Sanusi Lamido identifies Osun state 2022 governorship election as pointer to improvement on electoral process
The 14th Emir of Kano Muhammad Sanusi Lamido has affirmed that, the recently concluded Governorship election in Osun State, was a clear electoral improvement in Nigeria, compared with the previous poll
Penpushing reports that, Lamido made this known while speaking as Special Guest of Honour at the 4th edition of annual lecture of Penpushing media with the theme, ’Social Media Regulation; Insecurity and Elections Accountability in Nigeria’, held n Abeokuta Ogun State Capital.
The Kalifa of Tijanyya Order in Nigeria commended the organisers of the lecture, adding that, it was most apt as the country approach 2023 general election, noting that one of the important developments in Nigeria in the last 20 years, has been the efforts of successive governments to improve the electoral act
‘The subject of your conference which revolves around the social media, accountability, insecurity and general elections is most apt as we approach 2023 elections. We have just had elections in Osun State and there is clearly electoral improvement compare to what we had in the past’, he stated.
Penpushing further reports that, he pointed out that, there is still lot to be done, adding that most important was the fact that a lot of rigging and subversions occur with the connivance of the electoral body and other security agencies, who turned themselves to will tools in hands of politicians.
‘There is a lot that is left to be done, most important is the fact that a lot of riggings and subversions happens with connivance of institutions that are supposed to be officially be neutral, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police, the Nigerian Judiciary, the Security Services have all too often proven themselves willing tools in the hands of politicians to undermine the will of people’, he said.
‘One of the important developments in Nigeria in the last 20 years, has been the efforts of successive governments to improve the electoral act and by politicians themselves to close avenues that they have used for rigging elections and subverting the will of the people’.
The former Central Bank (CBN) Governor stated that with the improvement recorded in the recent electoral process, there was need to still call on Nigerians to be vigilant, and institutions to respect their mandate to remain neutral and ensure justice and fairplay
‘So as Nigerians commend the politicians for improvement to the law, we need to call on Nigerians to be vigilant, institutions to respect their mandate to remain neutral and ensure justice and fairplay. One of the major ways in which elections are been subverts even in this new electoral act is this policy of vote buying and this lack of respect for the law on secret ballots’, he added.
‘We have seen in one of the states recently when we have off seasons election, where people will thumb print ballot papers and show politicians and politicians will pay them money in the presence of INEC officials, in the presence of the police’.
‘Nigerian people and citizens must get together to ensure the secrecy of their elections, we need to ensure that those people we elect are those renounced and that we have chance every four years to review their performance if need be to change them’
‘They also need to ensure that institutions work and these institutions respect their mandate and remember that they are there to serve the Nigerian people not political party. It is collapse of institution that has added to insecurity, it is the collapsed of institutions that has added to corruption, it is the collapsed of institutions that has contributed to false and fake elections results’.
Penpushing also reports that, Lamido tasked organisers of the lecture to come out with clear ideas for how Nigerians and the civil society can stand up and help protect their votes and help ensure that the will of people prevails.
‘We thank you for the efforts that you are making for this conference, we commend you for addressing this issue and we hope that at the end of your conference you will come up with clear ideas for how Nigerians and the civil society can stand up and help protect their votes and help ensure that the will of people prevails. We pray to Allah to protect our country and help restore peace to our land, our country and unify us and increase love and brotherhood among Nigeria people’, he emphasized
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