Zik Gbemre
As the general elections approaches, INEC, as usual, has come out recently to allay fears over election rigging and other election irregularities. This has always been the usual practice. But the question is how true is INEC’s words? For it is one thing to come out and allay such fears; it is a different thing entirely for Nigerians to be guaranteed that such fears will not be witnessed.
Election rigging and irregularities have always been the major problems with past and recent elections in Nigeria. This is the reason for whatever electoral violence and election Tribunal cases we have ever witnessed in the country. And until the issue of election rigging and election irregularities are addressed in Nigerian elections, we will continue to witness the peoples’ votes’ not counting and stolen political mandates; all of which breeds election violence and bad governance.
So it is not enough for INEC to allay fears of election rigging on national tabloids and announce to Nigerians like they always do, that the commission is on top of the situation. What guarantees do we have as the electorates that we will not witness mass election rigging and election irregularities in the upcoming general elections? What guarantees do we have that Election Results Sheets will not be imputed with ‘fake’ and ‘cooked-up’ results to favour some political interests, while the electorates are out under the sun casting their votes? What guarantees do we have as the electorates, that security operatives will not be used on Election Day to grossly rig elections in favour of some highly-placed-political interest? What guarantees do we have that the same fears being allayed by INEC will not be witnessed in next month’s general elections? If we ponder on this intently, we would realize that there are no guarantees. INEC should not patronize
Nigerians and make it look like they are on top of things; when in actual sense, they have not been able to prove to us that they can address these fears.
Zik Gbemre, JP
National Coordinator
Niger Delta Peace Coalition(NDPC)
