The Transition Monitoring Group (TMG), a coalition of over 400 civic organizations on Friday, disclosed that sources in the Presidency under Jonathan’s administration offered a bribe of N2 billion to the organization which it rejected.
In a press statement issued Armsfree Ajanaku, Media Manager TMG and signed by Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, Chairman, TMG, the bribe offer came weeks ahead of the 2015 general elections.
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Specifically, some errand boys from the Presidency at the time came to us with a dubious proposal that 50,000 agents of PDP be fielded as TMG observers.
In financial terms, the errand boys expressed the Presidency’s readiness to fund the fraud with the sum of N2billion Naira.
But with the realisation that a good name is better than silver and gold, we stoutly rejected the Greek gift, just as we held our head high in defence of the truth and the best interest of Nigerians.
TMG noted that it has been vindicated by the latest revelations from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) about how some INEC chiefs and election monitors shared froma N23.3 billion slush provided by former Minister of Petroleum Resources, Mrs. Diezzani Allison Madueke.
The participants in this grand scale bazaar had only one objective; to subvert the electoral process, undermine the votes of the Nigerian people, and rig in their paymaster.
It is utterly shocking that people entrusted with the sacred and heavy responsibility of superintending the electoral process would descend so low to stake the credibility of a critical democratic institution on the altar of quick enrichment.
In any case, TMG had always known that the day of reckoning would come for all those who sought to exchange the sacred position they occupy for a mess of pottage.
The bigger tragedy is the case of so-called civil society organizations, which threw the very basis of their credibility as election observers to the dogs, by allowing themselves to be bought over by desperate politicians, who make no qualms about the fact that they do not give a damn about what becomes of the country.
We cannot mince words about the fact that these indicted INEC officials and their monetized co-conspirators masquerading as election observers have betrayed the nation. They are the unscrupulous elements who give the nation a bad name in the international community.
It is, therefore, imperative for the EFCC to do a clinical investigation and ensure all those culpable are named, shamed and jailed.
It is pertinent to recall that in the buildup to the 2015 elections, TMG kept on announcing that there were anti-democratic forces heavily funded by filthy lucre from the immediate past Presidency, which wanted to undermine the electoral process.
We repeatedly warned all stakeholders to be on their guard in order to wade off all machinations bent on subverting the express wishes of Nigerians.
It is also worthy to note that TMG itself was not spared the excruciating pressure and inducement aimed at pushing us to compromise our position.
For daring to turn down what the enemies of democracy termed, a “juicy” offer, TMG was repeatedly vilified and persecuted by institutions of the State.
It is on record that the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) under its infamous former Director-General, Mr. Sola Omole, banned coverage of all TMG activities on the NTA network.
Even after the elections, TMG Chairman, Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi was severally trailed by unknown men, who obviously had sinister intentions.
In the end, TMG as an organization chose not to travel on the path of least resistance.
As the chickens come home to roost with these weighty revelations from EFCC, it is time to separate the patriots from the chaff both in civil society and in INEC. For us, INEC as an institution should immediately set up a far-reaching and transparent disciplinary process to make a public example of all those rotten elements who descended so low to drag the institution in the mud.
It is only by implementing this process of thorough cleansing that INEC can begin the process of restoring public confidence.
As for those weak characters in civil society, who decided to sell their conscience and shirk their responsibility to the Nigerian people, it is time to account.
And because our vindication as a civil society coalition rings clear, all we can say is: let the music play and let the traitors who attempted to toy with the nation’s destiny, face the melody.
Comrade Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi
Chairman, TMG