Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has cautioned the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC that the success or failure of the 2023 general elections next month could have far-reaching consequences for the country.Information Guide Nigeria
He stated that election victory will add value by reinforcing and strengthening the roots of our democracy, whereas election failure will create political divisiveness in the country and set our democracy back. Wike issued the warning during the International Conference on “Deepening Democratic Culture and Institutions for Sustainable Development and Security” in Port Harcourt. He stated that elections must be viewed as a fight, with the outcome being free, fair, and credible.
Governor Wike pointed out that since 1999, Nigeria has had six general election circles but none of them has been seen as free and by losers, contestants have had to end in the Supreme Court to contest their results. He recalls that the outcome of the 2007 elections led to protests and riots. This led to the loss of several lives the loss of lives and properties in particular sections of the country.NYSC portal
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” Indeed former President Musa Yar’Adua publicly denounced the election that brought him to power as flawed and pledged to make necessary corrections with Electoral reforms. The 2011 general elections suffered a similar experience and were litigated by the opposition up to the supreme court. None of the defeated contestants believed that they lost fairly and blamed the umpire, security agencies, and Politicians for undermining the contest with brazen electoral fraud.”JAMB portal
Governor Wike said the 2015 general elections recorded some improvement with the introduction of the Smart Card Reader. Even at that, the result of the election was considered rigged in favour of the opposition. It was challenged by the Supreme Court.
He said the 2019 general election was equally problematic and rejected by the opposition as highly compromised up to the supreme court. “In Rivers State, we battled the military 2019 rerun of the general elections with pure courage and determination to secure our victory to retain our mandate with the sweat and blood of innocent citizens.”
He noted that with six consecutive circles of elections in Nigeria, the method of elections should have crystalized into putting in effective standard rules of free, fair, and credible elections by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.JAMB Result
