Edo Governorship Election: Peace or War? -Nwanbu / Ameh

Summary

In this episode, the panel discusses the upcoming governorship election in a Nigerian state, focusing on the refusal of the People's Democratic Party (PDP) to sign a peace accord, citing bias from the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission. The discussion highlights concerns about the electoral process, the role of the peace accord, and the need for fairness and transparency. The panelists emphasize the importance of an unbiased electoral body and the potential impact of the PDP's decision on voter turnout and the election's credibility.

Takeaways

• 🗳️ The script discusses the upcoming governorship election in a do state, Nigeria, and the tension surrounding the peace accord.
• 📜 The People's Democratic Party (PDP) is hesitant to sign the peace accord, citing bias from the police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
• 🚔 PDP accuses the police and INEC of favoring the All Progressives Congress (APC), requesting the redeployment of the state's electoral commissioner and police commissioner.
• 🏛️ The APC initially opposed PDP's refusal to sign but later changed its stance out of respect for the rule of law.
• 🤝 The discussion highlights the importance of the peace accord in maintaining a peaceful electoral process amidst political tensions.
• 👮‍♂️ There are concerns about the impartiality of the police force, with allegations of them being biased towards one political party.
• 🔍 The conversation points to a need for reengineering the peace accord to address pre-election, during-election, and post-election issues more effectively.
• 📉 The script suggests that the credibility of the electoral process is at stake, with the potential for low voter turnout due to a lack of trust.
• 👥 The involvement of various stakeholders, including the national peace committee and civil society, is crucial for ensuring a fair and credible election.
• 🏢 The discussion calls for transparency and the redeployment of officials where necessary to maintain public confidence in the electoral process.

Q & A

What is the significance of the peace accord in Nigerian elections?

The peace accord is significant in Nigerian elections as it aims to ensure a peaceful and fair electoral process. It is designed to prevent violence and promote democratic governance by encouraging political parties to commit to non-violence and fair play during and after elections.

Why did the PDP refuse to sign the peace accord in the upcoming governorship election in a do state?

The PDP refused to sign the peace accord citing bias on the part of the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission, accusing them of working with the All Progressive Congress (APC) to manipulate the election.

What is the role of the national peace committee in the electoral process?

The national peace committee, headed by notable figures like former head of state General Abdulsalami Abubakar, plays a crucial role in promoting peace and credibility in the electoral process. It monitors the conduct of political parties and candidates, and encourages adherence to the peace accord.

How does the refusal of a political party to sign the peace accord affect the electoral process?

The refusal of a political party to sign the peace accord can cast doubt on the integrity of the electoral process and may lead to a lack of trust among voters. It can also potentially escalate tensions and contribute to a charged atmosphere, which could undermine the peaceful conduct of the election.

What are the concerns raised by the PDP regarding the impartiality of the electoral umpire and law enforcement?

The PDP has raised concerns about the impartiality of the electoral umpire and law enforcement, accusing them of bias and collusion with the APC. They have demanded the redeployment of the resident electoral commissioner and the state commissioner of police to ensure a credible poll.

What is the APC's stance on the PDP's refusal to sign the peace accord?

Initially, the APC criticized the PDP's refusal to sign the peace accord but later changed its stance, stating that it did so out of respect for the rule of law.

What are the implications of the allegations of bias against the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission?

The allegations of bias against the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission can undermine public confidence in the electoral process. It suggests a potential for unfair treatment of political parties, which could lead to disputes and affect the credibility of the election outcome.

How does the deployment of 35,000 police officers for the election impact the perception of the electoral process?

The deployment of a large number of police officers can be seen as an effort to maintain law and order during the election. However, it could also raise concerns about the potential for misuse of power or intimidation, especially if there are allegations of bias against law enforcement.

What is the importance of citizen participation and vigilance in the electoral process?

Citizen participation and vigilance are crucial in the electoral process as they help ensure transparency and accountability. Active citizens can question the actions of political parties and officials, demand fairness, and contribute to a more credible and democratic election.

What are the potential consequences of a lack of trust in the electoral process among Nigerian citizens?

A lack of trust in the electoral process can lead to low voter turnout, increased political apathy, and a general erosion of faith in democratic institutions. It can also result in protests, social unrest, and a questioning of the legitimacy of elected officials.

Outlines

00:00

🗳️ Tensions Rise Ahead of Governorship Election

The video discusses the upcoming 2024 governorship election in a do state, Nigeria, which is fraught with tension. The People's Democratic Party (PDP) is reluctant to sign a peace accord due to alleged bias from the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accusing them of favoring the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PDP demands the redeployment of the state's electoral commissioner and police commissioner to ensure a fair election. The APC initially opposed the PDP's stance but later agreed out of respect for the rule of law. The conversation in the studio includes the national secretary of the Coalition of United Opposition Party, an election observer, and the director-general of the Center for Credible Leadership and Citizens Awareness, who express concerns about the electoral process, the need for peace accords, and the potential impact on voter turnout.

05:01

🤔 The Significance and Shortcomings of the Peace Accord

The discussion continues with an exploration of the peace accord's importance in the context of Nigeria's charged electoral environment. The peace accord is seen as a necessary measure due to the history of forceful attempts to win elections. However, there are concerns about its effectiveness, as evidenced by past incidents of violence during elections, such as in Kogi State, where helicopters were reportedly used to intimidate voters. The conversation highlights the selective enforcement of the peace accord and the need for a more equitable approach that includes all parties. The role of the police and the electoral commission in ensuring a credible election process is questioned, with calls for transparency and accountability.

10:01

🚔 The Role of the Police in Electoral Integrity

The conversation delves into the role of the police in the electoral process, with a focus on the deployment of 35,000 police officers for the election. There are concerns about whether this number is excessive or necessary, and whether the police can maintain impartiality, especially given the PDP's allegations of bias. The discussion suggests that the police should work in tandem with stakeholders and be open to reassigning personnel if confidence in their impartiality is lacking. The importance of transparency and the perception of fairness in the electoral process are emphasized, with the understanding that the police's actions can significantly impact voter trust and participation.

15:04

🏛️ The Independence and Accountability of Electoral Bodies

The discussion addresses the independence and accountability of the electoral commission, with participants questioning the appointment process and the potential influence of political loyalties. There are calls for the nomination and appointment of electoral officials to be moved to bodies like the National Judicial Council (NJC) to ensure impartiality. The conversation also touches on the need for citizens to be more involved in the electoral process to ensure transparency and to hold politicians accountable. The importance of having a credible electoral system that reflects the will of the people and leads to good governance is highlighted.

20:05

🌐 The Impact of Electoral Practices on Democracy

The final paragraph discusses the broader implications of electoral practices on Nigeria's democracy. There is a consensus that politicians sometimes undermine the electoral process for their own gain, which can lead to a lack of trust in the system. The conversation emphasizes the need for citizens to be more engaged and for the electoral commission to be truly independent. The participants also express a desire for electoral reforms that would ensure all elections are conducted on the same day to reduce the influence of power and improve the overall integrity of the process.

Keywords

💡Governorship Election

A governorship election refers to a democratic process where voters choose a candidate to serve as the governor of a state or region. In the context of the video, the governorship election in a do state is a central theme, with discussions revolving around the electoral process, political party strategies, and the role of electoral bodies.

💡Peace Accord

A peace accord in the context of an election is an agreement typically signed by political parties and candidates to commit to non-violence, fair play, and acceptance of the election results. The video discusses the significance of the peace accord and the controversy surrounding the PDP's refusal to sign it, indicating a lack of trust in the electoral process.

💡Political Parties

Political parties are organized groups of people who share similar political views and work together to promote their common interests in government. The script mentions the People's Democratic Party (PDP) and the All Progressives Congress (APC), highlighting their actions and reactions to the electoral process and the peace accord.

💡Electoral Body

An electoral body is an organization responsible for conducting elections, ensuring they are free, fair, and credible. In the video, the electoral body's preparedness to conduct the election and its appeal to voters and political actors for proper conduct are discussed.

💡Bias

Bias refers to an unfair preference or support for one party over another, often leading to an unbalanced or prejudiced decision-making process. The video script mentions allegations of bias against the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission by the PDP, suggesting a lack of impartiality that could affect the election's fairness.

💡Redeployment

Redeployment in this context means the transfer of officials from one position or location to another, often to ensure neutrality or to address concerns of conflict of interest. The PDP calls for the redeployment of the resident electoral commissioner and the state commissioner of police to ensure a credible poll.

💡Credibility

Credibility in the context of an election refers to the trustworthiness and reliability of the electoral process. The video discusses concerns about the credibility of the election due to perceived bias and the potential impact on voter turnout and public trust.

💡Voter Turnout

Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who actually cast their votes in an election. The script suggests that the controversy surrounding the peace accord and the actions of political parties could affect voter turnout, indicating the importance of public confidence in the electoral process.

💡Electoral Integrity

Electoral integrity refers to the adherence to the principles of a fair, transparent, and just electoral process. The video emphasizes the need for electoral integrity, as it is crucial for the legitimacy of the election outcome and public trust in the democratic process.

💡Perception

Perception in this context refers to the beliefs or impressions people have about the electoral process, which can be as influential as the reality. The video script highlights the importance of perception in shaping public opinion and the need for transparency to counter negative perceptions that could undermine the electoral process.

💡Stakeholders

Stakeholders in an election are individuals or groups who have an interest or concern in the electoral process and its outcome. The video mentions the need for all stakeholders, including political parties and citizens, to be involved in ensuring a fair and credible election.

Highlights

The anticipation of the 2024 governorship election in a do state is creating tension among political parties and candidates.

The electoral body is prepared to conduct the election in all 18 local government areas despite challenges.

The People's Democratic Party (PDP) may not sign the peace document for the first time, citing bias from the police and electoral commission.

The PDP accuses the Inspector General of Police and the Independent National Electoral Commission of favoring the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The APC initially criticized the PDP's refusal to sign but later changed its stance out of respect for the rule of law.

The National Peace Committee, headed by General Abdulsalami Abubakar, is discussing the credibility of the election process.

The discussion raises the question of the necessity of a peace accord in a democratic election environment.

The role of the peace accord in maintaining the integrity of the electoral process is debated.

Concerns are raised about the selective enforcement of arrests and the lack of consequences for electoral offenses.

The need for re-engineering the peace accord to address actions of overbearing governors and ensure fair play is emphasized.

The impact of the PDP's refusal to sign the peace accord on voter turnout and confidence in the electoral process is discussed.

The importance of transparency and trust in the electoral process is highlighted, with calls for the redeployment of officials where confidence is lacking.

The potential for the 21st of September election to be marred by issues of credibility and fairness is a concern.

The discussion touches on the overbearing attitude of those in power and the need for a more level electoral playing field.

The role of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in ensuring a transparent and credible election is questioned.

The potential for the 21st election to be influenced by the concentration of power and the desire to win at all costs is a concern.

The idea of having all elections on one day is proposed as a way to reduce the influence of staggered elections on the opposition.

The importance of citizen participation and advocacy in strengthening the electoral process is emphasized.

The need for an electoral system that produces credible leaders who will work for the betterment of all Nigerians is discussed.

Transcripts

[Music]

we glad to have you back it's still this

week here on rights he coming to you

live from the nation's capital which is

exactly one week to to the March

anticipated 2024 governorship election

in a do state and ahead of the poll all

eyes are under action or in action of

the political parties and their

candidates now just electoral body o

says it is prepared to conduct the

election in all the 18 local government

areas of the state even as it Appeals

the voters and the political actors in

the state to comport themselves properly

but except something significant happens

before next Saturday I mean this coming

Saturday the people Democratic party PDP

signature may not be on the peace

document if it happens it will be the

first time a participating party and its

candidate will be declining to sign the

peace Accord the party and its candidate

as igodo refused to sign the pack citing

bias on the part of the police Inspector

General of police K Boku and the

independent National electoral

Commission on who they accuse of working

with the all Progressive Congress APC to

wreak the election now the party wants

both the Ador resident electoral

commissioner and the state Commissioner

of police redeploy to ensure a peaceful

and credible poll the all progresses

Congress APC initially told the pdp's

line of not signing but later change its

mind saying it did so so out of respect

for the ru of law The credibility of the

national peace committee headed by

former head of state general Abdul

salami abbaka retired and Bishop Hassan

cooker all right joining us in the

studio to take a look at the ad do

governorship election and what is at

stake uh is the national secretary

Coalition of United opposition party cup

Peter am also joining us in is election

Observer Gabriel Wu U is the director

General Center for credible leadership

and citizens awareness gentlemen glad to

have you join me in the studio this even

thanks for having me good

H in my money program I mean the

Daybreak we we we were discussing with

uh a a a contributor cont contributor to

uh Vanguard a columnist he

says what's why do you need a peace

Accord when

Nigeria is not at War do you really need

a peace Accord for an election I mean we

will get to talking about the fact that

PDP didn't sign but what's your sense

for me sincerely if we truly you know

you know working in the part in of

democratic governance and Democratic

elections we don't really need a peace

Accord but the fact that the our our

electoral environment has been driven by

those who want to take it by force those

who want to be sworn in and become you

know superintendent for the Affairs of

state or federal government at whatever

cost that's what the why the P Accord

came in board I was a member of the

initial member of the P Accord and I

know that the the what the P Accord play

the role they played in 2015 was a major

role but the problem is now what I'm

saying is that we cannot continue to

discuss just signing of the peace Accord

we need to to look at the background the

pre during and post elction faces what

how is a affect the interest of other

poit other participating political party

because we in the multi party Democratic

process and if there's no peace you

can't be P you can't be pushing towards

Justice if there's no if there's no if

there's no equity if there's no fairness

if there's no Integrity in the process

and you are saying people should come

and sign peace Accord he undermines the

the the Integrity of the electoral

process for for for for us to get it

right you can have a situation where an

unbiased ire as partisan members who are

going to superintendent over the Affairs

of Elections and you expect me to

continue to you know you know um support

such process without you know raising

voice and then pointing out the the the

wrong in the system so the piece I C we

must reengineer it try to you know frame

it in a way that they will also look at

actions of overbearing Governors towards

you know um other political parties and

then drive it in the way that there must

be fair play for all participating

parties Peter says re-engineer

it

PDP refused to sign APC at the point

thought of doing so so what's the

problem PDP is accusing in the wreck of

being a cousin to the uh minister of the

fct

wi and is accusing police the one the

police commissioner removed this is

their word that's what they are saying

you know so what do you make of the fact

that PDP for the first time among all

the political parties did not sign on

this basis and what he said about re in

the peace the peace committee well thank

you so very much um first of all it is

pertinent to to know the essence of this

P Accord the peace Accord as it were now

those who crafted those who designed you

know the pie Accord he is one of them

you know you know believes that usually

during election and electioneering

processes we have um situations of um

where the environment is usually charged

fully charged and tensed we now have

attacks both sides of you know whether

it is ruling political party or

opposition political parties you have

them you have accusations and counter

accusations you know we see you know the

Fallout of all that in in litigations

post election now what do we have in ad

do state now

we have seen the piece Accord being

signed in ki state governorship election

last year we saw it being signed in IMO

state governorship election last year

and in this election for which we served

as observers we saw helicopters in ki

State shooting human beings from up and

cutting away ballot boxes and left now

in Nigeria there is um a government

agency in charge of the airspace you

can't just fly like that without being

known or giving an authority you know to

to to

fly till today as we speak nobody has

been arrested nobody has been prosecuted

for that action nobody has been you know

you know arrested or charged or seen to

be arrested for what had been

perpetrated in ki state mean why these

are people that have signed the the

so-called peace Accord you see from what

is happening we fast forward to AO State

and then a particular political party

has raised an alarm that over 60 of his

main members have been

arrested they have been arrested they

were not even tried or you know

questioned or quized in ad those State

they've been transferred to Abuja what

kind of if the arrest is across board if

they've been arresting or invited uh uh

members of the part I think who says if

they did it wrong take them to court if

they didn't do any wrong release them

the issue is this yes that's very

correct the issue is that it is just one

political party that has been hunted

down you see in in in the spirit of

fairness we would want them to invite

every Nigerian can be invited suppose it

is the members of labor party members of

our C party APC PDP nobody will raise an

alarm if it is just

see there is no consequences for these

offenses and that is why people can just

what saying that there are no

consequences it becomes a jambur people

are just tired of the same ritual every

time when there is going to be an asked

you he said reengineering you didn't

talk about it so there should be

punitive meion there should be very

serious uh punitive measures you know

for persons who have impaired on the

Electoral processes in Nigeria Peter

yeah the Ed of Yaga he says this um PDP

not signing the peace Accord may affect

voter turnout so he he says with pdp's

accusation of police uh being the Third

Leg of APC that's what they alleging how

do you think police should handle this

crisis of confidence what he is saying

is that the igp should invite all the

parties involved for a dialogue that

that not solve the problem I'm not here

to cry for the PDP because I I saw a

video by we talking about I'm trying to

say something I saw a video about some

months some few months ago when the

local government chairman was bringing

down his b boss and telling them that

they had instruction from the government

that there no be labor party B boss

should not be in these particular

positions that is by the way for me it

will affect voter vter voter turn out

because all the all the situation we be

having you know at the backdrop of all

the conduct of election where you find

out that the voter turnout is low is

because people don't even believe in the

electoral process the electoral process

is losing his own Integrity people don't

believe that the outcome of the of vote

cast is what was was announced these are

challenges that are there and that's why

we are saying if you look at the the

perplexity and the uncertainty that is

be clouding waving overing around the

21st election of 21st 2024 electionday

election you will know that those who

are charged with power are always trying

to use the power to maximum to be able

to you know aler in a a party of their

interest the igp must act in a way PDP

is the government in power in a those in

a those State there's a federal

government most time the federal

government has more more Authority the

the PDP might do the sponsor the area

boys do whatever they want to do but

when it comes to State actors it is the

federal government that run state that

own that authority to to to to post as

they like and act in the interest of

whatever part the the effect is that we

must now start to have a a proper

process where opposition party will be

part of the um and electoral security

meeting that will Define what the police

will do with the opposition party in the

state or at the national level there's a

problem with our electoral system we

can't continue to run under this

uncertainty under this kind of strength

being displayed against the Nigerian

electorate in all of this it is the

citizens that suffer it is not the

politicians that are playing to their

own interest we must know that look the

peace are called if the peace are have

not been releasing report of violence

that like my brother mentioned in ki

violence in IMO and then all the time

you come you just to prepare paper for

people to sign it will water down the

the potency of that it look like a

jambur so we can't continue doing one

thing and mandate to do what you're

saying it it look the kind of persons

that are on that board that's why the

respect they get they they shown a lot

of interest in trying to create an

electoral what we say as we speak to you

now you can't have a cousin of a of of

of of a man who goes to TV and say

nothing will happen I'll put fire in

another People's State and being the

resident electoral commissioner for

state in such an election who comes to

TV and say people comes to beg him you

can't have somebody who has 700 WI a

special adviser on land and Survey these

are these are politicians the there are

lot of people who are into advocacy and

Civil Society now they are no longer

appointing them they're not appointing

their own cronies and members of their

party to to to to to pretend over their

effect of of of of our electoral process

we must sit down and agree that the

Electoral if you go to website you see

their their Vision Integrity on byas

credibility these are not no longer

being respected by by politicians G

Gabriel 35,000 police 35,000 police

offices deployed for the

election what's your sense too little

too much not necessary what do you think

um first of all you see um some of us

have um raised alarm over

um Court actions in um Edo State yeah we

have very serious um attacks you know on

individuals on um group of persons by

Cult groups you know now it becomes

imperative therefore that government

should do something very decisive in

fact the state vigilante group you know

has gone a lot a long way to cing you

know the Menace of this CT group

including kidnapping by um these persons

that stay uh in the bush you know so I

think that um bringing in a lot of

policemen 35,000 policemen you can look

at it and feel that it is so much but

they should work in tandem with all the

stakeholders if a particular political

party is raising a a red flag that they

don't like this they are not confident

in this what does it take we have other

Nigerians that can serve there we have

other Nigerians that can serve as for

the credibility of the election because

per need to be seen to be transparent

they need to be seen to be credible if

some persons have raised an alarm what

does it take you withdraw that person

and put fix another person there to be

sure that everything uh you know goes

well we are Nigerians and we've been

here for a while but

supposing just supposing that H now PDP

is in governance in the state just

supposing that uh we're just supposing

that PDP is raising a false alarm must

they put inck and the police to task to

change the pressing there I am not

understand where I'm coming from yes yes

I want to let you know that I am not the

mouthpiece of PDP I don't belong to

political part why I called is because

that the people raising this okay okay

they the people that didn't but look at

the alarm that was raised it is so

gerine like the C officers that were

mentioned they gave their names and said

that the the the the the Departments or

the Ministries that were the spos you

know that they were attached to them

it's fictitious it's not inexistent they

even went as far as saying that these

people were imported from a nearby uh

State you know into a those State for

the purpose that has to be investigated

these are things that are so clear there

are a lot of people who also apply if

there are issues about some persons why

don't you allow them set them aside and

then bring more people that are aside

that are still there you have a lot of

people you know that have applied do you

see do you see the police hking on to

the voice of the Ed of Yaga you know for

purposes like he has said perception is

important and and so you say okay

because these people have one particular

side has raised an issue all right for

peace sake you know uh do you see them C

toing what to what PDP has said about

the the CP and the the wreck I I think

perception most times is stronger than

reality and if they are not going to

heit to you know the request for for for

they must be able to do things

transparently because the impartial

impartiality of in is something that we

hold very strongly the independent of H

and if you say that whatever

makes will not will not be there if

there's no transparency if there's no

trust in the process and if there's no

Integrity in the process of conducting

election we we know for sure that the

election coming on the 21st of September

has already H is having a lot of issues

and I I don't think we should be in a

state of War every time we want to

conduct election we shouldn't be it's

about you know people you know trying to

you know brag and say we have authority

to do whatever we like you can go to

hell and that will not help our

democracy neither will it help our

people what we are looking for is people

who have competence Merit and ability

people who can come into office through

the vote of the people so that they can

respect the people because why our

politicians are not respecting the

people is because they can bring

themselves into office put themselves

back in office and do whatever they they

want and if must if feel that this

request had been made there a lot of

time people ask people to recuit

themselves and based on the fact for

purpose of making sure you have

integrity for the purpose of and

transparency for that election you as a

person please there lot of Nigerians

there lot of other that can be redeploy

from another place they very qualified

for me I know that the 21st election is

very important I don't even think we

should be having staggered election but

that is by by by the way because there's

so much power being concentrated being

so much forces being put on this

staggered election that makes opposition

party so weak you know in order to be

able to participate properly and that's

why you see that for over the years the

inter party advisor Council other

organization have been pushing that if

we can give three ballots on on on one

day why can't we give five ballots let's

condu election one day let look for way

Tove all issu some of the Judgment that

was given by Supreme Court they made it

now thata is Stagg is stagger IMO is

staggered there were mistakes in this

process we could just be able to adjust

this thing and make all election one day

because I tell you the overbearing

attitude of those in power especially at

the federal level to win election at all

cost is really breaking our electoral

process how do we uh I mean

because I

just I just finished discussing on PL

and well okay I won't say what he

said all right but how do we what what

I'm trying to say is that we may come

here next time and start discussing this

issue because we're looking for

Solutions yeah in neck the meaning of

the acronym is independent is in really

independent can we make in really

independent because it is said that he

that pays the biper ttitude yeah plays

the biper stitute yeah thank you so much

that's a very pertinent um question you

see uh in the real sense of it in ought

to be truly independent but if you go

through the appointment of

in you know the nomination for the

Senate to just

screen you know it becomes uh some of us

have opined that you know these things

should be moved either to the njc or

some other bodies you know that are

different from you know politicians as

it were there is a tendency you know for

somebody to be loyal you know or to

exhibit some um level of loyalty you

know some so some so somebody who has

appointed him however we have also seen

somebody who has appointed the in

chairman and an election was declared

against that person in this country that

was good luck Jonathan he appointed

Professor atua an election was held in

2015 and Professor JGA declared an

election for which former president

goodlock

lost so that affility is which should be

what it is that is what it ought to be

however I will tell you the truth in as

it is now for me is striving as much as

possible to be independent but to

conduct a transparent free fair and

credible election does not lie in in

alone NE is not a magician or group of

magici that I agree with that sometimes

these in officials to day and night

suffers the any problem that you know

that comes up as a result of an election

or a Mal practice or rigging of election

it is in but we have also seen that some

in officials who perpetrated in some

some of them are in jail we have also

seen professors that's a professor from

either aai bomb state or somewhere that

served as a a coition officer you know

being you know has gone to jail because

of my practices so often times it's not

in in the real sense of in as the

professional you are National Secretary

of of sorry of of of of United

opposition party so you're a political

you're a politician so the talk

the talk is that politicians

circumvent I mean the talk is that

politicians try to circumvent the law

circumvent the rules and they are the

people who cause most of the problem

that in seems to face yes in in alone is

not to be bled there are a lot of other

you know player in the field when it

comes to election and and that's why

Nigerians need to start to pay more

attention because the election is not

just the election day issue alone like I

told you when we started there's the

during there's the period of prefaces

where this all these things are put in

place if the citizens start to now

participate more and ask more question

and become more active in the process of

setting up you know for before the

election you will find out that things

will get clearer how do you want what no

there are lot there are lot of ways even

when you paste some of these forms at

the at the centers when you talk about

for8 at the polling unit the citizens

are not really interested you can't just

cast your vote and go home in a state

where politicians have be most Pol some

politicians have become very desperate I

said 10 politician because we have had

exception you talk about Jonathan here

if Jonathan can use his own power to run

the 2015 election some of people who got

into government will be in government

today so they the exception but they are

very desperate politicians too that are

willing to go to any level to mind

undermine the Integrity of our election

he talked about njc but if you look at

jce way report and all that about njc

appointing officials people spoke to me

last week for two hours and told me that

I was taking the wrong direction because

njc had not even be able to you know to

to discipline judges who manipulate who

somebody from fourth position to first

position and you know these are the

issues so we you not give them the power

to nominate and the power to also decide

so we must see down prop very well the

issue that you must that I got from you

and I know that is jine is the fact that

politicians are not creeping their way

into the Electoral commission people

appoint people if not because we stood

our grounds when H H chair was appointed

she would have been the national

commissioner today a special ad ad to

the president so these are the things

that politicians are doing and those who

have power and it is in the light of

this if the citizens if citizen advocacy

and participation is strengthened and

citizens start to see the danger or the

danger that is inherent in the in in lck

when we don't have credible we don't

have transparent electoral processes the

cons consequences are very huge we don't

have good RADS we don't have hospitals

we don't have anything to count on so we

must have an electoral system that will

throw up credible people that will make

sure that Nigerian grow for the

betterment of all

electoral system that would thr up the

kind of people Nigerians need uh to lead

them well thank you so much the national

secretary Coalition of United opposition

Party Cop Peter am thank you for being

here and then uh election Observer

Gabriel Wu wambu is the director General

Center for credible leadership and

citizens awareness our hope is that all

your contributions will get to the right

quarters and they will take the right

actions thank you so much hope thank you

so thank you so much well that's much

that's the much we can take on this

edition of this week thanks uh to our

production team here in abua Lagos and

London to join us same time next week

for another exciting Edition I am n amug

thanking you for watching