The Governorship candidate of the Young Progressives Party for Delta State Dr. Sunny Ofehe has out rightly rejected the outcome of the just concluded Governorship election in Delta State, he accused the Independent National Electoral Commission INEC of conniving with the APC to truncate the electoral process which he termed as mere selection.
“We have witnessed yet again a mere selection called an ‘election’ on Saturday, March 18, 2023 for gubernatorial and State House of Assembly members, where huge fraud was sadly perpetrated.
The good people of Delta State were disenfranchised and denied right to free choice of their political leaders by widespread thuggery, vote buying, concoction of figures at collation centres and the likes.
Chieftains of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the All Progressives Congress, APC, were
variously in connivance with the umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, which
endorsed the charade, caricature and show of shame. This sad scenario in the elections has reinforced the tag on the nation as “fantastically corrupt”.
“We have substantial amount of evidence to expose the tremendous fraud that took place across polling units and wards in each of the 25 local government councils in the state.
The question is why should INEC budget such humongous sum of money only to midwife this sham and jamboree? Is it not better for INEC to advertise our elective positions in the media and open a bidding process for the highest bidders to be announced instead of wasting money of tax-payers who are given false hope that they’ll elect their leaders?
After assurances by the electoral umpire, INEC, gruelling campaigns by various parties and debates all of which raised the consciousness and hopes of the people for a better election, influence of money owing to weaponization of poverty in the land played unfortunate role in the elections. Elective positions therefore largely went to the highest bidder. This is not the democracy Nigeria truly wants. This is not the democracy I decided to participate in. Our democracy, indeed, failed to evolve one notch higher! Sad!
With governance thrown to incapable hands, the economy of our dear Delta State will more likely bleed in the wilderness in the next four years.
We must not continue like this. We must not continue to sweep under the carpet the fraud that has characterised our elections. As an environmental, human and political rights activist, I will, everywhere in the globe I chance to, continue to shame these polls that were less than free, less than credible and hence unfair. It is hoped that this approach has the beneficial effect of deepening our electoral system.
He State his position on the Nigerian 2023 INEC General Presidential Election, National Assembly Election of 25 February 2023; and the Sub-national Governments and States Houses of Assemblies Election of 18 March, 2023.
I am a Nigerian In Diaspora based in Netherlands, Europe and widely travelled across Europe
Continent and North America Continent. I am in a good position to make comparison between our Democracy in Nigeria and Democratic Practice in civilised countries Overseas.
There is a difference between a spectator in a game of football and a football player who participated in the field of play.
“I am a field player in the just concluded INEC General Governorship Election being the candidate of the Young Progressive Party, YPP, in Delta State, Nigeria.
The key variables of the INEC General Election in Nigeria must be interogated.
What are the key variables ?
INEC, Political parties and their candidates The whole gamut of Security Organisations, The fourth estate of the realm, Election Observers and The European Union The Nigerian Voters and General Public.
Who is guilty of what offense or the other? To trade blame will not help us in the March to Democracy Consolidation .
Election is a major pillar of democracy .
What can be defined as the values of the average Nigerian?
Why are politicians so desperate for Political Power because no sane human being steps forward to genuinely serve the population via the platform of Election and feels comfortable that some Citizens will be killed on Election day.
My senior brother, and Elder Statesman, former President of Nigeria, said, and I quote: ” my reelection as President of Nigeria is not worth the blood of a single Nigerian citizen. “
“What are the complex problems associated with INEC General Election and Party Internal Election in Nigeria.
To provide permanent solution, I recommend that the President of Nigeria who will be sworn in on 29 May 2023, must convoke a National Conference to deliberate on all aspects of Nigeria Elections, from Party Primaries to INEC General Elections.
The resolutions arrived at in the National Conference must be articulated as new Election Reform Bills to be passed into Laws by Nigeria’s Legislature and signed by Mr. President of Nigeria”.
The YPP candidate stated that his next move is to take evidence gathered to the international community.
“Barring the election irregularities, I am the most capable, credible, competent and generally acceptable candidate for the Delta State Governorship seat. As noted here earlier, I intend to challenge the entire process in my own way.
I thank those who sincerely supported and worked tirelessly with me in the cause of the campaigns. We are the true WINNERS because we contended with the status quo and made sure we got to the finish line. We must take pride in our issue-based campaigns and doggedness to the end”.
