The elections in Nigeria have always been plagued with a plethora of irregularities and abnomalies. From violence to ballot box snatching to vandalism, it's almost as if the country is in a race to win world's worst electoral process.
The weeks leading up to the elections were a heavily tidious one and a highly emotional rollercoaster. A great level of frustration swept through the country as the naira redesign and limited time for the withdrawal of old notes plunged Nigerians into frustration so thick you could touch it. Banks blamed the CBN for not giving them new notes, the CBN blamed banks for not releasing the notes given to them and in all of the Nigerians suffered.
In the midst of the suffering, there seemed to be a glimpse of hope in the minds of the average Nigerian, a feeling that the suffering would end once the elections were conducted and their preferred candidate announced as president-elect. The country had witnessed a majority of its population leaning towards a party and candidate described as "structure-less" as said party and candidate garnered support and followership across the nation.
Nigerians knew it would be tough, but it seemed nothing prepared them for the level of demoralization they were about to experience. Election Day finally came and people came out in great numbers to vote. In my opinion , one of the largest turnout of voters and especially the younger generation (above 18years as we in no way consider the children with "stunted growth" as adults as alleged by the police). Sadly a staggering number of voters were tactically disenfranchised.
From INEC (as it turns out is not so independent) giving wrong addresses on their sites as polling units (something I personally experienced, many voters who shared the same polling unit as me could not locate the place as the address given by INEC was wrong), to the officials coming hours late (happened at my polling unit as the officials also did not have the right address and could not locate the polling unit in time), to thugs hired to harrass voters and scare them away from polling units, to vandalism and ballot box snatching , and to the highly insulting broad day light robbery of election results. INEC tirelessly worked to concuct numbers in favor of the government...
...forgetting that party agents had real time recordings and documentation of results counted at polling units across the country.
Nigerians were basically in a toxic relationship with
their government all through the election week.
The result collation process is the longest I've witnessed and 4 days later at about 4am, Nigerian's lost their mandate to the federal government after the exhausting wait. There was a general gloominess and sadness that engulfed the whole country, it came with a blanket-like silence. No rejoicing, no celebrations, just painful silence and an air of defeat and despair.
The whole processes seemed to be a battle between light and darkness. One would wonder since the government and most politicians had urged the youth to get more involved in governance and nation building, they would be more open and welcoming to the youth.
If there's anything these last elections have taught us, it is that those in power who say they want the youth to get involved in politics are merely offering lip service and have no intentions of giving up their positions. As of today, 3rd March, 2023, the party and candidate that majority of Nigerians clamored for has proceeded to take the Federal Government and INEC to court to contend the outright robbery of the people's mandate.
The questions on everyone's lips are Will the will of the people prevail? Will justice be served in a judicial system that is largely flawed and compromised? and lastly but mostly importantly Will this revolution to save the nation be short lived or would it bring about a new Nigeria?
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