[dropcap]Y[/dropcap]ou don’t need a Charles Ogbu to tell you that when an Electoral Body suddenly postponed major National Elections less than 6 hours to the poll, blaming logistic issues, especially after that same body has publicly re-iterated its readiness for the poll just two hours earlier, a very powerful force beyond her control must have interfered in an unexpected manner.
Reports from some foreign Observers close to the INEC chairman have it that the CBN ordered some zonal directors to close branches on Friday when materials were still being expected so as to ensure materials are not available in some selected states. The same way Nigerian AirForce pilot flying election materials to Enugu on INEC instruction was reportedly counter-instructed to divert to a very popular oil rich South South state. Some of the Pilots, according to the report were ordered back to base mid-air. The same way INEC offices in Saraki’s home state of Kwara, Atiku’s home state of Adamawa and Peter Obi’s home state of Anambra were vandalized, as confirmed by the Electoral Body. Abia and Plateau States INEC offices equally have security issues. The Nigerian security agencies suddenly became INCAPABLE of protecting INEC facilities only in PDP strongholds with few days to the election. How convenient!
If you still haven’t realized that the Buhari-led govt deliberately sabotaged INEC arrangement just to force the Electoral body into staggering the Presidential poll to allow the ruling APC access to 23,000 policemen and hooded DSS operatives to deploy to the affected PDP strongholds with a view to replicating the Osun magic, you haven’t really realized anything.
Let’s not allow the “INDEPENDENT” in INEC fool us, the over all responsibility of providing the conducive environment for conduct of any election is not that of INEC but the govt in power. INEC is not a govt on its own. The Electoral Commission depends heavily on other govt institutions such as the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) where election materials are kept, the Security Agencies who guards the materials and INEC offices and the Nigerian AirForce (NAF) who transports the materials to their respective destinations for the election.
All the above named institutions are under govt ownership and control 100%.
When you hear of Logistics, it is not a big grammar. It simply means, in this context, transporting INEC materials and staff needed for the election to their different destinations and ensuring they are all safe. And all of these functions are performed by bodies outside the control of INEC -the CBN and security agencies (AirForce for transportation and police and army for security)
People like that NTA Kadaria Ahmed, a closet Buharist and relative of the Body Bag governor (Nasir Elrufai) currently leading a twitter narrative to force the INEC chairman to resign just a few days to the poll, are simply playing the ruling party’s script. The aim is simply to gauge public opinion and prepare the ground for the déjà-vu of the CJN Onnoghen situation. Make no mistake, if the INEC Boss is Onnoghenized, Buhari’s niece, Amina Zakari will Tanko-nize him. Exactly what the APC want.
If you are calculating your loss as a result of the postponement, I like to remind you that whatever it is you may have lost this one week pale in comparison to the lives we have lost since this genocide govt came to power and the ones we will lose should they come back again. This govt is fundamentally evil, in and out. If they could be this atrocious in their first term when they still need your vote, what do you think they will do in their second term when they will no longer need anything from you??????
Please, endure this few days. Too much is at stake here. Buhari and his Cabal can only rig if there is low voter turnout. The whole world is now more interested in this election than ever before. Go read the joint statements from Foreign Observers to understand the level of interest. These conscienceless lots won’t rule this country beyond May 29th but this can only be true if we all go out and vote like our lives depend on it.
By forcing the Poll to be postponed, they have only succeeded in postponing their inevitable defeat.
Charles Ogbu is a social media activist who contributes articles to The Trent. Connect with him on Facebook and Twitter at @RealCharlesOgbu.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
