PRINCE ADEYEMI SHONIBARE writes on why perpetual election losers and self-styled Amala intellectuals must stop searching for scapegoats
The Politics of Excuses
A recurring feature of our democracy is the tendency of some political actors to begin preparing excuses long before election results are announced.
Rather than investing in party structures, mobilizing supporters, engaging voters, and presenting credible alternatives, they often devote significant energy to constructing narratives that can be deployed after defeat.
When the results are eventually declared and do not favor them, the blame game begins.
The recent controversy surrounding a man allegedly seen with “INEC Observer” written on his back is a clear example.
Indeed, Nigeria’s growing number of social media commentators, self-appointed political analysts, and partisan propagandists appear to have embraced a familiar post elections formula:
Step One: Lose the election.
Step Two: Find a photograph.
Step Three: Declare democracy compromised.
Step Four: Convene a symposium on how victory was stolen.
Step Five: Repeat the process after the next election.
Allegations Require Evidence, Not Speculation
Observers are routinely issued accredited identification materials, including branded vests, tags, or both, to enable them perform their duties and move freely within designated areas.
Political parties also deploy accredited agents. Electoral officials, returning officers, security personnel, journalists, and election monitors all operate within the election environment under various forms of accreditation.
Curiously, those making the allegation have largely circulated images or clips showing only the back of the individual in question.
The back.
Not the front.
Not his accreditation.
Just the back and not where the man was rigging the elections.
Where is the complete evidence? Where is the continuous video showing both the front and back of the person and establishing his identity beyond reasonable doubt?
Perhaps the front contains information that has not been shared.
Perhaps it is being withheld for reasons best known to those circulating the claim.
Or perhaps no one bothered to verify the image before forwarding it to multiple WhatsApp groups.
In an age where artificial intelligence can generate convincing images, clone voices, and create videos that never happened, responsible citizens must insist on facts rather than assumptions.
Serious allegations require serious evidence
The Extraordinary Power Attributed to One Man. According to this emerging political theory, one individual somehow overpowered party agents, electoral officers, security personnel, election observers, journalists, voters, ballot papers, result sheets, and the entire democratic process.
What an extraordinary claim.
If one person’s presence alone could determine the outcome of an election, then Nigeria should immediately recruit him to help solve inflation, insecurity, unemployment, exchange-rate , and power supply challenges.
