Politics
BVAS: Youths will shut down Nigeria – Ohanaeze warns INEC, APC
By Abdulateef Taiwo
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, OYC, has reacted to the fresh controversy over the deployment of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS and the INEC Results Viewing Portal, IReV, for the 2023 general elections.
The OYC said Senator Abdullahi Adamu, the National Chairman of the APC, should be placed on watchlist by security agencies and the international community for allegedly toeing a path capable of destroying Nigeria.
Adamu had on Wednesday, while speaking to a delegation from the Commonwealth Election Observation Mission, claimed that Nigeria was not yet ready for such technology.
He said, “Our concern is how ready are we to deploy some of these technologies as regards transmission.
“To transmit results, every part of the nation Nigeria I’m not sure that the network covers it.
“I know that even in parts of Abuja, there is no network, and we have from now till February when in substantial parts of the country, there is no electricity.”
Reacting to the development, the National President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike accused the APC of trying to truncate Nigeria’s democracy.
Okwu said Adamu’s stand was a confirmation of earlier rumour of an ignoble attempt to remove the INEC chairman, Professor Yakubu Mahmood from office over his insistence to deploy technology to enhance the credibility of the electoral process.
“We are in deep shock over the unpopular statement made by the APC National Chairman, Senator Adamu. It is even more unpardonable considering that it is coming from the chairman of the ruling party.
“In countries of the world, a ruling party is expected to be in the vanguard of advancing democracy, but that is no longer the case with the APC.
“It is now confirmed that the Adamu-led APC is behind the rumoured plot to oust the INEC boss from office.
“However, his plot has failed; he has exposed himself as we the Nigerian youths will not let that happen.
“The 2023 general election is between the forces of darkness that have held this country down for decades and the future generation. There will be no hiding place for failed politicians and a million Adamu cannot frustrate that resolve.”
The youth group urged the INEC to “remain steadfast as the masses are with you. The commission should not bow to the wicked pressure as we shall march the evil forces; we shall resist the wicked forces who do not mean well for Nigeria.
“The youths will shut down this country should anyone attempt to toy with the future of Nigeria.
“The highest legacy President Muhammdu Buhari has bequeathed for this country is signing the amended Electoral Act and we shall give the INEC all the support to ensure its full application.
“We also urge President Buhari to stand with the masses and be wary of the likes of Adamu who are pursuing a selfish agenda.”
Okwu urged security agencies and the international community to “place Adamu and his collaborators on watchlist as they are poised to destroy Nigeria to realise their selfish agenda.”
Politics
Guber poll: We won fair and square, says Ogun APC
The All Progressives Congress in Ogun State has maintained that it “won fair and square” the gubernatorial elections held on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
In a press statement issued in Abeokuta Tuesday evening and signed by the APC’s State Publicity Secretatry, Tunde Oladunjoye, the party posited that “the election itself was largely peaceful and the outcome was a true reflection of the wishes of the good people of Ogun State.”
The statement reads further: Despite political thuggery, vote–buying and violence perpetrated by the opposition People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Ogun people stood firm and ensured their votes counted.”
“We all witnessed how these desperate politicians band their gullible followers, bent on wrestling power by force, broke all rules of civility and violated electoral guidelines with reckless abandon.
“Our party, the All Progressives Congress, not only won the election with majority votes, but also won in 12 of the 20 Local Government Areas in Ogun State. In addition, our party won 17 out of the 26 State House of Assembly constituency seats.
“In flagrant disobedience of the Electoral Act (2022) and the guidelines stipulated by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) restricting movement on the Election Day, the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Oladipupo Adebutu, had a free reing, criss-crossing from one polling unit to the other and moving across local governments and senatorial districts. His long convoy had armed thugs, people in police uniform with guns, and others accompanying him. They harassed electoral officers, induced voters with cash, credit cards and transferred funds at will to sway voters against all known democratic norms.
“Again, the PDP candidate and his running mate, Abdulkadir Adekunle Akinlade were sighted around 12 midnight at the Ado-Odo/Ota Local Government Secretariat, which served as the Collation Centre for the LGA. Accompanied by well over 50 thugs, wielding cudgels, cutlasses, dangerous weapons and guns; they attempted to force their ways into the Collation Centre by impersonating the Returning Officer. A worse scenario later played out at the Oke Ilewo Office of the INEC where collation for Abeokuta South Local Government was taking place.
“There, the thugs fired several gunshots and used tear gas canisters on defenceless staff and party agents to disrupt proceeding.”
“Another unwholesome practice deployed by the Ladi Adebutu political machine was unbridled vote buying. Instances abound across all the 20 local government areas where they induced electorate to vote. Early that day, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) arrested four PDP party agents with hundreds of thousands of money credits cards meant to buy votes at Ibara Housing Estate, Abeokuta. Each of these card was pre-loaded with N10,000 and meant to be activated to cash with a code.
“Another PDP agent was arrested with hundreds verve pre-paid credit cards with the name Caroline Oladunni Adebutu Memorial Endowment Scheme at Agbado in Ifo Local Government and over 300 Permanent Voters Cards were found on the suspect by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) operatives.
“It is on record that a number of polling units and electoral materials were vandalised in some areas by these paid thugs even as security agents became helpless in those units.
“More curious is the fact that some APC chieftains were invited to Police Headquarters at Eleweran in Abeokuta 48 hours to the election for no just reason other than intimidation”.
“Despite these shenanigans from the PDP and its twin-sister, the African Democratic Congress (ADC), the people of Ogun State stood firm and chose good governance over cash-and-carry candidates. We urge our politicians to exhibit maturity by conceding defeat where and when it is obvious that they have been thoroughly trounced as was the case in the last Governorship election in our dear State.
“Finally, we advise the candidates that lost election last Saturday to accept the magnanimous olive branch offered by the winner of the election, His Excellency Prince Dapo Abiodun and join him in his ‘Building Our Future Together Agenda’. The Ogun State Project is everybody’s project”, the statement reads.
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