The President of Osisioma Foundation, Dr. Chike Obidigbo, has expressed dismay at the mixed reactions trailing the recent Edo State governorship election, saying that the observations and outcome of the poll underscored his advice to Mr. Peter Obi.
He disclosed that as a long time friend he had been urging the 2023 Presidential candidate of Labour Party (LP) to channel his energies to other interests, especially to his concern for the wellbeing of young people instead of continued involvement in Nigeria’s politics.
Obidigbo said he was surprised to hear some commentators chiding Obi for supporting Olumide Akpata, who was accused of breaching the zoning arrangement in Edo State, not minding the democratic inclination of the former LP presidential candidate.
In a statement, the elder statesman regretted that the Nigeria system has been skewed against those who insist on doing things the right way like Peter Obi, adding that the Igbo are usually frustrated by the Nigerian system that upholds double standards and conspiracy.
He wondered why those that criticized Obi for supporting Akpata did not find their voice in 2023 when it was obvious that the power rotation favoured the Southeast.
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“Nigerians should have come together to insist that all the major political parties recognise that it was the turn of the Southeast to produce the President, since politicians were not prepared to repeat the 1999 standard that threw up all presidential candidates from the Southwest.
“With all the antics of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), security agencies and the Judiciary, the question Nigerians will resolve in 2027 is whether the country’s democracy will continue without an Igbo person at the pinnacle of leadership.
“Northeast is having another four years after previous eight as Vice President. Northwest has had eleven years as President and three years as vice president. Southwest is on another four years after cumulative sixteen years as president and vice president respectively.
“If Nigeria has become a rogue nation that has no respect for the rule of law, fairness and equity, then it would be time to review the union. How can there by democracy without respect for the rule of law? When injustice is perpetrated against the Igbo everybody keeps quiet,” he stated.
Obidigbo declared that the insult and denigration of Igbo in Nigeria has attained an unbearable turn, saying that it is time for all Igbo to begin to give serious thought about this systematic exclusion.
He lamented that politicians from Southeast have been frightened so much so that none of them is bold enough to speak out about the growing injustice and maltreatment of the Igbo in the Nigeria project.
“These Igbo politicians have become mere breadwinners.
“They are not representing anybody except their bellies and narrow political interests.
“Look at the case of Nnamdi Kanu, he has been jailed through the backdoor just for speaking up against the growing injustice against his people.
“If things are done the proper way in the country and Igbo not visited with hate and gang up, Kanu would not be agitating.
“His quest for referendum is because Nigeria has been rubbing salt into injury of the Igbo.
“What nation does not respect its laws?” he queried.
The Osisioma Foundation boss said the outcome of the Edo State governorship was a veiled message to Mr. Peter Obi that Nigeria is not yet ready for his kind of politics of nation building, stressing that the nation is doomed when politicians feel no qualms to bribe, conspire and steal elections.
He stated, “So, as a friend of Peter Obi for very many years, I urge him to stop further efforts of trying to improve Nigeria’s leadership recruitment process.
“He is too decent for the kind of duplicity being played in Nigeria.
“My take is that Peter Obi should channel his vast energy and wide acceptance towards the liberation of his suffering people, rather than waste them on an ungrateful and unreasonably antagonistic people.
“Enough of these pretences Obi has too much to offer to a system that is so locked in filth.”
While lamenting that the off cycle election in Edo State showed that Nigerians are yet to come to terms with the crucial issues that underpin good governance and responsible leadership, Obidigbo remarked that the system has been skewed against those who insist on doing things the right way.
He declared that every political move after the 2023 general election tends to expose a subtle plot against Obi, adding that each balloting opportunity leaves the ugly impression that democracy was deteriorating from bad to worse.
“Nigeria is turning itself into a laughing stock to other African countries that look up to the country as a ready example of democratic success.
“Barely 16 months after the last general election, irregularities like official manipulation, voter suppression, ballot trading and intimidation have continued to feature as the standard operating manual of electoral process.
“It is most painful that both the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) have refused to drop their inclination towards impunity, but chose to progress in error.
“By indulging in all antics aimed at power grab, it is not surprising that corruption has continued to flourish.
“Reports from many credible and highly respected Election Monitoring organisations, including YIAGA Africa and the Situation Room observed that various forms of electoral malfeasance, especially irregular collation, vote buying and vote heist defined the outcome of the Edo election.
“With this flawed process, it is mindboggling that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) refused to make use of the humongous powers granted it by the establishment laws.
“Rather, some officials of the commission see election as golden opportunity to gang up with powers that be for primitive acquisition.”
Obidigbo remarked that INEC’s indifference and collusion have combined to enable politicians to impose themselves on the people through crooked means, lamenting that the lawlessness and desperation of political office seekers are setting the wrong examples for young Nigerians.
He stated, “How can these crop of leaders that get into political positions serve as role models for the youths, the acclaimed leaders of tomorrow?
“It is becoming a tradition that nobody wants to do the rights or follow due process in the quest for public office.
“This is why I urged Mr. Peter Obi to leave the stage and stop trying to show what leadership by example should be.
“The former Anambra State governor has shown that he is too pure and clean for Nigeria. Corruption, lying and cheating have become a way of life to Nigerians such that whoever tries to parade integrity and modesty is looked at as stranger and intruder.”
The elder statesman reiterated that the Edo State election was programmed to serve a higher, but ignoble purpose, stating that the plan was to demoralize genuine voters from participating in elections as well as create the impression that leaders can only emerge through hook and crook.
“But, on the flipside, I think these deplorable electoral practices would help to mobilise Nigerians of good conscience to get ready to make 2027 impossible for INEC and desperate politicians to trample on their inalienable rights.
“This rape of the people’s fundamental rights should stop or Nigerians will redefine the country’s democracy. Experience has shown that whenever security agencies are mobilized for elections, those at the helm try to take advantage of command and control structure in the military hierarchy to carry out their parochial intentions.
“And, with the judiciary dancing to the tunes of the executives or the highest bidders as well, this dangerous trajectory may justify the saying that when constitution fails, compulsion and confusion follows.”
