EXPLAINER: Key Reasons APC Is Asking Aggrieved Parties To Proceed To Court

The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila is the latest to advise aggrieved political parties and contestants of the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections to approach the court to substantiate any of their grievances.

In an address to members of the House at the reconvened plenary in Abuja on Tuesday, after their election break, Gbajabiamila agreed that disagreement would likely ensue after a presidential election in a complex country like Nigeria.

But why is he, alongside many others, insisting that aggrieved political actors should proceed to the court for redress?

Maybe to follow due process

To put things into order, the Nigerian Constitution and the Electoral Act 2022 are the watchwords for any unhappiness.

The law constitutionally provides the safest and most democratic means to resolve disputes and establishes balance.

With the court, the country could advance its democracy, manage grievances, and settle disagreements without causing fatal damage to the polity.

It is becoming overly ridiculous that the oppositions have neither proceeded to the court nor warned their supporters against uncanny media ridicule. 

The possibility of manoeuvring the court

We shouldn't also rule out the possibility that the ruling party is calling for the procession to the court because they think they would outsmart the court process. 

Without a doubt, Nigeria's justice system is one of the most controversial national establishments. 

Instead of Nigerians thinking of getting justice from the court, the widespread belief is that the courts aid wrongdoing in Nigeria.

Nigerians are beginning to think that the ruling party insists that aggrieved groups proceed to the court because they know they have the machinery to win it over. 

If the aggrieved parties proceed to the court, Nigerians hope it will handle the cases without fear or favour.

Maybe the opposition does not have a tenable case

Let's eschew emotion from this discourse and think that it is possible the opposition does not have a genuine case that could upturn the election outcome.

Wholistically, the party whose supporters have become most agitated was the Labour Party which came in a distant third. 

The All Progressives Congress could be canvassing for a peaceful law process because they think the opposition parties do not have substantive evidence to displace the election results.