By Rayyanu Bala

One thing Nigerians must honestly admit is that elections in this country hardly end without bitterness. From political parties to candidates and to voters, the dominant mentality is not about participating in a democratic contest but about winning at all costs. Whether fair or foul, the objective is victory.
This mindset eroded public confidence in electoral processes across the country.
Against this backdrop, the noise currently surrounding the APC governorship primary election in Nasarawa state that produced Senator Ahmed Wadada Aliyu as the winner should not surprise anyone. In fact, it follows a familiar pattern that has become almost predictable in Nigerian politics.
The truth is simple: whoever had emerged victorious from that primary election, the same allegations would followed. If Candidate A won, supporters of Candidate B would cry foul. If Candidate B won, supporters of Candidate A would make the same accusations. The story would remain largely unchanged—claims of manipulation, complaints of irregularities, and allegations of rigging would dominate public discourse.
This is not peculiar to one state or one political party. Across Nigeria, there is hardly any state where elections or party primaries are conducted without one form of allegation or another. Whether in the North, South, East, or West, accusations of rigging have become almost a permanent feature of our electoral culture. It is indeed important for our politicians and their supporters to learn how to accept defeat when they lose. Democracy cannot thrive if every outcome is only acceptable when it favors a particular individual.
There comes a point when contestants must acknowledge that in every contest there will be winners and losers. If you lose, accept the outcome in good faith and prepare better for the next opportunity. Constantly attributing every defeat to rigging only deepens public cynicism and weakens our democratic institutions.
Nigeria’s democracy will mature only when political actors develop the courage and sportsmanship to accept outcomes they do not like. Until then, allegations of rigging will continue to fill the air after virtually every election, primary, or general elections, regardless of who emerges victorious.
Perhaps the time has come for all stakeholders to move beyond the endless cycle of accusation and counter-accusation and focus instead on strengthening democratic values, respecting established procedures, and accepting both victory and defeat with grace.