MEET FRANK OSHANUGOR
(OPINION)
By Chris Okobah
For those celebrating the fraudulent election and manipulation, I want them to know that there are very serious consequences for such a fraudulent election, both in the long term and in the immediate. Corrupt elections can have both tractable and intractable consequences.
Let me start with the tractable consequences.
These consequences refer to those that can be easily identified and measured, and potentially addressed through policy or other interventions. In the context of corrupt elections, some of the tractable consequences
include:
Lack of public trust : When an election is perceived to be corrupt, it erodes the public’s confidence in the legitimacy of the electoral process and the government. This lack of trust can lead to a loss of civic engagement and a reluctance to participate in future elections.
Unequal representation: Corrupt elections can result in unequal representation, where some groups are overrepresented or underrepresented. This can result in policy decisions that do not reflect the interests of the entire population.
Economic Impacts : Corrupt elections can have negative economic impacts, including decreased foreign investment, reduced economic growth, and increased poverty rates.
Now let me address the intractable consequences.
Intractable consequences refer to those that are more difficult to address or measure. In the context of corrupt elections, some of the intractable consequences include:
Erosion of Democratic Institutions: Corrupt elections can undermine the credibility and effectiveness of democratic institutions, making it harder to build and sustain a functioning democracy.
Social Unrest: Corrupt elections can lead to social unrest, as citizens become disillusioned with the government and demand change. This can lead to protests, civil unrest, and even violence.
Long-Term Impacts:
The effects of corrupt elections can be long-lasting and difficult to reverse. Once trust is lost, it can take years to rebuild, and the consequences of unequal representation and economic impacts can be felt for decades.
Do not be surprised when things start exacerbating exponentially due to how the government came to power, corrupt elections tend to produce corrupt governments, which are often intractable and ruthless, and they tend to perpetuate themselves.
When corruption and violence become a way of life in a society, it can be very difficult to break the cycle and restore the rule of law, it not only damage the integrity of the electoral process, but also undermine the social fabric of a nation.
Fighting faux elections is not just about winning one election; it’s about building a democratic culture that can withstand the challenges of corruption, violence, and disinformation.
We must stand up against faux elections and defend the right of every citizen to have a say in the governance of our country.
The only way a nation could survive is by enforcing the rules of law, the effectiveness of any law is its enforcement, when laws are not enforced, they become toilet papers. Every body must abide by the rules of law, no body must be above the laws.
In politics, nothing happens by accident.
What happened during the past fraudulent elections was pre-planed to happen, you can bet it was planned that way.
We know that Nigeria is a country where you look for trouble, finding it everywhere, diagnosing it incorrectly, and applying the wrong remedies.
When a society and the institutions are corrupt you always have a Professor Mahmood Yakubu at the head of a very important position, to help sustain the legacy of corruption.
Corruption is a cancer that steals from the poor, eats away at governance and moral fibre, and destroys trust.
The only people better than Professor Mahmood Yakubu are corrupt politicians who are also incompetent.
If his likes are not prosecuted for the crimes of last election and the monumental fraud that took place, then forget about the country called Nigeria.
No one is above the law, and no one is beneath its protection.”
The measure of a civilization is in the degree to which it is willing to uphold the rule of law and protect the rights of its citizens. When corruption is allowed to flourish, this foundation is eroded, and the very fabric of society is threatened.”
“There can be no true democracy, no freedom, without transparency, accountability, and the rule of law. Corruption undermines all of these, and must be fought with all the tools at our disposal.
If we are to preserve democracy, we must first ensure that our public officials are held to the highest standards of honesty and integrity. When they fail to meet these standards, they must be held accountable, regardless of their position or power.
The Contributor, Chris Okobah (PhD) is a public affairs commentator
