BEING THE TEXT OF A PRESS STATEMENT BY CHIEF EDE DAFINONE CALLING FOR CANCELLATION OF THE OCTOBER 12 ,2013 BYE- ELECTION RESULT FOR DELTA CENTRAL SENATORIAL DISTRICT.
Gentlemen of the Press,
Thank you for coming. As you are aware, I am the candidate of my party, the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) for the senatorial bye-election scheduled for yesterday, October 12, 2013. We are here today to tell the world that the people of Delta Central were yesterday violently denied the right to choose a senator of their own. The proposed election to elect a senator was a complete sham.
There was no election, as defined by our laws. The scale of impunity, assault, molestations and violence by the PDP, thugs/cultists and the supposed security agents was just unimaginable. The lopsided and partisan involvement of state security apparatuses in supporting the PDP and the brazen use of thugs to unleash violence and mayhem on our party members and the electorate is unprecedented. Thus there is now very serious concerns for the progress of our nascent democracy and diminishing hope for peace, unity and good governance of Nigeria now and in the immediate future.
The significant confidence brought into our elections in 2011 due to visible improvements on the 2003 and 2007 elections was completely wiped off yesterday. The PDP and the Government have yesterday sent, in no uncertain terms, a strong message that the security apparatus of this nation will foist the PDP on the nation at every cost. As was demonstrated yesterday in Urhobo land, security forces and the government will turn a blind eye to open violence and crimes against citizens and a section of the electorate perceived to be supporting other parties outside the PDP.
Because our agents were openly shot at and maimed yesterday, as it was in 2003 and 2007, we are able to say that the days where elections are gun wars are back. Because INEC officials and NYSC ad hoc personnel bluntly refused to go out to conduct the election in several places, we are also able to categorically say that government, through these agencies, decided the outcome of the election in a clearly premeditated manner. Because security personnel openly flogged and beat up our agents and supporters everywhere without justification, we are able to say that violent bias was used as a tool to coerce our supporters to abandon polling stations. Because in various communities security personnel watched, allowed, participated in and supervised the hijacking of ballot boxes and other election materials by PDP thugs and government officials, we are also able to say that the so-called election was rigged with clear government approval. Because INEC did not release or issue out election result sheets and other sensitive election materials in most places but 'results' somehow managed to emerged in favour of the PDP, we are able to say that the so-called results were made to suit the PDP even before any election. Because few electoral materials appeared as late as 3.30PM in the few places where a few INEC officials managed to reach, we are able to say that our people were deliberately excluded from the election since accreditation was meant to end by 12.00Noon. There was just no election as defined by our laws and common sense!
The point must be made that we do not expect perfect elections anywhere in the world. But we do expect that there will be improvements on past performances. This is just not the case here. What we had was resort to brute force to suppress the will of the people of Delta Central. Yes, it is often said that politicians tend to find faults to justify unsuccessful outcomes of the electoral bids. Ours is just clearly different. We did not lose an election. There has to be an election before we talk about winners and losers.
This is a clear case of naked criminality; not an election. It is a clear case of the government imposing Chief Emmanuel Agwariavwodo on Delta Central in the same manner and style he was imposed on his party. This is impossible with a truly independent INEC. Herein lies a clear and imminent danger for our democracy. Therefore, we reject whatever result announced by INEC as it is not a true reflection of the democratic will of our people. We call for an outright cancellation of the said election and any fake result arising from same.
Indeed, we are at a loss on why and how violence and external interference have to be brought into Delta central in the name of election. Delta Central electoral is largely the Urhobo people who have never been so marginalized at the national and state levels as we are today. The dearth of Urhobos at both Federal and State levels belies our position as the fifth largest ethnic nationality in Nigeria. That as a people we are not allowed freely elect our leaders is a further confirmation of the oppression of the Urhobo nation.
We in the Democratic People’s Party (DPP) do not give in or succumb to undemocratic actions which attack the political will or threaten the unity of our good people. We shall continue to explore all legitimate options to free our people from oppression, suppression and bad leadership. Our commitment to democracy and justice remains firm.
We support the call by our Party for calm and call on all our supporters maintain the peace even in the face of this extreme provocation. May I, on behalf of our effective grassroots campaign team, leaders, elders, women and youths sincerely thank all our people of Delta Central for their support and prayers. God bless you.
Thank you.
Chief Ede Dafinone
DPP Senatorial Candidate.
13-10-2013
No comments:
Post a Comment