In the world of politics, events can often devolve into contested narratives, especially when it comes to the crucial matter of elections. The 2023 Nigerian general elections have become a hotbed of such debates, with Martin Onovo, a prominent political figure and the 2015 National Conscience Party (NCP) presidential candidate, leading the charge against the recently concluded electoral process. Renowned for his activism and expertise in petroleum engineering, Onovo’s dissatisfaction with the election proceedings sheds light on the growing concerns of several stakeholders in the country’s political scene. This interview explores his allegations of electoral misconduct, his views on various pressing political issues, and his hope for a future that adheres to Nigeria’s constitutional values.
You seem not to be speaking out unlike before, concerning the 2023 elections, especially the presidential poll, which has generated so much disaffection. How would you briefly assess it and your level of satisfaction?
Well, let me correct your first impression that I have not been speaking out, I have, you can Google it and I will not stop speaking, especially when things are going wrong and the government is carrying on as if all is well, as if nothing bad had happened. Look, we cannot call that an election. It was a criminal event. Forgery is criminal. Perjury is criminal. Assault and battery are criminal. The falsification of election results by INEC is criminal. It seems clear to us that Alhaji Bola Tinubu, candidate of the All Progressives Party, APC, was fraudulently declared and that the court will correct it. There are too many disqualifying criteria that will nullify the candidacy of Tinubu, who was fraudulently declared and I know the court will not overlook such. First, Tinubu filed an invalid nomination. He did not provide some of the information required on the nomination form like the primary and secondary schools he attended. International journalist, Mr David Hundeyin, publicly alleged that the Chicago State University certificate he provided is forged. Again, forgery is a criminal offence. Do I need to raise again Tinubu’s dual citizen of Guinea and Nigeria? I presume we all agree that these invalidate his nomination. The conduct of the election was clearly lawless and fraudulent. The BVAS and IReV technology systems were introduced by INEC to ensure transparency and integrity in the elections. They were approved and published in the electoral guidelines. Suspiciously, in November 2022, the ruling party objected publicly to the use of these technology systems for the elections. INEC repeatedly confirmed that these systems will be used. Thereafter, an investigative journalist published that INEC secretly planned to bypass the systems. INEC repeatedly denied the allegation. Then, for the presidential election, INEC bypassed the systems as previously alleged. INEC proceeded to publish fraudulent results that have been shown to be criminally forged. INEC disregarded the facts and the complaints of several political parties with impunity and rashly declared Asiwaju Tinubu. The INEC chairman deceitfully directed that disciplinary actions be initiated against all staff found to be negligent. This was deceitful because following complaints by political parties; he publicly promised a review of the results, but failed to conduct the review. The results declared by INEC are clearly fraudulent because, they are inconsistent with the authentic results in the possession of polling officers, party agents, stakeholders and even with the results published by INEC on the IReV portal. INEC in violation of the court order also frustrated the inspection of election materials by the Labour Party, LP. That is an attempt to cover the fraud and derail the course of justice. It is definitely unreasonable to try to uphold such obviously fraudulent results. All major stakeholders have rightly rejected the forged results, including all major political parties, local and international observers, Nigerian workers, Nigerian socio-cultural organisations, CSOs, etc. The results cannot be upheld because they are criminally forged and have been democratically rejected. Therefore, nobody should be sworn in until we determine the authentic winner of the presidential election.
Labour Party presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi has been accused by Lai Mohammed of inciting insurrections, a treasonable offence. What is your take on this?
Alhaji Lai Mohammed should know that if he makes a wild allegation, he is required to substantiate it. Alhaji Lai Mohammed has a reputation for false information. According to Mr Femi Fani-Kayode, “Lai Mohammed is the biggest lair in the history of Nigeria politics”. It is clear that the government and the ruling party underestimated the Labour Party’s bid for the presidency. So, when they saw the LP electoral performance, they panicked and got INEC to criminally doctor the results and became desperate to cover their criminal electoral fraud. They unscrupulously invented false allegations to implicate Mr Peter Obi and Alhaji Datti Baba-Ahmed of the Labour Party, but they failed, as Nigerians dismissed the allegations. Nigerians have been listening to the speeches of Peter Obi and they know such accusation from Lai Mohammed is false. Let Lai Mohammed manufacture another offence against Peter Obi, we have passed his propaganda level.
How will you react to the ethnic profiling of some non-Yoruba, especially the Igbo in Lagos State and the hate speech employed?
First, it is unlawful. It even went beyond profiling to grievous harm and murder. It is very unfortunate that after living together for a century some depraved politicians that have failed in government will resort to such. The response of the Nigerian Police to the threats and subsequent attacks was even worse. It is another indication of the degeneration of public institutions under the President Buhari regime.
The outcome of the presidential election is being contested in the courts. Most Nigerians seem to have lost faith in the judiciary. Do you have confidence in the judgment of the Supreme Court?
We have some confidence in the Supreme Court. It is the highest court of the land, but it is not infallible. It has many judges on the panel to dilute any biases. These Supreme Court judges are the most experienced in the country. Even the Imo governorship election case and the APC Yobe North senatorial primaries case that seem most scandalous have dissenting judgments. We must have confidence in the courts and try to correct any deviations. In 2017, the Kenyan Supreme Court annulled the results of the presidential elections, citing irregularities and ordered a new election within 60 days. According to the Kenyan judgment, the election commission “failed to conduct the presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of the constitution”. We know that INEC also failed to conduct our presidential election in a manner consistent with the dictates of our laws.
What do you think should be the agenda of the incoming president?
The agenda for the Federal Government of Nigeria is clearly set in the Constitution. The key priorities presently include security, anti-corruption, and economic growth. These were the same priorities when Gen. Buhari took over power in 2015. Unfortunately, things are terribly worse today on all these priorities than in 2015. The Buhari regime must be one of the most destructive of this country in human history.
The race for the Senate President is at a fever pitch with intense lobbying. Do you think it should be zoned to the Southeast?
It depends on the outcome of the presidential contest. The authentic winner of the presidential election will have to be determined first. The Southeast cannot be both Executive President and also be Senate President or Speaker of the House.
Nigeria is gradually moving into the precipice. What exactly is the solution?
Nigeria is not moving to the precipice. Nigeria is now at the precipice. Every society is built on its value system. Our constitutional values are clear. Section 23 of our Constitution states that, “the national ethics shall be Discipline, Integrity, Dignity of Labour, Social Justice, Religious Tolerance, Self-reliance and Patriotism”. The Buhari regime perverted all these values. We must re-establish these values. The Supreme Court can use the presidential election petition to re-establish these values.
OBi-dients have been classified by Prof Wole Soyinka as nauseating and perhaps, a nuisance movement. How do you react to this?
I am not Obi-dient. I am a follower of Chief Gani Fawehinmi, LLD, SAM, SAN, but I supported the Labour Party as the lesser evil in the February presidential elections. Prof. Wole Soyinka is a rice-business partner to Alhaji Bola Tinubu. His social, political and business partnership with Tinubu is public knowledge. Prof. Soyinka’s opinion of Obi-dients is partisan and erroneous. It was apparently made in loyalty to Tinubu. It is very unfortunate that a Nobel laureate will be loyal to Alhaji Tinubu who is “younger” than him. Same Bola Tinubu was completely rejected by Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Prof. Soyinka was also partisan in his comments against Datti Baba-Ahmed who stood up to defend the Nigerian constitution. Datti Baba-Ahmed was right and Prof. Soyinka was wrong.
This interview was first published in Sun.
