By Ikechukwu Okaforadi
Ahead of November 2023 off-season governorship elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states, the presidential candidate of New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso yesterday attacked the Imo and Kogi Governors for both deploying thugs and judiciary manipulation to cling to power.
Speaking to journàlists in Abuja after a National Executive Committee (NEC) of the party, Kwankwaso emphasized the need for the judiciary to dispense justice irrespective of who is involved, even as he decried situation where he said number four in governorship election suddenly emerged to become Governor.
He also lamented the use of security agencies to rig and disrupt a peaceful election in Kogi and Kano States in the last general election, warning that such acts of violence will do nobody any good, citing cases of Boko Haram, banditry and kidnapping, which he argued were offshoot of injustices in the high places.
“We saw what happened in some States, especially Kogi State, where security agents were seen running around, picking ballot boxes, shooting in the air. All sorts of things and many other States, even in Imo. We pray that the judiciary should be a better place for us, because now, we have number four being the Governor of the State, maybe he will be number five or six and still go back to his seat, being supported by INEC, supported by judiciary.
“We have seen in most States, how people were openly displaying money, both local and foreign currencies, purchasing voters and so on and so forth. We have seen how in many states, especially in my state Kano, how the government brought out money and the State government in Kano, imported thugs from neighbouring States and neighbouring countries and also being supported by some of the security agents that we have here in this country.
“People have seen what happened in our case in 2019, so actually for me, I believe that so many things are wrong with our democracy, and those that are hitting so hard at our democracy are the very people who are the beneficiaries of this democracy. Maybe because they have not supported it. People do not like them. That is the fact of the matter”, he said
The NNPP leaders also cautioned that democracy cannot go too far in Nigeria given the present circumstances in the country, just as he bemoaned the high level of stealing of resources meant for the poor masses, with a view to impoverish them for electoral benefits.
“What we are seeing now is people stealing everything that should go to the people and making them so poor to the extent that on election day, you only need to give them Maggi, noodle, rapper and a couple of thousand naira and purchase their votes.
“I believe that democracy cannot go too far under our present circumstances. So we are concerned in the NNPP by the way and manner elections have taken place in the last general election and the potential of all these things is dangerous, in fact even in these off-season elections, no body is saying anything.
“Anything goes. After they rig the election, they will say announce me, let him go to court. Because the court is their own, they know what to do with the court. They don’t care. I believe it does not help anybody. It’s fair to keep it just. I believe it is what has created so many parts of the crisis in this country, banditry, kidnapping, Boko Haram.
“People are agitating here and there because of injustice. This injustice is what we have been seeing in high places. So we urge the government, especially the federal government, which I believe everything stops on the table of the President. If he wants free and fair elections, if the leader looks away, these criminals will continue to do what they know how to do best”, Kwankwaso said.
He said “This is a very sad moment in this country, I can tell you that you cannot build something on nothing, and that is what is happening now. That is why we announce results from State Assemblies up to the National Assembly and nobody is celebrating, because what is coming out is not the wishes of the people.
“If you want to see celebration, go to Kano and see people dancing, because they are sick and tired of the government and not only Kano, peoples were expecting changes in many states, if not all States, but now Nigeria has gone back to square one, everybody was looking for a real change, positive change, not what we have today.
“Not the way and manner things are happening. Our children cannot go to school, our children are taking drugs, our graduates have no jobs, and nobody cares. All they need is swear me in and take over and worsen the situation”, Kwankwaso said.
