Most Revd. Mathew Hassan Kukah who is the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese on Sunday rated the 2023 general election low as he said it failed to meet the expectations of a substantial size of the over 200 million Nigerian populace.
In his Easter message in Sokoto titled ‘Nigeria: Reconciliation postponed?‘ the cleric particularly slammed the violence that trailed the elections even as he charged the justices of the courts not to dash the hopes of Nigerians who are unhappy with the outcome of the polls.
‘The much-awaited elections, so full of promise have come and gone, well, not yet, some might say. They generated so much enthusiasm and excitement among our citizens who believed they would be a defining moment for our country. The buildup was marked by so much expectation about a transition to a new order in Nigeria. The outgoing President had given his word that his legacy would hang ensuring that we have successful elections. The electoral umpire, basking in self-confidence, assured Nigerians that these would be the most transparent and seamless elections in our history. We took the assurances in good faith. Literally, half of the population had registered for the elections and were armed with their voters’ cards. On election day, the national mood had a sense of an Easter metaphor to it. First, like the journey to Jerusalem, joyous citizens filed out to their designated polling units. Our citizens, fired by patriotism, braved the harsh weather (rain or heat), hunger, and thirst, depending on their locations across the country. As the day wore on, we had news of the usual glitches about election materials arriving late, a song that sounded familiar.
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‘Much later in the day, there were reports that the scenes were getting ugly with evidence of a return to our old ways now known as voter suppression: ballot box snatching, intimidation, physical violence against ordinary citizens, with reported incidents of injuries and outright killings. Amidst all of this was the utter chaos around the uploading and transfer of the results. INEC’s garment of legitimacy and credibility was now caught up in a barbed wire of conspiracy theories. As the day drew to a close, a cloud of doubt spread across the country as the excitement and high expectations vaporised.’
Kukah said the situation has left Nigerians as men and women returning from a funeral with forlorn looks who believe that justice has eluded them. But he admonished them not to show their anger through violence, but transform it to a motivation to seek justice.
‘Nigerians are so collectively frustrated that it is almost impossible to convince them that they can find justice. Everywhere you turn today, Nigerians look forlorn, disconsolate, lugubrious, and despondent. Our swagger is gone. We look like men and women returning from a funeral, murmuring discontentment in hushed tones. It is therefore not surprising that even the victors are blowing a muted trumpet.’
The bishop empathised with aggrieved citizens and asked them not to give up in the quest for justice even as he admonished the justices of the court not to dash their hopes. He told the legal officers that their hard-earned reputation was undergoing severe stress and pressure from those who want justice on their own terms.
“To the justices, you face difficult challenges ahead and you are mortals. The future of our country hangs on your deliberations. I will not judge you. I can only pray that God gives you grace. It will be up to you to decide how you use that gift which no amount of influence or power can buy… Nigerians are looking up to you to reclaim their trust in you as the interpreters of the spirit of our laws. The future of our country is in your hands. You have only your consciences and your God to answer to when you listen to the claims and counter claims of Nigerian lawyers you and have to decide the future of our country. We pray that God gives you the wisdom to see what is right and the strength of character and conscience to stand by the truth. You have no obligation to please any one. Our future depends on how you arrive at your much awaited judgement.”
The cleric commended the youths for the energy and courage they invested in the polls.