The Kogi State Gubernatorial election has been marred by allegations of rigging, with the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) candidate, Dino Melaye, claiming foul play. However, Melaye has since announced that he will not be taking the matter to court. The candidates from the Accord Party and Action Democratic Congress (ADC) have remained silent, indicating that they are also not challenging the election outcome.
This leaves the Social Democratic Party (SDP) candidate, Alhaji Muritala Ajaka, and his party as the sole opposition challenging what they perceive as an unfair victory for the All Progressive Congress (APC). As a concerned citizen, even though I am not a member of the Social Democratic Party (SDP), I cannot remain silent at this crucial moment. It feels like a moral obligation to express my thoughts.
The APC-led Government, under the leadership of Alhaji Yahaya Bello, has been accused of manipulating the election held on 11/11/2023. There are allegations that the election results were written and doctored by INEC staff who were hired to favor Alhaji Usman Ododo, the Governor’s chosen candidate. I believe you are already familiar with the details of this story.
In a democratic societies across the world, it is customary for aggrieved parties to seek legal recourse rather than resorting to vigilantism. Despite the extensive rigging that took place during the Gubernatorial election, Muritala Ajaka and his supporters have chosen to channel their frustration , grievances and seek justice through the court system.
Unfortunately, numerous news publications have spread misinformation and fabricated stories about the election.
There is a widespread belief that the attack on the INEC commissioner’s house was orchestrated with the support of the state government. The fact that the police, DSS, and other security agencies in the state have failed to investigate and apprehend the main culprits raises serious questions. The silence from the state government is concerning and suggests complicity in the incident.
Resorting to legal means for redress is the appropriate and commendable course of action. However, it is absurd for the government to use taxpayers’ money to sponsor protests on the streets of Lokoja. If the government is genuinely confident in the fairness of the election, why resort to coercion and blackmail to force Muritala Ajaka and the SDP to accept the outcome?
I specifically mention the SDP and Muritala Ajaka because they are currently the only ones in court, claiming to be the rightful winners.
The conviction of the SDP candidate seems to have unsettled Lugard House. Prior to this, there were attempts to obstruct INEC from complying with court orders. The government’s strategy of staging protests and issuing press statements to pressure the sole candidate in court into accepting the result of a fraudulent election is laughable. In my opinion, enough is enough.
Usman Okai Austin
Written from Abuja
