Nigerian professionals, under the auspices of Professionals for Good Governance and Social Justice, aka PODP, has expressed vehement anger and dissatisfaction over the recently-held presidential election on February 25, accusing the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, of deceit and irregularity.
Professionals for Good Governance and Social Justice made the remarks in a statement signed by its Convener, Dr. Ben Chukwu, MBBCh, FMCS, on the February 2023 elections.
Addressing Professor Yakubu’s alleged rescality, PODP expressed deep disappointment and asked the University that appointed him as professor to, as a matter of urgent national interest and security, withdraw his professorship.
The group stated: “With a heavy heart and a deep feeling of disappointment, we, the members of PODP, hereby state that the election results announced at early-hours of Wednesday, the first of March, 2023 clearly do not reflect the will of the people. We cannot in good conscience accept these results, and we know that most Nigerians feel the same way.
“Sometimes in November 2022, the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, called a press conference to debunk the leaked information that INEC had planned not to upload the raw data at the Polling Units into the BVAS. He went all the way to Chatham House in UK to reiterate this very point.
“At home, he had, on more than fifty occasions, asserted that INEC would upload all data straight from the Polling Units into the INEC server through the BVAS. The INEC Chairman himself broke the very fabric of the Electoral Act. He unflinchingly lied to Nigerians.
“He neither addressed the irregularities nor acknowledged the vociferous concerns of Nigerians but went ahead to announce his cooked-up electoral figures.
“Educated Nigerians are wondering how a Professor who supposedly has conducted researches and understands the implications of data accuracy, could announce a winner from an obvious mumbo-jumbo of figures that, at best, were shamefully incorrect.
“Nigerians are wondering what Professors like him actually profess, and what the Ivory Tower portends in their eyes. Professor Yakubu’s conduct has no doubt embarrassed Nigerians, especially his colleagues in the Ivory Tower. His unconscionable behavior has undermined the trust and respect for our Citadel of Higher Learning, and has caused irredeemable damage to his professional reputation and that of his colleagues.
“May he ever be remembered as the INEC Chairman who had greatness thrust upon him but who, flagrantly, flung it away, choosing to plunge over 220 million Nigerians and entire Africa into the worst humanitarian crisis, possible bloodshed, setting Nigeria decades back into the annals of global analogue history because of his selfish gains.
“We therefore call on the University that appointed him professor to as a matter of urgent national interest and security, dissociate themselves from corruption, malpractice and criminality by withdrawing such title from such bribe thirsty and integrity bankrupt deceiver like Yakubu.”
Speaking to international bodies and governments, who fielded their various agents and “witnessed the sham called presidential election”, PODP urged them to slam visa bans on those “who have actively participated in scuttling the people’s will”.
Failure to do so, it said, they will be aiding a global crisis as millions of Nigerians will flood the West in search of succour over the transmigration that may ensue in the event of breakdown of law and order.
PODP said: ‘
“The international Observers have witnessed the sham called presidential election. While we cover our faces in shame and tears, we call upon you to go beyond the terse statements you have put out.
“We urge you to convince your Governments to issue visa bans on all who have actively participated in scuttling the people’s will. If you do not, we assure you that you will inadvertently be aiding a global crisis of transmigration as millions of Nigerians will flood the West in search of succour.
“Your economies will take a hit, and some may not survive it. We enjoin you to make hay in helping to diffuse and rectify the imminent catastrophic upheaval currently brewing, the like of which has never been witnessed in Africa.
“We call on UN, EU, AU and all world leaders to act fast to avert this imminent crisis.”
The group further lambasted President Muhammadu Buhari over his failed promised of a free, fair and credible election to the world at the United Nations in New York, noting that he failed Nigerians woefully.
“Our dear President Muhammadu Buhari, when you told us you wanted to leave a legacy of free and fair election, when you went to the United Nations in New York to proclaim what you’d love to be remembered by, we not only believed you, we hailed you.
“We immediately, in our usual forgiving spirit, put behind us all the misrule and abuses to which your government had subjected Nigerians. You won our hearts so much that many of us stood solidly behind your Naira redesign, believing it was in the interest of common Nigerians.
“When the military rolled out its amoured tanks nationwide days before the election, we further hailed you, believing they were coming to protect our votes, our lives. But alas!
“You lied to us. Your military men were nowhere to be found in Lagos, Port Harcourt, Benin, and several flashpoints where voters were freely and easily disenfranchised. PMB, you failed so woefully to favourably ingrain your name in the annals of the history. You failed to position yourself as the Father of a New Nigeria.
“Nigerians have, without doubt, worked assiduously over the past few months to bring about real change in our country. We have knocked on doors, made phone calls, and held rallies to spread our message of unity, hope and progress.
“We have put in countless hours of hard work, and we have done everything in our power to ensure that our voices are heard.
“Clearly, the results of this election do not reflect the true will of the people. We have seen too many blatant irregularities, too many instances of culpable voter suppression, and too many cases of daredevil fraud.
“We have seen ballot boxes snatched and carted away, sometimes with the active support and cover of the Police. We have experienced thumb-printed ballot papers set on fire right in the presence of helpless voters. We have recorded polling stations opening late and closing early, and voters turned away at the polls.
“This is definitely not the democracy we believe in. This is not the Nigeria that we know and love,” PODP regretted.
PODP also sympathised with fellow Nigerians over the dashed hopes and urged them not to stand idly by while their voices are silenced and rights trampled upon.
“We must rectify the wrong, and we must do so with every fiber of our being,” it assured.
Furthermore, Dr. Chukwu urged various Labour unions — NLC, TUC, ASUU, NASUU, NMA, NBA, NANMS, NUPENG, NANS, NURTW etc. — to join the struggle and demand that every vote be counted, and that every voice be heard.
He said: “We call on all professional bodies and organized unions, especially, NLC, TUC, ASUU, NASUU, NMA, NBA, NANMS, NUPENG, NANS, NURTW etc. to join us in this redress. We must come together as a country and demand the restoration of our stolen mandate.
“We must demand that every vote be counted, that every voice be heard. We must demand an end to the ignoble corruption, barefaced lies and outright deception that have plagued our politics for far too long.
“We know that this is a difficult moment for all of us. But we cannot give up hope. We cannot give up on our vision of a better future, a better Nigeria. We cannot let the forces of darkness and despair triumph over the forces of light and hope.”
To the electorates, therefore, he urged to stand up for what is right, reject the election results, and demand a new result that truly reflects the votes by the people in the 25th February election.
Finally, to the “Obidients”, an acronym for the supporters of Peter Obi, the Labour Party (LP) flag bearer, he said:
“Come Saturday, March 11, Nigerians should troop out in greater numbers to vote Labour Party. One way to validate that we won the last election resoundingly is to vote massively for our Gubernatorial and State Legislature candidates nationwide.
“At the Polling Units, ensure you photo or video record the collated results before departing the Polling Unit, showing details of location, number, faces, and names of officials.
“Remain to count and defend your votes. It’s your right.”
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