- Says Judiciary has taken over the role of INEC
- Judiciary, media must rescue Nigeria
Admin l Tuesday, July 03, 2019
LAGOS, Nigeria – Former Deputy National Chairman of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Olabode George says the Independent National Electoral Commission(INEC) has failed and called on the Federal Government to dismantle the present INEC.
Olabode George who was speaking at a press conference in Lagos said INEC has abdicated its role to the judiciary.
“As a result of this overt flaws in the electoral process as represented by INEC, we are all basically disenfranchised as none can guarantee that the votes cast are sacrosanct. Everything is tampered with in the desperation to seize victory at any cost.
“Virtually all candidates are invariably aggrieved after election. And thus they troop to the judiciary for arbitration. Normally, the judiciary has a valid role to dispense justice where there is dispute.
“A lot is greatly amiss when the judiciary has practically become the deciding agency on who becomes a governor, who becomes a senator, who becomes a member of House of Representatives. Definitely something is wrong”, he said adding that compared with India, INEC has failed woefully.
INDIA CONDUCTED ELECTIONS FOR 800 M, RESULTS OUT IN A WEEK, NO JUDICIAL TRIBUNALS
“Look at India, 800 million people voted and in two weeks results were announced no judicial tribunals, same in most developed countries in the world. Why after 59 years of independence we are still in the Stone Age. If the Banking Industry in this country can process our data instantly why not the INEC.
“In this warped reality, democracy is diminished. The mandate of the people is flung into the dumpsite. And the danger crawls closer. How then do we restore order? How then do we restore sanity? We must be sincere. INEC must be dismantled in its entirety. It is presently compromised, partisan, wrapped in self-consuming incompetence. “
Suggesting the way out, he admonished the government to “be pro-active, redefine its tools of engagement, refresh its policies, be bold and non-partisan to ensure that the outlaws are promptly neutralized and hurried out of town.
“ We must apply our advantages to bring peace and lasting harmony to our lands. We must be fair and equitable. We must respect each other differences. We must be honest and true to each other regardless of tribe or tongue”, he said.
Also speaking, a Chieftain of the PDP, Chief Ebenezer Babatope corroborates George, urged government to looked into the suggestions. He therefore charged the press and the judiciary not to fail the country.
“The country is sitting on a keg of gun powder, the press and the judiciary must not fail this nation”, he said.
