•Olabode George
Chief Olabode George, former Deputy National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has described the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) exclusion of the PDP, African Democratic Congress (ADC) and the Labour Party (LP) from the Rivers State Assembly bye-election as desperation by a cabal to rig the 2027 general election.
Recall that INEC confirmed that the three parties won’t participate in the February 21 Rivers State House of Assembly bye-elections, reports Daily Independent.
The decision was announced in Port Harcourt by the state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) who said only seven political parties met the requirements and were cleared for the poll.
The Atona Oodua of Yorubaland, in a statement yesterday, declared that “INEC is only acting like a megaphone for a cabal in the Presidency desperate to return to power in 2027”.
The octogenarian politician, statesman and military tactician said: “I strongly believe the question patriotic Nigerians should ask now is this. Is INEC now an arm of the All Progressives Congress (APC)?
“We need to ask this question and, if need be, escalate this matter globally. How can INEC be disqualifying political parties this way? Is it because INEC wants APC to return to Aso Rock in 2027? Did Adolf Hitler even behave this way from 1933 to 1945 in Germany? What exactly is going on in this country?
“The APC-led federal government appears preoccupied with political positioning ahead of 2027, even if it means weakening institutions, suffocating the opposition and shamelessly using state agencies to perpetrate these undemocratic acts.
“A recent example was the invasion and sealing of our national headquarters in Abuja without any court order.
“All our congresses from wards to local governments and states, including the convention were done legally. So, who invited the police to invade our headquarters? Who instructed INEC to disqualify our party from participating in various elections coming up? Is the APC-led Federal Government turning Nigeria into a one party state, ahead of the next general elections in 2027?
“It’ll be painful if those taking these undemocratic decisions, through their actions, will reenact what happened in 1962 in Nigeria. That was about 64 years ago. Some of these characters in INEC were not born then, so they don’t know that they’re playing with fire.
“What happened between 1962 and 1966 has painfully taught us that seemingly small political infractions, when ignored, can snowball into national disasters.
“The same scenario is playing itself out today with the way the APC-led federal government is trying to destroy opposition parties.
“Rather than strengthening our democratic institutions, these APC actors are lowering standards, sidelining critical reasoning and placing personal ambition over national interest.
“As a life member of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), I maintain without ambiguity that nobody can destroy our party.
“It’s disheartening that Nigeria is precariously and dangerously staggering on the path of self-destruction because those in charge today have closed their ears to reasoning and deliberately coming out with actions capable of disintegrating the country.
“Governors and lawmakers are being threatened to join APC yet, the party is still afraid of 2027.
“There’s a divine reason the Christian Lenten Period and Muslim Ramadan started simultaneously on Wednesday. It’s a time dedicated for God to hear and answer the heartfelt cries of humanity. God is already telling us something: that time is going and if we must salvage Nigeria, the time is now.”
