The Pan Yoruba sociopolitical group, Afenifere, said the outcome of the last Saturday governorship election in Edo state has further exposed the incompetence of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) saying the electoral umpire has shown itself to be neither credible nor independent.
This was contained in a communique issued after the monthly meeting of the group at the residence of its leader, Chief Ayo Adebanjo at Isanya Ogbo, Ogun state, noted that electoral malpractices actively compromise the rights of the people to choose their leaders in the just concluded election.
Afenifere who maintained that the conduct of the election lacked integrity and credibility however, pitched its tent with the Civil Society Organisations that monitored the election and declared that the conduct of the election lacked credibility, while results from several polling units were altered at coalition centres.
The group, in the communique signed by the Deputy Leader, Oba Oladipo Olaitan and the National Publicity Secretary, Prince Justice Faloye, said INEC has once again failed to convince many Nigerians on their ability to conduct a free, fair and credible elections in the country.
ALSO READ: BBNaija S9: Kassia, Topher, Ocee get evicted, Kellyrae reveals marriage secret
The communique reads, “Afenifere observed with more than keen interest the processes leading to the Edo State Governorship election hoping against hope that INEC would turn a new leaf from its shoddy handling of the 2023 general elections.
“But most unfortunately the Commission rather gained speed in its progressive descent into the abyss of electoral malpractices which actively compromise the rights of the people to choose their leaders in their overriding interests.
“Afenifere endorsed the damning verdicts of Civil Society Organisations and credible election monitors on the integrity of the processes and conduct of the election revealing sharp practices including vote-buying, deliberate compromise of technological innovations, abrupt and unilateral suspension of collation and resultant manipulation and brazen alterations of results.
“Afenifere is not interested in the political party or personality declared the winner but in the credibility and integrity of the processes and we dare say that in this instance, the means with its sour memories leaves the legitimacy of the end with question marks.
The group also condemned “the growing idea of top level officials including governors and heads of the federal legislature abandoning their states and duties also generate tension with unnecessary pressure on the process in the off-season election.
“Besides and notwithstanding partisan pressures, certain offices in the federation demand that the holder thereof play the role of a father-figure in words and actions for necessary public confidence”
Condemning the Proposed National Independent Local Government Electoral Commission (NILGEC), Afenifere stated that “the introduction of a bill to establish a National Independent Local Government Electoral Commission (NILGEC) for the conduct of Local Government elections and considers the idea as nothing but a monumental multiplication of INEC’s inefficiencies at 774 degrees.
“The idea of a federal agency to conduct local government elections is a veritable weapon in furtherance of undisguised policy of complete capture and absolute unitarisation of the Nigerian Federation by the Central Government, a policy that has attained its crescendo under the present administration.
“Afenifere decries all forms of political rascality aimed at stifling democracy by the two tiers of the Nigerian government structure and equally condemns in unmistakable terms political gerrymandering to push Nigeria into a unitary state by wielders of transient political power contrary to the existential covenant of federalism.
“The Federal Government and its INEC have proven not better at conducting the limited elections with which they are saddled by the Constitution.
“From all indications, INEC has proven not independent of the Federal Government and the unfortunate situation gets progressively worsened.
“Afenifere resolved to, in due course and soon, mobilise and join democratic forces with all lovers of Nigeria against all tenets, tendencies, pretences, policies and practices of unitarism in the Nigerian body politics”
The group however reiterated that “the country’s security architecture of a single Police Command is antithetical to the ideal, reality and practice of federalism particularly in the case of Nigeria with its large population and vast territory.
“This unfortunate situation has continued to deepen the deplorable state of internal security engendering abysmal incapacity of the Nigerian Police and put pressure on the armed forces to the extent that the Chief of Defence Staff had to ensure the deployment of members of the armed forces on routine police and civil assignments including coverage of peaceful protests and election duties.
“Centralizing the enforcement and control of both Federal and State laws robs the nation of the efficiency and efficacy of division of responsibilities.
“It cannot be overemphasised that the basic way forward out of this intractable internal insecurity is the introduction of state police.
On the nation’s economy, the foremost Yoruba group said “It is no gainsaying that the dominion of our land by terrorists is responsible for the skyrocket inflation of prices of food items as farmers are displaced without hope of returning to their farms.
“The operation of the Dangote refinery is a welcome development but Afenifere believes that the removal of collateral expenses should make the price of products from refinery of crude procured locally by far cheaper and affordable than it presently is.
“Nigerians have not been informed of the beneficial effects of the monopoly of distribution of the Dangote products by the NNPCL.
“Rather, the success of the Dangote initiative should encourage the NNPC to do something about its own moribund refineries and for the Federal Government to liberalise local production by encouraging small scale and modular refineries with quality control supervision”
The Meeting which was presided over by the Deputy Leader Oba Oladipo Olaitan was attended by Sen. Femi Okunrounmu, Sen. Bucknor Akerele, Chief Tokunbo Ajasin, Chief Pekun Awobona, Prince Adesina Bashorun, Prince Justice Faloye, Chief Tunde Onakoya, Alade Rotimi-John among others.
