The
Centre for Rights and Grassroots Initiative (CRGI) is disappointed and condemns
in strong terms the crude, barbaric, unconstitutional, irresponsible and
criminal pockets of violence that has characterized the campaign train in the
run off to the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti State and wish to admonish the
perpetrators to sheathe their sword in the interest of peace and tranquility of
Fatherland.
We recognize that a period of campaign in
a democratic process represents a window opportunity for aspirants to endear
themselves to the hearts of the electorate for votes by reeling out their
manifesto rather than what obtains presently whereby there have been pockets of
violence which have resulted in injuries, damage to private and public
properties and a blur on our sensibilities.
We are hereby using this medium to
admonish the electorate to be extra vigilant since it is the watchword for
democracy and reject at the polls, aspirants who believe that the only way to
gain public attention is to unleash violence on the people rather than engaging
in issues driven campaign. We also want to enjoin them to report any security
threatening acts or action to the security agencies.
We as well want to encourage the security
agencies to be alert and impartial in the discharge of their constitutional
responsibility and rise up to the occasion to arrest this negative trend of
violence in our body politics. We as well want to encourage them to step up
their intelligence apparatus in this period when gubernatorial elections has
been proclaimed as war so as to prevent any untoward developments which is
inimical to our peace and democracy.
We equally condemn Vice President Namadi
Sambo for his reckless, irresponsible, irresponsive and undemocratic
statement of describing the gubernatorial elections in Ekiti and Osun states as
going to war and hereby admonish President Goodluck Jonathan to immediately
reprimand his misguided and idle Vice President for bringing the Presidency to
public opprobrium.
To INEC, we want to enjoin them to keep
watch over the activities of the political parties and aspirants in this period
of campaign and take necessary actions in consonance with the Electoral
law to bring any defaulting party to book for breach of the Act. The time has
come now for INEC to be seen as effective, as a dog that bites rather than its
toga of a toothless bulldog which is disappointing.
To the enemies of democracy who want to
sabotage this process before elections through violence, we are using this
medium to admonish them to quickly beat a retreat and turn a new leaf by
joining hands with patriots who are desirous that the Ekiti gubernatorial
elections must not only be credible, but must be free, transparent, fair and
must reflect one man, one vote, one woman, one vote, failure which they
will meet their waterloo courtesy of the peoples wrath which is like a
consuming fire.
A word
is enough for the wise!
Signed:
Nelson
Ekujumi,
Executive
Director,
Centre
for Rights and Grassroots Initiative (CRGI)
1a Fadeyi Street, Ikeja, Lagos.
08023172694, 07033853232
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