Za ku iya ba da tabbacin zabe mai 'yanci da adalci a Rivers da Abuja duk da ikirarin Wike?

Being text of a press conference by His Excellency, Atiku Abubakar (GCON), Waziri Adamawa, Vice President of Nigeria (1999-2007) and Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (2023), at the Shehu Yar’Adua Centre on the 5th of October 2023. Protocol Gentlemen of the Press, Fellow Citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, I consider it important to address and report to you today on issues that define the future of elective government and legitimate leadership in our country. Political leadership and active citizenship matter because they are ways through which we all work together to build a country that works for all who live in it. Our country is bigger than any of us, and its standing in the world affects the fate of all who come from or live in it. As leaders, it is our duty to advance the well-being of all our people and of the country. For this purpose, my generation worked hard to return the soldiers to the barracks and to defend the right of the people to elect and establish for ourselves a legitimate government. Our elections are established and governed by law and founded on the constitution from which leadership and government in Nigeria alone derive their legitimacy.

The by-election arising from outstanding voting into various legislative positions in the 2023 General Election is billed for Saturday. These elections that cover a wide range of polling units and a few constituencies shall be the last effort by the respective voters in the affected electoral wards to conclude their franchise in the last General Elections. It is my appeal to voters in the Ebonyi South senatorial district to give their unalloyed support to Barrister Silas Onu and, by so doing, vote for the Peoples Democratic Party in Saturday’s by-election. The people of Ebonyi South Senatorial District, the Senate and indeed Nigeria stand to gain from Silas Onu's multiple set skills and the vibrancy of his youth. My appeal goes beyond Ebonyi State and connects with voters in all the 35 constituencies and nine states affected by court-ordered by-elections. I do hope that voters in these states, which include Ebonyi, Yobe, Borno, Kaduna, Benue, Ondo, Taraba, Lagos and Kebbi, shall make a bold statement in the forthcoming election by putting a stamp of rejection on the ruling All Progressives Congress for having made insecurity and impoverishment a policy of the state in all the affected polling units.

Against the backdrop of recent military interventions in the West African subregion, the election of Bassirou Diomaye Faye as Senegal’s President-elect in the election of March 24, 2024 gives hope to the future of constitutional democracy in the region. For us in Nigeria and elsewhere, there's a huge lesson to be learnt from the Senegal experience. It is an affirmation that democracy, which is anchored on the supremacy of the ballot, represents the best form of government. It is also possible for the electoral umpire to run an election on the basis of the law and its own guidelines that give confidence to all parties and the voters. Our experiences in both 2019 and 2023 show clearly that INEC performed below this expectation. Whereas in Senegal, the responses of the major actors and the citizens are a validation of the process of the election that voted for President-elect Bassirou Diomaye.

The local government elections in Rivers State tomorrow stand as a beacon of hope, offering renewed vigour to constitutional democracy at the very core of governance. These elections present an opportunity to uphold the Supreme Court's ruling on local government autonomy, breathing life into the foundational principles of our republic. Undoubtedly, this election resounds as a powerful affirmation of constitutionalism and the rule of law, a cause that should rally the support of all true champions of democracy. It is a call to every believer in the democratic process to stand firm in defence of the people's right to choose their leaders freely and fairly. I commend Governor Siminalayi Fubara, @SimFubaraKSC, for his courageous leadership in ensuring local government elections are held in Rivers State. I also encourage every resident to embrace their civic duty with peace and purpose as they cast their votes, selecting those who will lead at the grassroots level.

With the conclusion of the local government election in Rivers State, the shadows of political intimidation and judicial chicanery have dissipated, paving the way for the noble pursuit of governance to commence in the State. From the bustling heart of Port Harcourt to the tranquil shores of Onne, the populace has spoken in harmonious unison, affirming that nothing can better democracy. As prophesied, it has now been revealed that the citizens of Rivers are astute and resolute, unwavering in their rejection of any form of political oppression, harassment, or the machinations of self-serving godfathers. As I extend my heartfelt congratulations to the newly elected local government leaders, I urge them to wear the welfare of the people as their foremost badge of honour and shun tyranny and delusional ambition in their political endeavours. Moreover, I commend the resilient people of Rivers State for their steadfastness in the face of adversity, courageously ensuring that yesterday's election unfolded with peace and integrity.

The Anambra State governorship election next weekend is one in the number of off cycle elections according to the country’s election timetable. But, rather than being like any other, the election to elect the next governor of Anambra State on November 8 offers a unique opportunity to end the era of poor governance in the state in addition to ensuring that the ruling All Progressive Congress does not get the chance of practicing its notoriety of snatching and running away with the mandate of the people. The election next weekend calls our consciousness to a moment when we must rally round the candidate of the African Democratic Congress, Nwosu Chima John and Nwobu Geoffrey Ndubisi to lead Anambra State to a new era of prosperity and economic stability. The election is also an opportunity for the electoral umpire under the leadership of Prof Joash Amupitan, SAN to prove to the world that it has turned a new page, and that the integrity of our election would not be sacrificed for the satisfaction of the ruling party.