A stitch in time saves nine, this cliché is a popular one in normal discuss. Concocted by surgeons in the art and act of surgery, it’s their way of telling themselves to save a situation that could degenerate to a worst case scenario if not tackled with immediate alacrity.
In the cause of your surgical procedure quickly stitch a tearing tissue to prevent the possibility of a complete rupture. That’s what surgeons seem to tell themselves, this speaks to me personally as a surgeon to take action when the real time situation demands.
The All Progressives Congress (APC) has come face to face with such realities in the last election cycle, having lost completely Zamfara State to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), a party with zero chances of winning any contested seat in the State, due to procedural error.
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In the past election cycle the All Progressives Congress (APC) had a clear fighting chance in Rivers state but ended up not participating in the election process. All because the party both in Zamfara and Rivers failed to adhere to the laid down rules of the game.
Two things quickly came up as matters arising after the just concluded APC primaries in Adamawa State which could lead to similar scenario if not tackled immediately and with wisdom.
First the number of accredited voters was 1009, while the number of total votes cast was 1011, a clear over voting is established. Specifically both the Electoral Act 2022 as amended and the APC guidelines stated in clear terms that such an election should be nullified and another one conducted.
The APC guidelines state as follows “NO MEMBER SHALL VOTE FOR MORE THAN ONE ASPIRANT, AND WHERE THE NUMBER OF VOTES CAST EXCEEDS THE NUMBER OF ACCREDITED VOTERS THE ELECTION SHALL BE DECLARED VOID..
This is a potential time bomb ticking to explode in time. So the party must do the needful so as to avoid litigation that will lead to voiding our impending victory come 2023.
Another fundamental issue noted after the primaries of the APC is the participation of delegates from Lamorde LGA. Because they were not democratically elected it was advised by even the resident electoral commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission that such delegates shouldn’t take part in the process, but they did. By so doing soiling the whole process.
An opponent will now lurk in the shadows waiting for the party to commit such avoidable blunder so as to cash in on it to steal the party’s victory.
It does not matter who emerges from any credible process but if we have to coast home with our long awaited electoral victory then these fundamental issues should be revisited.
- Dr Njiling writes from Yola
