The postponement of the February 16, 2019 elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) is worrisome as it is condemnable by all democratic minded people, because it is APC’s desperation to truncate the foundation of democratic rule in this country. As opposition parties, we are of the strong conviction that, INEC’s postponement could not have occurred without the consent of the Buhari APC-led government.
The APC is throwing caution to the wind by allowing the burning of electoral facilities in some states of the country known to be stronghold of the opposition, in addition to its propaganda, blackmail, name-callings and mudslinging against the opposition candidates. This is a fact. That is why INEC’s goal-shift of elections is allegedly the handiwork and strategy of APC to rig elections. Thanks to Nigerians and international observers who understand the game plan. By shifting the election dates, the APC thinks they can manipulate the results to their favour, and they are mistaken.
A point worth noting is that when the 2015 elections which President Buhari contested were shifted by some weeks, people blamed Jonathan administration, then why should Nigerians point accusing finger on INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu and not Buhari as president? We are not holding brief for Yakubu, but let the truth be told. It is the presidency that caused INEC to shift the polls, and Yakubu being an appointee has no option than to do their biddings, albeit reluctantly and against his conscience.
Without mincing words, we have raised alarm times without number that government agents are trying to ensure elections did not hold or declared inconclusive in states where the APC lost support, alas we are vindicated. Therefore, the reasons cited for elections’ postponement is flimsy, and, in our view, unwarranted. We blame President Buhari, APC leadership and security agents who failed to provide adequate security for electoral materials.
In the same token, report has it that Amina Zakari, who is a top INEC official, is in-charge of logistics for this election, and that she is related to President Buhari. If that is the case, what would one expects?
At both national and states’ levels, the APC as a ruling party is incapable of fulfilling its promises to the electorate, hence their poverty level multiplied, the insecurity of lives and property doubled, the infrastructure has not only deteriorated but crumbled, while their hopes killed. That is why they caused elections shift to, in their calculation, give them room to re-strategise. Can they? No. the die is cast. The Buhari APC led government’s judgment has only been shifted.
As part of APC’s desperation to retain power, the Kaduna state Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, has been planning to manipulate elections. He is now trying to employ selfish schemes that are contrary to the Electoral Act, level playing field and conventional wisdom in order to manipulate the forthcoming elections to his advantage, having realised electoral failure facing him squarely. His recent utterances on foreign observers which is a hate-speech and his over-zealousness to glorify sectarian violence recently in Kajuru where he said 66 Fulani including women and children were killed is all pointer to his desperation to create atmosphere that could not allow elections to hold.
In a press conference at Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat recently, I, in collaboration with All Opposition Political parties’ chairmen said, el-Rufai is trying to coerce the state police command to transfer all police officers of Kaduna state origin out of the state, before the forthcoming polls to enable him use his sponsored vigilante group under the name, Kaduna Vigilante Services, popularly called KatodaGora, to help his party manipulate the outcome of the elections.
The el-Rufai administration in the last three years has allegedly caused tension in the state, engaging in a draconian and dictatorial rule, and as PDP gubernatorial candidate Isa Ashiru, said, ‘Demonic style of leadership’ that negatively impacted on everyone’s lives from civil servants, religious leaders, media, business, traditional institutions as well as market men and women. In fact, the best way to describe el-Rufai administration is a leadership full of human apathy, and grudge against the very people that voted it into power. To say the bitter truth, in a free and fair election, el-Rufai is bound to lose.
In the same vein, we have found out that el-Rufai has tried to get the approval of INEC to accept his vigilante, KatodaGora, instead of the conventional security agencies like the police, the Civil Defence, and other paramilitary forces. We equally voiced our concern and rejection in loud and strong voice.
During the conference, we passed a vote of confidence on the security agencies saddled with the responsibility to ensure compliance with rule and order as well as providing security in all the polling units in the country – the peaceful and lawful conduct of elections at all levels.
In conclusion, while we wait patiently for INEC to conduct the February 23 elections, we hope that the national electoral umpire will not succumb to further pressure from the powers that be, to undermine the electoral process again. We are calling on all security agencies, INEC and international observers to ensure all attempts to rig elections are stopped and conducted in a transparent, free and fair manner and in the best international practices.
Hon. Mairakumi is the Kaduna CUPP Chairman, and Chairman Labour Party of Nigeria. He is based in Kaduna.
