IPOB said that the coalition of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and all other opposition parties would not defeat President Muhammadu Buhari who would be aided by all the military, police and all paramilitary agencies as witnessed in Ekiti State.
It therefore, suggested a total boycott of the forthcoming general elections by the South-South, South-East, South-West and the Middle Belt geo-political regions.
IPOB members on solidarity march These were contained in a statement signed by the Media and Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Comrade Emma Powerful in Enugu yesterday.
The statement entitled, “Ekiti State election; another vindication of IPOB no election stance,” read in part:
“Those unfortunate enough to have witnessed the disgraceful charade that passed as Ekiti State governorship election over the weekend, would no doubt, by now, have come to the full realisation that only a total and complete boycott of elections in Nigeria has the remotest chance of setting the poor masses free.
For anybody to describe the electoral dance of shame at Ekiti as “free and fair elections” means that Nigeria is yet to develop an appreciable sense of understanding of what democratic elections is meant to be.
This singular event at Ekiti has proven IPOB right yet again, that voting in Nigeria within the present political arrangement is utterly useless and counter productive.
“Under the current electoral conditions in Nigeria, a PVC has transmuted from a supposedly potent object of freedom to one of bondage.
IPOB worldwide therefore wish to restate categorically and for purposes of clarity that it would boycott all elections in Nigeria come 2019.
Presidential elections next year will afford IPOB an opportunity to demonstrate our cast iron determination to set Biafra free by totally shutting down South East and South South.
“By going out to vote, instead of demanding their freedom, the masses are only helping tyrants legalise rigging and electoral fraud.
What people are doing by voting is willingly and legally renewing their pain and suffering every 4 years.
“All the institutions which should act as electoral watch-dogs and umpires (including all the security forces) are under the control of the tyrants.
“South East/South East/Middle Belt would be foolhardy to agree to participate in the 2019 elections under such conditions”.
Buhari celebrating failure—Ogbonnia
Meanwhile, a presidential aspirant of the All Progressives Congress, APC, in the 2019 elections, Dr. SKC Ogbonnia has lampooned President Muhammadu Buhari for celebrating over the party’s victory in last Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State which he said was a pyrrhic victory.
While not sympathising with the loss of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Ekiti state, Ogbonnia mocked President Buhari for “not speaking against the Ekiti electoral sham.”
In a statement he issued yesterday, Ogbonnia said there were very troubling failures in leadership by the president that only translate the outcome to a pyrrhic victory.
“Hence, President Muhammadu Buhari is celebrating his failure.”
Elucidating his frown at President Buhari’s pretences, Ogbonnia said “The fraudulent use of law-enforcement agencies, the open buying of votes and thuggery from both PDP and APC do not represent positive change.
This is a gross failure in leadership under Buhari’s regime and not worth celebrating.
“Having been outspent in four consecutive presidential elections with looted funds, it was believed that Buhari had experienced the problem of money in politics more than former Presidents Yar’Adua and Jonathan combined.
“The Buhari-led government does not even appear to recognise the challenges of illegal money nor the need for internal party democracy let alone how the regime can influence the enforcement of campaign laws.
In other words, Buhari is currently doing the same thing he accused PDP of doing.”
Ekiti election has opened our eyes—Abia group
Also, an Abia based political group, Abia Circles 6, yesterday said the recent Ekiti State governorship election taught it a big lesson as a PDP controlled state, saying that what happened in Ekiti would not happen in Abia.
The group said that alleged manipulation of the Ekiti election has opened their eyes, saying that “we are awake.
“Ekiti election has thought us a lesson; we are awake. What happened in Ekiti will not happen here, we are watching”, the Director General of the group, Chief Ako Atulomah said at a press briefing in Umuahia.
Meanwhile, the group has berated a former Federal law maker from the State, Chief Acho Obioma who recently attacked Senator Theodore Orji, representing Abia Central District, claiming that Orji has not done anything that impacted on the people of the district.
Obioma who had indicated his intention to challenge Senator Orji under the platform of the ruling APC has also said that Senator Orji has been docile and complacent in the Senate.
The group also attacked former governor of the State, Chief Orji Uzo Kalu for saying that he made Theodore Orji governor of Abia State, saying that it was God and Abia people that made him governor and not Kalu.
Reacting to Obioma’s claims, Atulomah said that “the Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal constituency was worse off during Acho Obioma’s representation from 1999 to 2003″, saying that “no single amenity from the Federal Government was attracted by Acho Obioma as then representative of Ikwuano-Umuahia Federal constituency.”
Vanguard
No comments: