As the controversy surrounding the outcome of the 2019 presidential election in Nigeria continues to linger, some concerned citizens have raised their voices against the secrecy surrounding the case proceedings. One of such individuals is Mohammed Kila, a former Vice Chairman of the Nigerian Bar Association in the FCT, who recently urged President Buhari and the Chief Justice of Nigeria to make the proceedings open to the public. In this article, we delve into the reasons behind Kila’s call for transparency in the election case proceedings and the potential impact it could have on the country’s democracy.
A professor at the European Centre of Advanced and Professional Studies, Prof. Anthony Kila, has called on key figures in the Nigerian government and judiciary to ensure transparency in the proceedings of the Election Petition Tribunal, particularly in relation to the 2023 presidential election. Kila, who is also a Jean Monnet professor of Strategy and Development, urged President Muhammadu Buhari, Attorney General Abubakar Malami, and Chief Justice Olukayode Ariwoola to make sure that all cases before the tribunal are made public via media coverage. He also called on the relevant stakeholders to ensure that the electoral cases in court are resolved before May 29, 2023, the swearing-in date for the next president of Nigeria.
Kila’s call for transparency comes in the wake of the widely contested 2023 presidential election, which he referred to as the most contentious in the history of Nigeria. He stressed that keeping the proceedings of the court cases hidden from those questioning the processes of the polls would not give credibility to the incoming government. The professor pointed out that many Nigerians still doubt that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) declared the rightful winner of the presidential election. Nigerians are complaining about the election, and Kila stated that airing the court proceedings on live broadcast would be a crucial step in clearing these doubts.
Kila emphasized that it would not reflect well on the president and the Chief Justice of the Federation to allow someone to be sworn in as president, whom a significant percentage of voters believe did not win the election. The 2023 presidential poll has left Nigeria vastly divided, according to Kila. A significant part of the country considers the election free and fair and argues that the results reflect the wishes of the people. Another significant part of the country considers the election highly flawed and argues that the results are unacceptable. Contestants are in court currently to contest the results, and this has led to tension in the country.
Kila suggested that the best way to tackle this dualism and tension and restore unity in Nigeria is to ensure that all parties get transparent and timely adjudication of electoral cases. This would give all Nigerians a sense of clarity and justice that would bring an end to ongoing controversies. Kila further pointed out that a transparent and timely adjudication of electoral cases would help legitimize the victory of the winning candidate and aid in giving closure to those who did not win.
In conclusion, Kila recommended that the Chief Justice enables the televising of electoral cases in real-time so that more people can know how judgments are reached. He also suggested that all court cases should be treated and resolved before the swearing-in date to ensure that anybody sworn into power would be fully legitimized to act in the name of all Nigerians. By following these steps, Nigeria can ensure that future presidential elections will be transparent, fair, and acceptable to all parties.
