If INEC- the regulatory body of elections in Nigeria is consistently charged with voters’ fraud, then Nigeria is in big trouble. Nigeria’s President should be the first to be angry-what is the point of spending billions on election equipment and reforms, election campaigns and new electoral laws, if INEC, the body in charge of regulating all these functions, is a corrupt enterprise.
The Edo2024 London protest was directed at President Tinubu and asked him to do his job “Properly “, The protestors were reminding him that he is the president of a regulatory body that upholds laws and values for every Nigerian and must be above any political party. INEC was supposed to stop vote buying and ballot box snatching but shockingly they were the main culprits of fraudulent malpractices marring the Edo 2024 results. Mr President you must hold INEC accountable.
INEC is accused of manipulating the Edo 2024 election results by reprinting INEC voting sheets with the same serial numbers as the originals from the polling units (which tallied with votes uploaded on the IREV portal) then forging the signatures of electoral officials who witnessed the original voting exercise on the new sheet. These are serious allegations.
This was done in such brazen fashion regardless of the visibility in various situation rooms around Nigeria observing the Edo 2024 elections held on 21 September 2024. Mr President you must hold INEC accountable.
Another reason for the London protest was to ask President Tinubu to allow the Tribunal to do its job based on the evidence. This evidence is on the IREV portal, which Nigeria has spent billions on, and which surprisingly actually works. It will diminish morale across Nigeria and not just in Edo State if the people have proof that the Nigerian constitutional, electorate, and Judicial functionaries are all in collusion to deny the people democracy. To deny Edos the chance to pick who governs them is the height of a broken society and will not end well.
Godwin Obaseki will be replaced as Governor of Edo State on Nov 12, 2024. For all Obaseki’s political disagreements, fights, and short comings over the last 8 years as Edo State’s Governor, many want him to face justice. But the democratic process cannot be corrupted to extract revenge on his preferred candidate.
Dis-enfranchising Edo people in the process of dealing with one man is what INEC has been accused of in Edo 2024. This will continue to happen in Edo State if we the Edo citizens allow it regardless of party. This is why EDOs will not sit back and watch, and why there will be more protests before the election tribunal in the next 12 months.
The awareness created from international protests like this brings the spotlight to governance in Edo state and Nigeria. Ever wondered why Nigeria only got two votes in the recent elections for secretary of the commonwealth nations?
If its Asue Ighodalo who won the election, if that is what the proof points to, then President Tinubu let it be Asue Ighodalo who will eventually govern the Edo people.
Mr President, you must hold INEC accountable and please let Edos have a fair tribunal on Edo 2024 results, at least to restore respectability and trust in our electoral system in this country.
The Editor