Every Nigerian would agree that Professor Maurice Iwu, the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC has such an unenviable responsibility.

Ask the INEC boss whose very first time, sitting on that hot seat as umpire of the nation's electoral process clinched a world record and may soon find its way into the Guiness Book of Records, and he'll readily tell you that between the lines of the mandate contained in the nation's Electoral Act are words which imply that the INEC chairman must ensure that the country does not go to war or disintegrate because of elections disputes. How he was expected to achieve that feat and keep Nigeria one, the Act did not explain between the same lines.

The professor has, however, devised ways and means to better still strategise to execute his mandate. These strategies have in turn brought about a new definition of the mandate given to the INEC boss. Going by the unfolding evidence of results of the aftermath of that 2007 election, nobody woud have any more doubt that the mandate given to the INEC boss is to rig into power as many political candidates as have received the annointing of the pay masters of the INEC boss, especially if this, ostensibly will avert a disintegration of the nation or a possible warfare.

Today, Professor Iwu and his cohorts commissioners have warmed themselves into the record books for conducting the only elections which majority of its verdicts have been upturned. Most Nigerians and even the international community would not have observed the brazen nature of the Professor's actions, which certainly did not have any trace of intellectualism. If, for instance, INEC had made sure that executing its rigging mandate, did not corner at the governorship seats except of course those of Lagos and Abia for obvious reasons, and the very few ANPP states also for obvious reasons, may be Nigerians would have agreed with him that his rigging mandate was actually to keep Nigeria as one country and not turn it into a one-party state. Also, if the INEC had understood that the nation's legislative arm both at federal and state levels were supposed to tackle the onerous problem of addressing the nation's shittish constitution, may be they would not have populated the assemblies with men and women who have no intention of confronting the constitution.

What we now have on our hands is a hydra-headed monster.As we attempt to cut off one head another spruts up on the same spot with very sharp teeth, threatening to bite to death anybody who dares points a finger at it.

A nation which thought that with the exit of the military, a new dawn of civil freedom and liberty has set in, to their chagrin now finds itself entangled in a web of military democracy. Any keen observer would agree that the era of full blown military dictorship was more economical and better than a disguised military era called military democracy. Major reason being that in this so called democracy all the military administrators either state or federal level and during all the military regimes put together are today those in authority either as governors or legislators. Even the current president Umaru Musa Yar Adua, many would tell you got the blessing of that kleptomanaic, the former military democratic ruler, simply because his elder brother was 2nd in command during that former president's military government. Those of them who do not have that S.S. military blood running in them were avowed military apologists of those dark era.

Coming back home, when Nigerians thought that the shoddy job done by the Iwu led INEC would be redressed through the nation's court of law, which many still stubbornly hold as the last hope of the masses, they have been shocked almost to coma to find a judiciary as hopeless and as helplessly hamstrung as held captive by our constitution. And so when Nigerians expected a spade to be called a spade in an obvious act of rigging, the judiciary, standing on the point of law, will rule and give its backing to rigged elections. A picture of cat and mouse doing hide and seek game in the rain was painted at the election petition tribunal would uphold an election and taking it to the appeal tribunal it is upturned. Or the tribunal upturns an election but brought before the appeal tribunal it is upheld. Also most of the cases where the appeal, the final arbiter in elections, matter are upturned a clause is introduced: a rerun of the election. What, as at today, has become the fate of most of those rerun elections, have shown a military fiat as those who were indicated for rigging have ended up singing songs of victory after such a rerun. This further gave kudos to the rigging expertise of the INEC machinery. As we look now, the Edo State scenario is still pending. Every political player and watcher has concluded that the appeal tribunal will uphold the verdict of the petition tribunal but all for a rerun. All things being equal, the incumbent or is he now embattled? - governor would be returned with massive votes courtesy of INEC.This will certainly prevent the nation from shedding blood or disintegrating! Without trying to judge the judiciary, since that is their exclusive reserve, most Nigerians were almost forced to judge them when they passed a judgement of no rigging on Mr. President's election knowing very well that Mr. President himself before that judgement passed a judgement of large scale rigging on himself and his colleagues. The problem as it stands today is how the legislators, most of whom were rigged into their offices would now be repentant enough in reviewing the same constitution which has stoutly condoned their criminality. Would it not amount to stabbling oneself or even commiting political suicide?

Whatever it is, Iwu would remain an unsettled mind with a floodgate of nightmares attending his every sleep. This is despite how he tries to equip his home with all the booties which may have entered his account both secret and open. The same goes for his national commissioners and those staff who were reported to have shared money from a loot which fell from the Kogi State governorship rerun elections.