victory and give peace a chance. We are expecting a calm political atmosphere as the campaigns kick off within the next sixty days. We will not accept anymore violence and blood shed. From now on, anyone who maims or kills any Rivers son or daughter again because of political differences, will face not just the wrath of the law, but the collective will of Rivers people. Those who lost at the appellate court must realise that the Law is hard, but it is the Law. Therefore, we urge everyone of them to accept the rulings of the Appellate Court with decorum.

Solomon Okocha
For: The Patriots Alliance (TPA)
[email protected]