Kogi: And the man died

By Joseph Edgar . . .
Here I am on very unfamiliar grounds. I am not a constitutional lawyer and as such remain incompetent in this matter, but as a stubborn busy body, I must talk my own. The man died just before the elections where concluded, his timing was perfect to cause the maximum confusion and Nigerians being what we are have fallen for the bait and what we have now is a Tower of Babel type scenario where everybody and everyone is having a go at the possible solution.
From market women to constitutional lawyers, everybody has an opinion. Audu should have given us the benefit of taking his exit some 48hours later. This scenario has thrown us into a deep lacuna that we just might need much more than the famed wisdom of Solomon to solve.
PDP obviously wants a rerun as to them the elections have been rendered inconclusive. APC wants them announced winners with his running mate taking the saddle. This is where I pitch my tent. The joint ticket lead in the polls and voters voted for both of them and as such his running mate be immediately declared winner if and when all the votes are counted.
The Supreme Court in one of their wonderful judgments gave Amaechi, who did not even contest an election and was rigged out at the primaries, victory when he won his case. So this case that the two men went round the state campaigning on a ticket, promising the population the usual wayo promises and finally getting the long suffering and flood ravaged Kogi people to believe them and give them their votes with such a wide margin, the death of the lead candidate should not deprive the party, or the running mate the ticket.

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This is my illiterate position and may not stand any legal rigorous exposition but as a Nigerian, I must talk my own and whether it makes sense or not, I have spoken and it must be put on record.
Well I have heard more ludicrous comments from better qualified people. I have heard that his widow should take over, that his widow be governor in his stead. This has made me laugh and emboldened me to come out with my aforesaid position.
However in all these, I plead for maturity in seeking a resolution. We as Nigerians should allow the constituted authorities to do their jobs, a clear and transparent process of resolving this matter should be allowed to take its full course and we should resort to the law courts should there be any group or persons who do not agree with the proposed solutions.
We should ignore the threats of sectarian violence or partisan divisions, we should for once respect the dead man and seek a bi partisan and legal solution to this first of its kind lacuna.
This is my prayer.

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