Kogi election has come and gone but alot of right reasonable Nigerians are still reacting.
You recall that one of our political correspondence, Sani Michael Omakoji, described Kogi Election as “War Election” where fiticious figures were cooked from Okene, Okehi, Adavi and results of many polling units manipulated in favour of APC who actually lost woefully at the polls.
He also mentioned how a young lady was eulogizing the use of guns which aided APC rigging to the detriment of the masses wish.
He did captured how Helicopter shielded by security agencies was also used to teargass innocent electorates, shot some and harassed many away from polling units all in favour of Governor Yahaya Bello of APC.
The use of Government branded vehicles in company of some well armed fake security personnel were also recorded.
Away from his report, a legal luminary who is well respected in the land, Jibrin Sam Okutepa (SAN) reacts this way.
Let us read his reaction as culled from his official facebook page.
” It is no longer news that the November 16th 2019 election in Kogi State has come and gone but that flawed election has left very unthinkable and indelible marks in the minds and hearts of reasonable men and women of conscience.
Tongues waxed strong; how did it happen in 21st century, democratic election was reduced to gunshots democracy.
It was reported in the media that INEC who conducted that election has described it as a sham election.
It was reported by those who saw it that the number of bullets used during that election was more than the number of ballot papers.
You also know that it is a serious matter for a no less a person than the National Security Adviser, Babagana Monguno, to have openly and publicly condemned the sham called election in Kogi State.
In his characteristic statesman candor and in a patriotic spirit, he boldly and unequivocally described it as “a fiasco where the unthinkable happened “.
No description of the election can be more appropriate.
Regrettably, Governor Yahaya Bello, in his characteristic hollowness and lack of depth, while responding, triviliased such a serious security indictment.
For me nothing called for Bello’s response in the first place.
A reasonable man in the circumstances of Bello would have accepted the NSA’s verdict and suggested ways of institutionalising a credible election in the future in Kogi state, rather than reducing such a serious matter to a comic relief of ‘winning’ with ‘wide margin’.
For me I am not too surprised to see such reactions coming from Yahaya Bello.
That is our lots, pains and anguish in Kogi where serious issues of governance have been reduced to child play.
Prior to the election Gov El-Rufai knelt down to beg the good people of Kogi State to forgive Yahaya Bello, for what he appropriately saw as failure of governance in Kogi under Yahaya Bello.
Rather than appreciating the remorse shown on his behalf by El-Rufai, Yahaya Bello disgracefully went to National Television to say El-Rufai was begging Kogi people for his, (Yahaya Bello) brilliant performance in office.
How hollow can a man be?
Again, soon after the election, Mrs Salome Acheju Abuh was roasted alive in her house by thugs suspected to be of APC extraction, Yahaya Bello again went to national Television to justify that outrageous murder of Mrs Salome Abuh on the ground that it was retaliatory attacks because he, Bello’s supporters were first attacked!
In the Kogi election the unthinkable that happened must not be allowed to be swept under the carpets.
It is on record that we ever had a President who admitted that the election that brought him to power was flawed.
The first step he took, upon assuming power was to set up a committee to reform the electoral system in the country.
Unfortunately, he did not live to implement the recommendations of the committee.
Probably, if he had lived, we would not have been where we are today.
The NSA’s courageous indictment and Bello’s comic triviality of the issue should be taken serious by all lovers of Kogi State and Nigeria in general.
Kogi people, the struggle continues.
It is not over until it is all over.
We have put our hands on the plough, there is no looking back.
And, as Senator Dino Melaye would put it, “no retreat, no surrender”.
We cannot keep quiet and allow the state to be reduced to laughing stocks in the eyes of national and international communities.
The NSA must go a step further in collaboration with relevant security agencies to do the needful and make reports of the sham election public.
The election in Kogi State cannot acquire legitimacy in the eyes of any right thinking members of the society.
It was a sham election and sham it remains.
Given it any other name other that sham election is to give wrong a baptismal name of right.
That does not make it to be right.
There was nothing like winning by wide margin in that election unless we want to engage ourselves in self delusion.
Even the melodious song of those ladies of “they go dey hear am tatatata” is in point here.
This country cannot afford the sustenance of gunshots democracy.
Gunshots and thuggery are not parts of civilised democracy.
It is primitive and unacceptable.”
Read Also: NBA Election Working Group Report On Bayelsa/ Kogi 2019 Elactions
