Saturday letter2
Militarising election is a mediocre approach to election rigging. It is the use of state security apparatus to subvert the will of the people in a democracy. It is a system that scares eligible voters and disenfranchises the people. It also empowers INEC to violate continuous accreditation and voting system (CAVS) of the land. It is disheartening that Nigeria’s democracy is about to be destroyed by the current administration. Election rigging is not peculiar to Nigeria. For instance, in United States of America in 2016 President Donald Trump was accused of rigging, using computer fraud through alliance with the Russia government.
It was an intellectual rigging process perpetrated using cyber hackers. But the recent rigging approach adopted by the APC party and the presidency is abysmal, laughable and shameful. If rigging must be done, it ought to be done decently and secretly. But the rigging approach of the current administration is indecent and dreadful. For instance, in Rivers State in the governorship election, PDP collation agent (Dr. Ferry Gberegbe) was shot by the military for opposing them from changing the election results in the polling unit. Dr. Ferry is now dead and is body deposited in the mortuary. Militarisation of election is absurd and unacceptable in a democratic system.
For the sake of posterity and sustenance of Nigeria’s democracy this approach should be condemned by all. We would have expected the incumbent president to follow the footsteps of his predecessor President Goodluck Jonathan. Instead, he chose to undermine the will of the people through militarised rigging system. At least President Jonathan will forever be eulogised for being one of the first African incumbent presidents to relinquish power to the opposition party. It is appalling that a president who spent quite a time catering to his health will be so desperate to retain power. May I use this medium to plead to the presidency to allow the electoral tribunal to do their job without interference. Also, the electoral tribunal must deliver justice righteously and save Nigeria’s democracy.
Pedro Ukokobili, Lagos
