From Our Correspondent
Civil Society Organisations, CSOs, and accredited observers in the November 11, 2023 Kogi State governorship election, as well as indigenous people have raised concerns over what they described as the mindless blackmail and “propaganda taken too far” by Social Democratic Party, SDP, and its candidate, Muritala Ajaka, aimed at putting undue pressure on the judiciary.
According to them, the needless attacks on the judiciary after every judgement, shows crass ignorance on the part of SDP and its candidate, “who are not being properly guided by their lawyers for obvious reasons”.
The groups specifically noted that the continuous attacks on critical stakeholders, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and the judiciary without evidence should be seriously condemned by well meaning Nigerians, as it is an attack on Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law, stressing that such attacks should not go without security agencies arresting and investigating those behind it.
At a joint press conference yesterday in Abuja, the Coalition of CSOs, INEC-Accredited Observers in the November 11 polls and Kogi Indigenous People Initiative said it is condemnable that despite an ongoing court process, SDP had resorted to self-help by deriding and ridiculing the judiciary in the public space.
They, however, reminded the SDP and its candidate that court cases are won with facts and evidence, not through propaganda, intimidation and name dropping.
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, National Coordinator of the Coalition of Civil Society of Nigeria, Ohalete
Kelechi said INEC and the judiciary are two critical institutions of government that must be protected from the prejudice of political interests.
He said: “We are concerned that some political interests have continued to stoke embers of hate, heightening the tension in the land.
“It must be clearly stated that those who have continued to abuse, harass, lampoon, insult and even attempt to induce officers of the judiciary do not mean well for our country.
“When the electoral body and the judiciary come under fierce attacks, coordinated propaganda and mindless blackmail, the pillar of democracy hangs in the balance and good governance will take a back seat.”
Speaking on behalf of some of the observers accredited by INEC for the election, Mr Emmanuel Oluwasegun commended INEC for conducting what many described as the freest and fairest election since the creation of Kogi State.
He said while SDP performed well in the senatorial district of its candidate, but poorly in the two other senatorial districts, its key leaders had continued to pollute the political atmosphere over their failure to secure victory.
Oluwasegun said, “It is important to note that there was an election which was credible in all its ramifications. INEC officials were at their best from what we witnessed and from report by foreign observers.
“SDP won in local governments where its popularity is organic. It was able to mobilise people to vote for it. The All Progressives Congress, APC, utilised its popularity in the state to mobilise the needed support in all the local governments. It did very well in the West and Central districts, winning overwhelmingly in the district of its candidate. This resulted in about 190,000 votes difference between it and the closest rival.
“No one is saying political parties cannot go to court to test their luck or seek justice if they think they have a case, but the resort to name calling, character assassination and propaganda against the judiciary is seriously off the line and must be rebuked. The judiciary does not yield to intimidation. Prove your case with facts and in line with the Electoral Act.”
Also in his remarks, Leader of the Indigenous People of Kogi State, Oguche Benjamin, who is also from Kogi East, said some politically exposed persons had caused a wide division along ethnic and religious divides in the state, which had led to avoidable tension, urging them to exercise caution in their utterances.
Dr Oguche accused SDP of promoting ethnic division, hate and violence against non-SDP members in Kogi East. He said several high profile government officials were hounded by SDP sponsored and known Igala military personnel who were sent home on specific assignment to arrest, beat, illegally detain and torture known APC leaders and stakeholders.
He insisted that the violence, intimidation and attacks meted out on APC members, which he witnessed, first hand, were “unimaginably unjustifiable and unacceptable,” adding that despite all that, the APC won the election convincingly.
They advised the SDP candidate to rebrand his politics from hate peddling and outdated propaganda if he wants to try his luck at the next governorship election.
