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Election Tribunals: 2007 Upturns May Be Child’s Play

May 15, 2011

There were many upturns at the Election Tribunal in 2007; indicating the extent of rigging that took place then. Some ‘elected’ governors until their elections were upturned usurped the functions of the duly elected ones.

There were many upturns at the Election Tribunal in 2007; indicating the extent of rigging that took place then. Some ‘elected’ governors until their elections were upturned usurped the functions of the duly elected ones.

Ekiti’s case was peculiar because a re-run was conducted and still PDP rigged back to seat but yet another Tribunal again booted him out. The Tribunal applied outright cancellation of those of Osun, Edo, and Ondo thereby paving way for the rightful winners to be on seats. In Adamawa, Sokoto, Kogi, Delta, Cross River, Delta and Bayelsa fresh elections were held to return back those PDP governors. The news then was that Professor Maurice Iwu was the worst conductor of election. 

The irony of those cases remains that neither the political party (PDP) under whose platforms the frauds were committed nor the usurper Governors were prosecuted. What we saw was that some of them went to ‘Church’ for Thanksgiving services just like Bode George did when he completed his prison term. Obasanjo was at George’s Thanksgiving service but later complained that he was deceived to attend.

Now it is no more Professor Maurice Iwu but Professor Attahiru Jega. It looks like Nigeria is on the march again. The electorate may have been deceived into confidence building for the new INEC as they were promised fantastic, free, fair, transparent and peaceful election which really pretended was. They all lined up, cast their votes and left thinking that all was well but rigging this time were done in some sophisticated manners as figures changed at the collation centres. The Police, the SSS and the Army, and even the INEC officers connived with most Governors who put their respective State treasury at work. It was do-or-die situation. Ballot boxes were kidnapped. Private thumb printing were allowed. Youth Corps members were at gun points made to accept cash gifts in exchange for signing fake Result Sheets. Some Governors even sew fake Police, Army, and NYSC uniforms as reported of Akwa Ibom and the election those places became charade. People were killed. Figures were freely allotted in most states; for example Governor Ohakim of Imo, who provided Jonathan with 1,400,000 votes, could not garner up to 300,000 votes for himself during the governorship election and even when all the votes cast in the particular election was about 750,000.

This is calling on all the members of the Election Tribunals this time around to ensure that no matter how much they may receive from various Governors because this is very obvious, they can receive but should ensure that they deliver right judgements. Anything to the contrary, I am assuring them that masses’ curses shall visit not only them but also their generations unborn.  This is a prophecy.

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Dr. Babatunde Fawora, 185 Marina, Lagos


 

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Politics