The executive director, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), Ishaq Akintola, has backed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on the conduct of the 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections, by warning the opposition against a repeat of the June 12, 1993 crisis.
According to MURIC, the opposition of the ruling All Progressives Congress, is trying to use the court to halt the electoral process, adding that, any attempt at imposing another June 12 would not be accepted.
Akintola opined that the allegation that the election was rigged was illogical because even many incumbent governors lost out in their bids to go to the Senate.
He said, “This is another June 12 loading. Like Arthur Nzeribe headed for the courts in 1993 to stop the announcement of results of the June 12 election, the agent of the main opposition and his cohorts who stormed out of the collation centre is allegedly looking for a court injunction to stop proceedings at the collation centre.
“This was exactly how the June 12, 1993 election was annulled by the military. Anybody who supports this move is dragging Nigeria back to the Stone Age. We say no to another June 12.
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“Akintola also denounced what he called the ‘unsolicited and jaundiced intervention’ of former President Olusegun Obasanjo who called for the cessation of the collation of results.
“Obasanjo’s call is sacriledgious. It is a rape of democracy. It is an attempted coup.
“Obasanjo’s sanctimonious façade comes crumbling down against the background of his role in the enthronement of Musa Yaradua as president. The latter himself admitted that he was rigged into office.”
MURIC urged INEC to ignore the cries of the opposition and go ahead with the process even as it condemned the decision of the opposition agents to storm out of the collation situation room.
“INEC should not listen to these agents diabolic. The electoral body should not stop the collation of results, rather the exercise should continue until all the results are announced and certificates of return given to the winners,” Akintola added.
