…Urges courts not to subvert the will of Nigerians
By Chimezie Godfrey
The Middle Belt Forum has has explained why the region voted for Peter Obi of Labour Party in the February 25 Presidential elections held across Nigeria.
In a statement, the National President of the Forum, Dr.Pogu Bitrus, noted that
at a time like this when the din, orchestrated by undemocratic forces, seeks to suppress the will of Nigerians, it becomes absolutely imperative to place on record for posterity the basis for the decisions and actions of men and women of conscience.
Bitrus said the basis of the support of the peoples of the Middle Belt for Mr. Peter Obi, in the last presidential election was in line with their sense of justice, equity and fair play.
He pointed out that the shared understanding by the political elite in Nigeria that presidential power oscillates between Southern and Northern Nigeria had ensured that the South West and the South-South geo-political zones had been in the saddle at the Presidential level at different times since the return of civil rule in May 1999, leaving out only the South East, adding that on the basis of fairness and inclusivity, it was imperative for the South East to produce the next president of Nigeria from Southern Nigeria.
According to him, this conviction was why the Middle Belt was the first to hold a rally in support of Mr. Obi in Jos, Plateau State, in 2022.
He said,”The Middle Belt was therefore in the trenches, shoulder to shoulder, with all lovers of justice, equity on the 25th February, 2023. Middle Belters, irrespective of their ethnic, religious and political persuasions, spoke with one loud voice in support of the Labour Party’s Presidential Candidate and, despite the open brigandage under the watch of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), in cahoots with the All Progressives Congress (APC). Plateau State, Nasarawa State and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) were impregnable fortresses against these anti-democratic forces, evil merchants of divisiveness who did all in their powers to undermine the will of the people.
“Benue and Kogi States are emblematic of the concentrated venom of the forces of retrogression that was unleashed, killing, maiming and rigging to achieve the objective of portraying the Middle Belt as embracers of injustice, iniquity, inequity, wickedness and divisiveness. The electoral robbery in Koton-Karfe LGA, in Kogi State, attests to the level these unconstitutional forces were willing to go to achieve their nefarious goal.
“Despite their despotic machinations, the results of the February 25th polls from the Middle Belt enclaves in the 14 states and the FCT demonstrate the commitment of our Region to stand as a bulwark against anti-democratic and feudal forces determined to foist a culture of impunity, divisiveness and inequity on our Nation.
“The Middle Belt Forum hereby congratulates all Nigerians, especially Middle Belters, for coming out en masse to exercise their civic duties penultimate Saturday. Unfortunately, to the eternal shame of INEC, it turned out that the Commission was not prepared to conduct free and credible elections. Despite the commitment of Nigerians, particularly youths, to register and vote for a president of their choice, the INEC, in collaboration with anti-democratic forces, brazenly subverted the will of the people. This subversion was orchestrated by the electoral Commission in 2022.
“In response to media reports that INEC had hatched a plan not to electronically transmit results of elections from the polling units in the 2023 presidential elections, the Commission issued a statement, dated 11th November, 2022, and signed by its Commissioner for Information, Mr. Festus Okoye, denying such a report by emphasising that the Commission would comply with the Electoral Act 2022 in transmitting election results electronically.
“The refusal by INEC to transmit results electronically by INEC, we submit, is unconstitutional and illegal. Clause 38 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022 made pursuant to the provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 (as amended) and section 50 (2) of the Electoral Act 2022 imposes a duty on the Presiding Officer at the Polling Unit to electronically transmit or transfer the result of the Polling Unit, direct to the collation system as prescribed by the Commission.
“The word used in Clause 38 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022 made pursuant to the Electoral Act 2022 is “shall.” It is mandatory and compulsory. INEC has no option. INEC’s failure to upload the results and follow the procedures set out in Clause 38 of INEC Regulations and Guidelines for the Conduct of Elections, 2022 made pursuant to the Electoral Act, 2022, is a fundamental breach that rendered the election results that did not follow the procedure null and void.”
Bitrus added,”The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, Mr. Obi, and the Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, have resolved to approach the Presidential Elections Petition Tribunal and so we await the outcome of their challenge. However, we wish to advise that the Courts should act at all times in a manner their decisions will not be seen as subverting the will of the people as many Nigerians point at the Uzodinma and Machina cases as decisions they cannot understand.
“Apart from the brazen refusal by INEC to comply with its own Guidelines, the Electoral Act and the Constitution, the conduct of the Commission on Election Day was fraught with deliberately orchestrated logistical challenges, as shown by the late arrival of materials as well as INEC staff at polling units, harassment of voters in opposition strongholds to suppress votes, fraudulent thumb printing of ballot papers by INEC officials leading to the death of an INEC staff at Lugbe, in the FCT, among other infractions.
“We express great disappointment in the collation officers that took charge of 8,816 Wards, 774 LGAs and the 37 States who, instead of strengthening the institution, only made a mockery of themselves.
“We commend the courageous men and women who stood for justice, particularly within the Middle Belt enclaves of our 14 states and the FCT, in order to ensure the will of our people prevailed.”
He called on the people of the middle belt region and all Nigerians to be law-abiding and remain calm as the presidential candidates of the LP and PDP have challenged the results of the elections at the tribunal.
“We call on all Nigerians, particularly our people in the Middle Belt region, to be law-abiding and remain calm as the Presidential candidates of the Labour Party and Peoples Democratic Party have elected to challenge the results of the elections at the Tribunal. It is our hope that the Courts will rise in defence of democracy and do what is right.
“The legitimacy and integrity of the electoral process makes it extremely important for INEC to prove to the Nigerian people that their mandate was not deliberately subverted. INEC must therefore comply with its guidelines, the law and the constitution in conducting the Governorship and House of Assembly Elections slated to hold on 11th March, 2023.
“We call on all Nigerians, particularly the peoples of the Middle Belt region, to once again come out en masse to vote in candidates who are pro-Middle Belt Governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections this Saturday 11th March 2023.
“We call on the INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu to toe the honourable path by resigning his position before the next election. His frittering away of tens of billions of Naira on a technology that he did not intend to use makes him unfit to continue to maintain his position,” he said.
Bitrus added,”The event Professor Yakubu failed to tender his resignation after this press release, President Muhammadu Buhari should summarily sack him. We pray that inaction by Mr President and the Presidency will not be seen as complicity in the subversion of the will of Nigerians in the electoral heist of 25th February, 2023, a preposition we will prefer not to be correct.
“As political parties and candidates head to the Election Petition Tribunal, we strongly urge the Judges to remain on the side of JUSTICE and ensure the wheel of justice is not compromised.
“We thank the Nigerian press for its consistency in the defence of democracy. Members of the Nigerian press, right from the colonial times, have been on the side of the people. They have continued this tradition and the Nigerian people are eternally grateful to them.
“We are grateful to youths of the Middle Belt and, indeed, all Nigerian youths, for believing in our country and our democracy. We enjoin all of them not to lose faith but continue to participate in the process and defend their votes.
“God bless all the Ethnic Nationalities of the Middle Belt. God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
