Politics
Checking Electoral Fraud Through Organised Actions
The truth is that we cannot have genuine democracy without electoral integrity and there can be no good governance, transparency and equity without genuine democracy. When people get into office fraudulently through riggings and all kinds of subversion of the will of the people they obviously cannot be expected to truly serve the people. They cannot reasonable be expected to address the wide spread poverty, unemployment and corruption in our country, Nigeria. Such persons can only be accountably to those who rigged them into power. The need for electoral integrity in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized.
All Nigerians without exception should be part of the struggle for effective electoral reforms in Nigeria including the deepening of internal democracy in the political parties and credible election, as it is central to the capacity of the country to jumpstart the economy and give hope to all of us not just to a few of us.
Electoral fraud and corruption in Nigeria is a seemingly formidable industry. It is an industry whose services to the nation include mass falsification of voting registers, mysterious stuffing of ballot boxes, use of some misguided youths as “hired political thugs” by wealthy candidates, to threaten, harass and intimidate voters as well as flagrant use of INEC and security officers to impose the will of a few godfathers on the rest of us.
Electoral fraud therefore is aimed at subverting the will of the people by denying them their voice in deciding who governs them. It is worse than military coup because it is not only imposes the will of the political godfathers on the rest of Nigeria but also is laden with deceit.
We must resist any attempt by anybody including INEC, self serving politicians, misguided youths and the security agencies to howsoever manipulate or rig the electons as well as discourage the popular believe that political office here in Nigeria is more of an access to massive oil wealth; a gateway to power and patronage, than service to the people. We must mobilize the market women, churches and mosques, communities, age grades, traders, civil servants, company workers, and indeed all Nigerians without exception to join the campaign and fight to ensure that our votes count.
We must ensure that the Justice Uwais-led Electoral Reform Panel Report is passed into law, we must ensure that only persons of integrity and demonstrable patriotic stand hold offices in INEC, we must enlighten and educate all Nigerians to join this project of ensuring that our voters counts, we must vote and protect our votes. We must also ensure that INEC do their job and that they do not deliberately refuse to do their job.
Each of us must rise up to the challenge and support the campaign for electoral reform. We must moblise all our friends, kinsmen, church members, colleagues, associates, neighbours, age grades and communities to resist the temptation to be used by anybody to rig howsoever the 2011 elections. I can proudly say that no person can successfully rig any election in Nieria and in Rivers State without the tacit and/or explicit support of Nigerians. We support them if we do nothing about the evil of electoral fraud which is the father of all evil. We support them when we do not challenge what they are doing or when we lie down resigned to fate.
As aptly captured in Ola Rotimi’s ‘The God are not to Blame’, to lie down resigned to fate is madness and Nigerians must stop this madness of aparthy, fear and refusal to fight for the good and progress of Nigeria. The truth is that evel, including electoral fraud, which is the father of all evil, benefits those who perpetrate it and therefore cannot be wished away in this world. It multiplies when people like us simply do nothing, and that is why as far as I am concerned, doing nothing in the presence or midst of evil is greater evil. This is because it simply feeds evil and encourages it to ‘prosper’.
If we must have a better society then we must resist evil, especially electoral fraud by deliberate and organised actions. We should therefore be more actively involved in the Nigerian project. I do not want to pretend that it is a tea party, but the truth is that it is the key to the good future we all expect and dream of and we cannot afford to fail.
Making our votes count is therefore the single most important reform that we urgently need in Nigeria, if we must make progress as a people and regain our place in the comity of nations. Without electoral reforms including deepening of internal democracy in the political parties and credible elections, we have No future in Nigeria!
Onuegbu is the chairman, Rivers State Council of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC).
Hyginus Onuegbu
Accordingg to the statement, the Board and National Executive Committee of PANDEF, noted with very grave concern the recent spate of political developments in Rivers State.
“Regrettably, these developments have now degenerated into the decision of the Rivers State House of Assembly to commence impeachment proceedings against the governor and deputy governor.
“This is a deeply disturbing situation that demands urgent attention in order to forestall further escalation and breakdown of law and order.
“This concern is heightened by the critical importance and strategic centrality of Rivers to the Niger Delta region and to the broader socio-political stability and economic wellbeing of Nigeria as a whole”, the statement said.
The Forum called on all parties involved in the resurgent political imbroglio to sheathe their swords and embrace peace.
“This should be guided by the principles of give-and-take, dialogue, tolerance, and political equanimity.
“All stakeholders must place paramount importance on peace, development and the welfare of the people of Rivers.
“We must now focus squarely on good governance and development of the state,” the Forum said.
PANDEF commended President Bola Tinubu, the leadership of the All Progressives Congress (APC), respected elders of Rivers State, and other well-meaning Nigerians for their previous and ongoing efforts aimed at restoring peace and stability in the state.
Speaking in an interview on Saturday, January 10, Chief Sara-Igbe alleged that the minister had flouted regulations governing the commencement of electioneering campaigns by moving from one local government area to another to galvanise political support.
According to him, the action amounted to a clear breach of electoral guidelines being carried out with a troubling sense of impunity that could undermine the rule of law.
“Wike has violated the electoral laws of campaigning by going from local government to local government to talk to the people. He travelled from one local government to another. As a result of his visits to local government areas, he has broken election regulations and continues to do all these things without fear of repercussions”, Chief Sara-Igbe said.
The remarks came as Chief Wike was set to round off a state-wide “thank-you” tour that covered all 23 local government areas of Rivers State.
Although the minister had described the tour as an appreciation visit following support for President Bola Tinubu in the 2023 general elections, critics say the engagements have assumed an overtly political character.
Observers note that during several stops, including recent visits to Andoni and Bonny local government areas, the minister rallied supporters across party lines under what he termed a “Rainbow Coalition,” a move widely interpreted as part of a broader political strategy.
During these engagements, Chief Wike was also reported to have made remarks perceived as a veiled challenge to the authority of Governor Siminalayi Fubara, while repeatedly referencing the 2027 elections and urging supporters to prepare to “correct the mistake” of 2023.
Chief Sara-Igbe warned that allowing such activities to continue unchecked could erode public confidence in Nigeria’s electoral process and called on relevant authorities to enforce existing laws without fear or favour.
The Commission, in a statement on Wednesday, claimed that there were plans by the same group to escalate a smear campaign against its Chairman, Ola Olukoyede, to frustrate ongoing investigations and prosecutions involving prominent individuals.
The statement endorsed by the agency’s spokesman, Mr Dele Oyewale, claimed that the action was intended to distract the Commission through unfounded allegations of political bias in the discharge of its duties.
The EFCC warned that it would not stand by and watch “those recruited into this ignoble enterprise” or allow any attempt to derail it from “the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.”
The Commission made it clear that those recruited into this venture were under close watch, adding that it would not tolerate any attempt to distract it from the patriotic task of improving public accountability in Nigeria.
“The EFCC reiterates its non-political stance in all its activities. Facts on the ground clearly show that any political actor belonging to the ruling party or opposition party, with corruption baggage, has no hiding place from the operational radar and dynamics of the Commission.
“As a matter of fact, several strong members of the ruling and opposition parties are either facing trial before the courts or being investigated by the Commission.
“It is needful that Nigerians appreciate the fact that the Commission is keeping faith with its Establishment Act in all its operations.
“Therefore, the Commission reiterates its commitment to justice, without fear or favour, in the fulfilment of its mandate,” the statement pointed out.
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