Delta re-run: re-run truly it was

All hope about a possible free and fair election—the Prof. Humphrey Nwosu model—under professor Jega ended yesterday 6^th January when his INEC conducted a re-run gubernatorial election in Delta state, as ordered by the Court of Appeal.

Re-run it truly was, in all ramifications, as nothing of the unwanted occurrence of the Iwu era, for which both improved laws and funding had been provided to mitigate, was absent: ballot bag snatching, violence, interception of electoral materials, kidnapping and beating up officials, murder, figure joggling, late arrival of materials, omission of names of voters from the register of voters and all what-not.

And all this irregularities was witnessed in an election, in just one state, where security coverage had been provided or supposed to have been assured by a combination of over twenty thousand policemen drawn from neighbouring states, the three arms of the military: the army, navy and air force, special forces like the Anti terrorism Squad, the Joint Task Force, the civil defence corp, the customs and even the religious groups like Christians, Moslems and idol worshippers.   

But the truth be told, neither Jega nor the security services or even the politicians surprised me with their shameful performances and conduct. This is irrespective of Jega’s much vaunted integrity and sing-song determination to plug the leaks in our electoral system and meet the expectations of Nigerians on free and fair elections.

Getting rid of the corrosive effects of the Obasanjo brand of politics which he forced down on Nigerians, particularly in the periods between 2003 and 2007 requires the services of a man who will not only fight with Nigerians but equally fight for them in those dark places where the future of the country is mortgaged for a plate of hot jollof rice.

And I have never seen this Prof. Jega as the John the Baptist of that messiah let alone been the messiah. I don’t even consider him to be a barjesus. He spends too much of his time making promises, harassing the national assembly and attending seminars and workshops even when he complains about lack of time to do the job for which he has been given all necessary support.

If what happened in Delta state is all that Jega and his mouthy INEC can boast of then Nigerians had better prepare their minds for a worst scenario than was the case with the much discredited 2007 elections. Over twenty four hours after the end of the election at about 4pm Jega’s INEC could not announce the results of the election and when they were ready with the results at about 6pm the following day the ordinary people of the state knew that something had gone wrong when combine teams of the army and anti-riot policemen started taking up positions in strategic positions across the state.

According to the result, the PDP scored almost 300,000 votes to return Dr. Uduaghan to the government but the same PDP could not find enough courageous supporters to celebrate their victory when it was announced. Not even in Koko where the results showed that the PDP had garnered almost 40,000 votes.

it certainly must be  efficiency taken to another level for INEC staff, with the late arrival of material, to have been able to accredit such a high numbers of voters that actually turn up for the exercise, within the stipulated time.  Remember that some of those accredited might have missed taking part in the voting proper for one reason or another while some more would have thrown their weight, by way of voting, with other candidates. At the end, Uduaghan was able to, according to INEC, score as much as two hundred thousand plus votes. Miracle!

For starters, let it be known that the re-run election that was conducted in Delta state was, in more ways than one, not loyal to the new electoral act. But that is not the subject of this piece as the candidate of the Democratic Peoples Party candidate, Chief Great Ogboru, is already in court to prove this. 

According to the result of the election, Ogboru won in 10 local government areas of the state while the incumbent governor of the eon in 12. This gives a difference of two local government areas and it was from the this two that a whooping vote figure of a hundred thousand and more was garnered; and for a government that has performed to the annoyance of the majority of the people of the state—whether indigenes or otherwise.  

 

The nose knows best when it come to judging the fish; and this fish called INEC is as rotten as it can be. It is going to be business as usual, as far as the elections are concerned. 

 

 

Ilobi Austin is available on face book, twitter and niger villagsquare