Sometime ago, I began to reflect on the nature of the judicial process, what determines how a judge comes to a decision when faced with issues that have far-reaching implications. As I bestirred my soul, I came across the work of BENJAMIN N. CARDOZO, LL.D. 1870-1938 - Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

I noticed that from time immemorial, the issue of what informed judgement had occupied the minds of noble persons. I found that we had got to a critical point in our development as a nation and we must take great care to pull ourselves back from the potential consequence of a complete loss of faith in the system, especially the Supreme Court.

Right now, I find myself pondering on what we must do to redirect things. Elections and election-related issues must not rob us of our country and its harmony. We just cannot place our fingers on how we got to this all-time-low in terms of confidence in the integrity of our judges.

I must say that the more I thought, the more I found myself wondering how we got an electoral system that is so unpredictable, corrupt and disorganised; the foundation of all the pressure we pile on our courts. Shall we not now look at how best to give ourselves a fit-for-purpose election process that can make life easier for us all?

Until we pour over the recent Imo State judgement, we can logically say that the explanation for a scenario where the most creative of us finds it hard to justify how suddenly the 4th is now the 1st underneath a mathematical substitution arrangement is hard to swallow. I do not know how to console Ndi Imo right now, as we cannot be entirely sure if their wishes have been respected or they have been saddled with an illegitimate governor by the Supreme Court of our beloved Nigeria.

No one is the winner in any process that leaves doubts in the minds of the people. Was the case well prosecuted by Ihedioha’s lawyers, or like it is with the nature of the judicial process, do judges have ways of seeing and hearing only what they wish to hear? Whatever be the legal reason, the law was created for the society and not the other way round. And we must, as a matter of urgency, fix our Electoral Act, lest we destroy the Judiciary and our country.

The thinking on the way and manner judicial decisions are taken can better be grouped under four headings:
1.The Method of Philosophy
2.The Methods of History, Tradition and Sociology
3.The Method of Sociology and the Judge as a Legislator
4.Adherence to Precedent, the Subconscious Element in the Judicial Process.

Great legal minds pay great obeisance to the soundness of the reasoning of Judges no matter who wins or who loses. At the level of any Supreme Court, you would expect that as a court of policy, Their Lordships ought to weigh the far-reaching implications of what they pronounce. But alas, slowly but surely, we can see in Nigeria that under the present dispensation, noble words and logical reasoning leave the soul heavy as to what has become of the chamber of justice.

If we go to history, tradition and sociology, as things stand now, it seems that toddlers are currently in high places without a bother as to what type of society the highest court in the land is breeding. If the vast majority believe that something irrational and difficult to accept in sound reasoning is emanating from the final court in the land, do we all not see that we need to look no further for evidence that the society has failed? Can we not see that with the situation in our polity and with our courts right now, there is only a thin line between peace and unrest?

I doubt if the purpose of the law is to make the society less harmonious with the actions and pronouncements of its custodians. If we look at the judge as a legislator, especially the Supreme Court, one is bound to ask: are the full implications of what is currently happening in the highest court of the land clear to the judges of our Supreme Court? Would we now become people who cannot deepen our jurisprudence, especially on election-related matters? Can we not realistically expect that our Supreme Court will return us to our glory days where sound judgements emanated from the forebears of this great land of ours?

Perhaps in the subconscious element, one may have to ask: what inspires judges of the Supreme Court in this era? By what higher ideals do these servants of the state allow their souls to be lifted to do justice to all in good conscience?

These matters trouble my spirit. I hold that it is the duty of leaders to reflect on the bigger issues to save Nigeria. We sincerely must work together without sentiments to berth the Nigeria of our dreams.

Nothing about the judgement makes sense.

By the so called supreme justices' dubious arithmetics, Hope had an average of 540 votes in each of the polling units where the additional votes were gotten from.

An average polling unit ranges from 500 to 750...

Imo has about 3,400+ polling units.

So the supreme court is in essence saying that victory in a little over 9% of the total polling units was enough for hope to garner over 200,000+ votes to beat Iheadioha...

Fine... But what about the number of votes iheadioha had in those 300+ polling units won by Hope?

By the supreme court's decision, the margin of victory was less than 30,000 votes.

Given that the total number of void votes according to INEC was about 26,000, it means Iheadioha needed only 4000 votes to force a rerun since the margin of victory would be less than total void votes...

So, the supreme court is inferring that Iheadioha could not get an average of 15 votes across the 300+ polling units which Hope won?

Or are they ignoring that on the premise of not having 2/3 spread? If that is the case, how would they know that Iheadioha does not have the 2/3 spread of his own votes in the disputed polling units awarded to Hope if ihedioha's own votes were not counted or taken into consideration?

More questions than answers...

ivandragon:


More questions than answers...

You questioning yourself on a judgement that is flawed and fraudulent from miles off.
Just that beyond all the histrionics and playing to the gallery of PDP and quasi analysts,no one has taken time to critically analyze the judgement because even without a thorough analysis of it by me, something tells me that even the arithmetic of it's calculation based on even the SC own arrangee votes,maybe wrong.
In most scenarios like this where people are working backwards,to the answer,oftentimes they end up missing some steps just to arrive at their pre planned outcome.

.
Wicked and heartless people will die miserable death!

Buhari and Tanko should take note

.

doctokwus:

You questioning yourself on a judgement that is floored and fraudulent from miles off.
Just that beyond all the histrionics and playing to the gallery of PDP and quasi analysts,no one has taken time to critically analyze the judgement because even without a thorough analysis of it by me, something tells me that even the arithmetic of it's calculation based on even the SC own arrangee votes,maybe wrong.
In most scenarios like this where people are working backwards,to the answer,oftentimes they end up missing some steps just to arrive at their pre planned outcome.

What exactly is your issue with the question part of my submission?

When something comes across as flawed but the reasons for the flaw is not clear, shouldn't questions be asked?

Your premise that the no one has taken time to critically analyse the judgement is not entirely correct. Until the Supreme court releases its own statement on how it arrived at its decision, analyse will be made on what is available to the public, which is the the summary judgement passed by the supreme justices.

It is not until a child drowns in the river before the people will say the river is dangerous.

So we do not have to wait for the written judgement to know that it does not add up.

ivandragon:


What exactly is your issue with the question part of my submission?

When something comes across as flawed but the reasons for the flaw is not clear, shouldn't questions be asked?

Your premise that the no one has taken time to critically analyse the judgement is not entirely correct. Until the Supreme court releases its own statement on how it arrived at its decision, analyse will be made on what is available to the public, which is the the summary judgement passed by the supreme justices.

It is not until a child drowns in the river before the people will say the river is dangerous.

So we do not have to wait for the written judgement to know that it does not add up.

You got me and read me all wrong.
I even mentioned it was flawed from a mile off.
Pls re-read my post.
Trying to saw that doubting it's fraudulent nature should not even be questioned.
That it clearly is fraudulent and that when more detailed analysis is done,more areas of it's fraudulent nature would be found because there would be many parts of the judgement that is not likely to add up, including and maybe even the arithmetic of how they arrived at the new votes tally.

doctokwus:

You got me and read me all wrong.
I even mentioned it was flawed from a mile off.
Pls re-read my post.
Trying to saw that doubting it's fraudulent nature should not even be questioned.
That it clearly is fraudulent and that when more detailed analysis is done,more areas of it's fraudulent nature would be found because there would be many parts of the judgement that is not likely to add up, including and maybe even the arithmetic of how they arrived at the new votes tally.

Ok.

Considering all questions and answers, the summary is that Hope Uzodinma is now the Governor of Imo state and Emeke the green cap guy is now an ex governor of Imo State.

ivandragon:
Nothing about the judgement makes sense.

By the so called supreme justices' dubious arithmetics, Hope had an average of 540 votes in each of the polling units where the additional votes were gotten from.

An average polling unit ranges from 500 to 750...

Imo has about 3,400+ polling units.

So the supreme court is in essence saying that victory in a little over 9% of the total polling units was enough for hope to garner over 200,000+ votes to beat Iheadioha...

Fine... But what about the number of votes iheadioha had in those 300+ polling units won by Hope?

By the supreme court's decision, the margin of victory was less than 30,000 votes.

Given that the total number of void votes according to INEC was about 26,000, it means Iheadioha needed only 4000 votes to force a rerun since the margin of victory would be less than total void votes...

So, the supreme court is inferring that Iheadioha could not get an average of 15 votes across the 300+ polling units which Hope won?

Or are they ignoring that on the premise of not having 2/3 spread? If that is the case, how would they know that Iheadioha does not have the 2/3 spread of his own votes in the disputed polling units awarded to Hope if ihedioha's own votes were not counted or taken into consideration?

More questions than answers...

How come ihedioha polled 130,000 votes from mbaise land?

ON THE IMO STATE CASE, I FINALLY AGREED THAT THE SUPREME COURT GOT IT RIGHT!
For simple analogy, read this:

So that you crying lots can understand, I will break the judgment down for you in a layman way. Hope Uzodinma went to court, he told the court; I was rigged.

The court asked 'Can you prove your case', he answered, 'Yes', the court said 'Okay, Prove your case'.

Hope said no problem, he called 54 witnesses, he presented results of 388 polling units across the state where his votes were excluded. At the final INEC collation centres, INEC merely write 'Not Available' in the 388 columns where the votes of APC and Hope should be recorded, whereas, the column were filled and signed by all party agents, INEC and Police at the polling units.

Hope was smart, he gather the form EC8A his agents received at the 388 polling units where his votes were recorded and signed by all party agents, he also got form EC8B in all the 388 wards where his votes was unrecorded and was not therefore signed by his (APC) party agents. He presented all of that to the court and ask the court to explain why votes recorded at the PU went missing at the Ward, Local and State collation centres.

The Court said okay, we've heard you. They turn to the PDP and Ihedioha and asked him, did you hear what Hope said and see what he presented? Ihedioha said Yes. Court now asked him, do you agree with him?, he said No. Court then asked, what do you have to say.

Ihedioha called just 1 witness, he said what Hope presented and said was false. The Court said okay, but present the truth. Ihedioha said although I don't have any form or paper to present and I don't have more than 1 witness to call, but I know what Hope said is false. The court said Okay, hold on.

The court turned to INEC, did you hear what Hope said? They said Yes. Is it true? they said we don't know. The court asked if the form EC8A presented by Hope, where his votes were included and signed by all party agents and INEC was truly issued by INEC, INEC said Yes. They ask again, do you have any other contrary results or forms from the one Hope presented, INEC said No. The court said Okay. We are coming.

The court turned to the Police, who provided security for the election, do you hear what Hope said? Police said Yes, the court asked further, were you given the form EC8A at polling units level as provided for by the law? Police said Yes. Court ordered them to present it and they did, court cross-checked if it's the same with the one presented by Hope and alas it was.

Court then called Ihedioha, come and check it and juxtapose, he did, they asked if the form EC8A presented by INEC and the one presented by Hope which Ihedioha has just seen are the same, he said Yes. They asked him, what do you have to say? He insisted, it was forged

Court then told Ihedioha, you are a thief, Hope has proved his case and they declare hope the winner.

ME? I REST MY CASE.

garfield1:

How come ihedioha polled 130,000 votes from mbaise land?

ON THE IMO STATE CASE, I FINALLY AGREED THAT THE SUPREME COURT GOT IT RIGHT!
For simple analogy, read this:

So that you crying lots can understand, I will break the judgment down for you in a layman way. Hope Uzodinma went to court, he told the court; I was rigged.

The court asked 'Can you prove your case', he answered, 'Yes', the court said 'Okay, Prove your case'.

Hope said no problem, he called 54 witnesses, he presented results of 388 polling units across the state where his votes were excluded. At the final INEC collation centres, INEC merely write 'Not Available' in the 388 columns where the votes of APC and Hope should be recorded, whereas, the column were filled and signed by all party agents, INEC and Police at the polling units.

Hope was smart, he gather the form EC8A his agents received at the 388 polling units where his votes were recorded and signed by all party agents, he also got form EC8B in all the 388 wards where his votes was unrecorded and was not therefore signed by his (APC) party agents. He presented all of that to the court and ask the court to explain why votes recorded at the PU went missing at the Ward, Local and State collation centres.

The Court said okay, we've heard you. They turn to the PDP and Ihedioha and asked him, did you hear what Hope said and see what he presented? Ihedioha said Yes. Court now asked him, do you agree with him?, he said No. Court then asked, what do you have to say.

Ihedioha called just 1 witness, he said what Hope presented and said was false. The Court said okay, but present the truth. Ihedioha said although I don't have any form or paper to present and I don't have more than 1 witness to call, but I know what Hope said is false. The court said Okay, hold on.

The court turned to INEC, did you hear what Hope said? They said Yes. Is it true? they said we don't know. The court asked if the form EC8A presented by Hope, where his votes were included and signed by all party agents and INEC was truly issued by INEC, INEC said Yes. They ask again, do you have any other contrary results or forms from the one Hope presented, INEC said No. The court said Okay. We are coming.

The court turned to the Police, who provided security for the election, do you hear what Hope said? Police said Yes, the court asked further, were you given the form EC8A at polling units level as provided for by the law? Police said Yes. Court ordered them to present it and they did, court cross-checked if it's the same with the one presented by Hope and alas it was.

Court then called Ihedioha, come and check it and juxtapose, he did, they asked if the form EC8A presented by INEC and the one presented by Hope which Ihedioha has just seen are the same, he said Yes. They asked him, what do you have to say? He insisted, it was forged

Court then told Ihedioha, you are a thief, Hope has proved his case and they declare hope the winner.

ME? I REST MY CASE.

Crying lot?

Ok, so on the new result sheet, how many votes did PDP & other parties get?

Or was it only hope that got votes in those polling units?

Some of you just talk out of your a**es simply because an illegality favours you.

All these grammar is simply because PDP lost in the court for a mandate they clearly in connivance with the INEC stole from the rightful winner? You can invent more of the grammar and keep ready because they will still lose more in the remaining States.

Hypocrites everywhere parading themselves as activists. Only have appetite to nickname black color white color whenever PDP didn't have their way. Otherwise, why did this grammarian ran short of grammar when the same supreme court denied APC their mandates in all the elective posts they won in Zamfara state and also denied them participation in Rivers state election. At that time, democracy was flourishing.

garfield1:

How come ihedioha polled 130,000 votes from mbaise land?

ON THE IMO STATE CASE, I FINALLY AGREED THAT THE SUPREME COURT GOT IT RIGHT!
For simple analogy, read this:

So that you crying lots can understand, I will break the judgment down for you in a layman way. Hope Uzodinma went to court, he told the court; I was rigged.

The court asked 'Can you prove your case', he answered, 'Yes', the court said 'Okay, Prove your case'.

Hope said no problem, he called 54 witnesses, he presented results of 388 polling units across the state where his votes were excluded. At the final INEC collation centres, INEC merely write 'Not Available' in the 388 columns where the votes of APC and Hope should be recorded, whereas, the column were filled and signed by all party agents, INEC and Police at the polling units.

Hope was smart, he gather the form EC8A his agents received at the 388 polling units where his votes were recorded and signed by all party agents, he also got form EC8B in all the 388 wards where his votes was unrecorded and was not therefore signed by his (APC) party agents. He presented all of that to the court and ask the court to explain why votes recorded at the PU went missing at the Ward, Local and State collation centres.

The Court said okay, we've heard you. They turn to the PDP and Ihedioha and asked him, did you hear what Hope said and see what he presented? Ihedioha said Yes. Court now asked him, do you agree with him?, he said No. Court then asked, what do you have to say.

Ihedioha called just 1 witness, he said what Hope presented and said was false. The Court said okay, but present the truth. Ihedioha said although I don't have any form or paper to present and I don't have more than 1 witness to call, but I know what Hope said is false. The court said Okay, hold on.

The court turned to INEC, did you hear what Hope said? They said Yes. Is it true? they said we don't know. The court asked if the form EC8A presented by Hope, where his votes were included and signed by all party agents and INEC was truly issued by INEC, INEC said Yes. They ask again, do you have any other contrary results or forms from the one Hope presented, INEC said No. The court said Okay. We are coming.

The court turned to the Police, who provided security for the election, do you hear what Hope said? Police said Yes, the court asked further, were you given the form EC8A at polling units level as provided for by the law? Police said Yes. Court ordered them to present it and they did, court cross-checked if it's the same with the one presented by Hope and alas it was.

Court then called Ihedioha, come and check it and juxtapose, he did, they asked if the form EC8A presented by INEC and the one presented by Hope which Ihedioha has just seen are the same, he said Yes. They asked him, what do you have to say? He insisted, it was forged

Court then told Ihedioha, you are a thief, Hope has proved his case and they declare hope the winner.

ME? I REST MY CASE.

The same error keep haunting all of you supporting this miscarriage of justice else how come 388 polling booths also in 388 wards. This 388 something don hook all of una.

jlinkd78:
The same error keep haunting all of you supporting this miscarriage of justice else how come 388 polling booths also in 388 wards. This 388 something don hook all of una.

You think that you will be in Nairaland and know better than the supreme court judges who were presented with facts and evidence, such that all the judges gave the same judgement. If you like, invent one million questions and ask, it will not change anything. To the best of my knowledge, the stolen mandate has been retrieved and given back to the rightful winner of the election.

No be that Atiku's boy be this?

garfield1:

How come ihedioha polled 130,000 votes from mbaise land?

ON THE IMO STATE CASE, I FINALLY AGREED THAT THE SUPREME COURT GOT IT RIGHT!
For simple analogy, read this:

So that you crying lots can understand, I will break the judgment down for you in a layman way. Hope Uzodinma went to court, he told the court; I was rigged.

The court asked 'Can you prove your case', he answered, 'Yes', the court said 'Okay, Prove your case'.

Hope said no problem, he called 54 witnesses, he presented results of 388 polling units across the state where his votes were excluded. At the final INEC collation centres, INEC merely write 'Not Available' in the 388 columns where the votes of APC and Hope should be recorded, whereas, the column were filled and signed by all party agents, INEC and Police at the polling units.

Hope was smart, he gather the form EC8A his agents received at the 388 polling units where his votes were recorded and signed by all party agents, he also got form EC8B in all the 388 wards where his votes was unrecorded and was not therefore signed by his (APC) party agents. He presented all of that to the court and ask the court to explain why votes recorded at the PU went missing at the Ward, Local and State collation centres.

The Court said okay, we've heard you. They turn to the PDP and Ihedioha and asked him, did you hear what Hope said and see what he presented? Ihedioha said Yes. Court now asked him, do you agree with him?, he said No. Court then asked, what do you have to say.

Ihedioha called just 1 witness, he said what Hope presented and said was false. The Court said okay, but present the truth. Ihedioha said although I don't have any form or paper to present and I don't have more than 1 witness to call, but I know what Hope said is false. The court said Okay, hold on.

The court turned to INEC, did you hear what Hope said? They said Yes. Is it true? they said we don't know. The court asked if the form EC8A presented by Hope, where his votes were included and signed by all party agents and INEC was truly issued by INEC, INEC said Yes. They ask again, do you have any other contrary results or forms from the one Hope presented, INEC said No. The court said Okay. We are coming.

The court turned to the Police, who provided security for the election, do you hear what Hope said? Police said Yes, the court asked further, were you given the form EC8A at polling units level as provided for by the law? Police said Yes. Court ordered them to present it and they did, court cross-checked if it's the same with the one presented by Hope and alas it was.

Court then called Ihedioha, come and check it and juxtapose, he did, they asked if the form EC8A presented by INEC and the one presented by Hope which Ihedioha has just seen are the same, he said Yes. They asked him, what do you have to say? He insisted, it was forged

Court then told Ihedioha, you are a thief, Hope has proved his case and they declare hope the winner.

ME? I REST MY CASE.

You are the true son of your father. The matter is simple, straight and forward. They want the court to say thank you for the masterclass stealing you did, you are brave, go and enjoy your I'll gotten mandate. Then they can now believe that the judiciary is working. For what!

ivandragon:



Crying lot?

Ok, so on the new result sheet, how many votes did PDP & other parties get?

Or was it only hope that got votes in those polling units?

Some of you just talk out of your a**es simply because an illegality favours you.

Commonsense should tell you that the votes he got there would not catapult him over hope if not hope will never have gone to court in the first place.commonsense sir.as for other parties,what difference will their votes make? Only apc went to court therefore only apc votes will be treated in relation to pdp votes

garfield1:

Commonsense should tell you that the votes he got there would not catapult him over hope if not hope will never have gone to court in the first place.commonsense sir.as for other parties,what difference will their votes make? Only apc went to court therefore only apc votes will be treated in relation to pdp votes

So it is the supreme court that will determine the vote count?

How do you know that ihedioha might not have gotten enough votes to force a rerun?

Based on the dubious calculations of the supreme court, ihedioha needed less than 4000 votes to force a rerun.

If hope can get 200000+ votes from just 388 polling units out of over 3400 PUs, why would it be out of place to expect ihedioha to get 4000 votes which is just 2% of the votes gotten by Hope?

For someone who talks about commonsense, it's obvious you lack it.

ivandragon:


So it is the supreme court that will determine the vote count?

How do you know that ihedioha might not have gotten enough votes to force a rerun?

Based on the dubious calculations of the supreme court, ihedioha needed less than 4000 votes to force a rerun.

If hope can get 200000+ votes from just 388 polling units out of over 3400 PUs, why would it be out of place to expect ihedioha to get 4000 votes which is just 2% of the votes gotten by Hope?

For someone who talks about commonsense, it's obvious you lack it.

Sorry,ihedioha is gone.it will keep paining you

garfield1:

Sorry,ihedioha is gone.it will keep paining you

Lol.

Yes Ihedioha is gone but it doesn't pain me.

You on the other hand will continue to be a charlatan & praise singer simply for some crumbs of filthy lucre...