The United Kingdom Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has expressed fear that familiar signs that resulted in the June 12, 1993 political upheavals in the country are currently playing out as the country approaches the February general elections, even as it launched, via internet and social media, #FREEANDFAIRELECTIONINNIGERIA to ensure that the elections are peaceful.
The group said: “As Nigerians go into the general elections in February 2015, with the Presidential Elections on the 14th of February, we are seeing very familiar signs such as preceded the annulment of the June 12, 1993 Presidential election results. This time the stakes are far higher.”
In a statement online, by the Publicity Secretary, Philip Ilenbarenemen, the APC United Kingdom Chapter noted that whereas it was the Nigerian Armed forces that was the only body bearing arms in 1993, “today we have a proliferation of armed groups of diversely aggrieved militants playing warlord roles in the various communities. In addition to this, Nigeria is at a very critical juncture with a war on the terrorist gang, Boko Haram, being waged ineffectively and Niger Delta militants (who) are visibly engaged in stockpiling of weapons and threatening to overrun the south west and then the north if President Jonathan, their son is not re-elected the President in February 2015.
“We note that these militant groups, led by Alhaji Mujaheed Asari Dokubo have not been reprimanded by the government and its security agencies, giving the impression of tacit support for their activities.
“We remember how in 1992/93, a notorious and sinister group, the Association for a Better Nigeria, (ABN) led by the eccentric businessman/politician Chief Arthur Nzeribe and backed by the military government of General Ibrahim Babangida, who publicly denied any involvement with this group until they were exposed in the group’s campaign for the annulment of the universally acclaimed freest and fairest elections in the history of Nigeria – June 12 Presidential Elections. The acclaimed winner of that election was never allowed to assume the office of the President of Nigeria leading to widespread violent unrest and mass exodus from Nigeria and many more years of needless and draconian military rule and deaths in Nigeria.
“In 2014 we saw the emergence of another sinister group in the same mould as the Association for a Better Nigeria, (ABN) called Transformation Ambassadors of Nigeria, (TAN). TAN is asking for a continuation of President Goodluck Jonathan in Office just as ABN campaigned for the continuation of General Babangida in office in spite of the outcry of Nigerians against such moves. TAN was allowed to freely campaign without any hindrance from law enforcement agencies all over Nigeria for President Jonathan’s re-election for nearly one year before the Independent Electoral Commission, (INEC) whose Chairman and senior officers were appointed by President Jonathan, but would not officially allowed other political parties to start campaigns. Ostensibly a non-governmental organisation, TAN like ABN had government ministers openly attending and speaking at their rallies made up of rented crowds of unemployed youths and women who were paid handsomely to appear at these rallies even as the Federal government was refusing to pay salaries and wages to its workers.
Recently we have seen warning signs of Police and the Department of State Security brutality and disrespect for democracy and fundamental human rights of Nigerians, which are similar to what we saw during the period before the June 12 Presidential election annulment.
“In October 2014, the Data Centre of the APC in Lagos Nigeria was raided twice in three weeks by operatives of the Department of State Security, DSS and its staff members including a pregnant woman were arrested and tortured in order to obtain statements against the APC. The repeat raid took place despite a subsisting Federal High court injunction against the Department of State Security.
“On November 20 2014, the Police invaded the National Assembly of Nigeria Complex, the seat of the legislature. They allowed PDP members being President Jonathan’s party men, into the Complex but locked out opposition politicians including the Speaker of the House of Representatives who had just declared allegiance to the All Progressives Congress. When the Speaker Aminu Tambuwal and others scaled the gate to enter the building they were attacked by the Police who fired tear gas canisters at them.
“These behaviours, coupled with inflammatory comments by government functionaries are causing serious concerns amongst citizens and opposition party members.
“The legendary abuses and brutality by the Nigerian police and security services against Nigerians and opposition party members especially during elections MUST BE STOPPED IN NIGERIA NOW! Nigerians shall not accept the results of rigged national and state elections in 2015 and such electoral results and the outcome will be treated as a coup de d’état against the people of Nigeria. WE ARE IMPLORING YOU TO IMPRESS IT ON YOUR GOVERNMENTS NOT TO SUPPORT THE OUTCOME OF A RIGGED ELECTION OR PROP-UP THE GOVERNMENT THAT RIGGED THE ELECTIONS.”
The group called on all freedom loving peoples around the world to stand in solidarity with the Nigeria people in their quest to be allowed to enjoy the benefits of democracy.
It said that as part of its efforts to see that democracy thrives and that the government in Nigeria is “ONLY BY THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED”; that no Nigerian is disenfranchised and deprived of their fundamental human rights of freedom of association and choice; and that no Nigerian is harassed and intimidated with state power by security agents of the Nigerian state or by elected officers such as the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as a result of their religious or political beliefs, ethnic nationality, sexual orientation or gender, it has launched a petition to support #FREEANDFAIRELECTIONINNIGERIA, especially in the forthcoming 2015 General Elections.
“We are by this press statement, calling on all Nigerians, friends of Nigeria, foreign governments and international organisations – Economic Commission of West African Countries, (ECOWAS), Africa Union, (AU), European Union, (EU), Common Wealth of Nations, and the United Nations Organisation, (UNO) and indeed lovers of freedom, peace and democracy from around the world, to sign up and support #FREEANDFAIRELECTIONINNIGERIA”
The group insisted that Nigeria must not be allowed to fail as our detractors have predicted and programmed us to do.
“Nigeria is the most populous African country, the 5th largest Oil producer, but one where political corruption ranks amongst the worst in the world. On the Corruption Perception Index, CPI 2013, Nigeria is 144th out of 177 countries that were surveyed by Transparency International; the global coalition against corruption scoring 25 on a scale where 0 is highly corrupt and 100 is very clean. Nigerians are incensed at the levels of corruption and the harm it causes in the polity. People are unemployed and hungry, education and healthcare delivery is on the blink as a result and the PDP-led Federal Government is irritated and showing strains of brutality against the people for daring to complain and seek a comprehensive change of the situation.
“The world cannot afford to allow Nigeria to fail as a state. The regional and global impact, let alone, the scale of potential human suffering of allowing Nigeria to fail or degenerate into a theatre of war are too heinous to face.” [myad]
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