FOLLOW UP ON ELECTION RERUN

The misconduct in Ekiti State Western Nigeria is the latest in the show of shame and political dishonesty in Nigeria which shows the World how governance in Nigeria has degenerated basically into a do or die, manipulative and blood sucking process that exposes government's disrespect to the autonomy of the voting public. To express their sadness, Nigerians in US are ready to protest at the Nigerian embassy, this is a solidarity rally to express disapproval over the current calamity in Ekiti State election. Ekiti focus group urged Nigerians and their global associates to demonstrate team spirit with the brave people of Ekiti who are telling the world that power flows through barrels of gun in Nigeria when it ought to flow from the people.

Meanwhile the 75 year old Resident Electoral Commissioner Mrs. Adesola Ayoka Adebayo who had gone into hiding before the end of the rerun poll because she was being pressurized to do what she claimed ‘ the circumstances changed in the middle of the process, therefore, my conscience as a Christian cannot allow me to further participate in this process.’ In addition she had once been quoted as saying; “they want me to announce fake results. I can’t at my age. For how much? I’ m a Christian. I cannot act against my conscience”. Her resignation letter had the same tone.

The disappearance and eventual resignation of the woman show the dubious role that some Nigerian agencies have been playing in the rerun poll. The Electoral Commission declared that election will be conducted in two wards of Oye Local Government again to determine the winner. The Inspector General of Police, Nigeria ordered a round the clock security for Mrs. Adebayo, but no specific date has been fixed for the rerun election in the remaining two wards.

Finally, if the election is to be conducted fair and free in these two wards, security should be provided to ensure smooth elections. Life of Mrs. Adebayo must not be endangered and observers and journalists must be protected too. A good advise is for electronic media to transmit the entire process live. While we seize every opportunity to implore the Federal government of Nigeria to desist from recycling system of government whereby their dogs’ must be in power when they are leaving. It is not a do or die affair, though agitated, we implore the citizenry to be calm as war does not determine who is right but who is left.