Olabode George, former vice chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described as disgraceful the February 25, Presidential and National Assembly (NASS) election conducted by the the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
During a press conference in Lagos on Monday, he said it was a big embarrassment to Nigerians and the international community, whose hopes were raised that the giant of Africa and the most populated black nation has finally got it right and found a permanent solution to her intractable electoral quagmire of several years.
According to him, Nigeria is being drawn back to its disgraceful past, which he said is also dealing a severe blow to the effort of developed countries like the United States (US), who made huge financial and material commitment to Nigeria’s electoral process, expected to chart a new course and place Nigeria in her rightful place among the comity of nations.
“I want to state unequivocally that it is disheartening to learn that INEC, has expressed the position that the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS), meant for the seamless transmission of election results electronically into the commission’s server is failing, and thus necessitating the reversal to the manual system.
“This is against the standard for the election and it is not acceptable at all, as we are being taken back to the period of misery, when elections results were manipulated between the polling units and the collation centers.
“It is the most despicable shameful act, after the certification of the veracity of the BVAS, for the transmission process of results, which was attested to, by the mock process successfully embarked on by INEC before the election, coupled by the successful deployment of the system for the Ekiti, Anambra and Osun governorship elections.
”How on earth can INEC turn around at this critical period, to discredit the system? I hope they are not trying to foster the dismal APC government on Nigerians, who have expressed their determination to do away with this retrogressive party through the poll last Saturday.
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“For instance, Tinubu, was said to have secured 50,000 votes cast in Ikorodu, how can we accept this?
“How can we accept this uncivilised abuse against an established electoral reform already gazetted and entrenched as Electoral Act in our constitution? This is nothing but a reversal of our political fortunes by several millions of backward steps.
“This is hardly the path of building an enduring nation. Great nations are built upon accommodating largeness where everyone must have a sense of belonging. The fair society insists on merit, frowns upon nepotism, encourages participatory inclusiveness, creates equal opportunity for everyone to actualise themselves.
“I am hereby calling on the international community , who have their observers on ground, monitoring this election, to rise and condemn this most self-destructive and annihilating political malfeasance being perpetrated by our INEC.
“As an elder statesman, who has served Nigeria as a Military General and a prominent political office holder, I hereby demand amongst others. That the transmission of the ongoing collation for the Presidential and National Assembly election results must be transmitted electronically as enunciated by INEC.
“That INEC, should not succumb to any pressure, to force to alternate the results from the polling units, as history would judge the Chairman of the electoral body, who swore to oath to ensure free, fair and credible electoral process.
“That in the event of being pressured to alternate results of the election, the INEC Chairman should raise his voice for Nigerians to hear or step down from his position,” he said.
