Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, on Thursday in Port Harcourt, listed the reasons why the general elections begining on February 25, must not fail.
Wike asserted that any failure will increase political polarisation, exacerbate the country’s social fault lines, and set Nigeria’s democracy backward.
Governor Wike gave the charge at the 2023 Port Harcourt International Conference, sponsored by the Rivers State government with the theme: Deepening Democratic Culture and Institutions for Sustainable Development and Security in Nigeria.” It held inside the Obi Wali International Conference Centre, Port Harcourt.
The governor noted that barely one month away, Nigerians are hoping and praying for the 2023 general elections to herald the deepening of democratic culture, the rule of law, and good governance in the country.
Wike argued that the opportunity to elect a new President of the federation and 30 State Governors should be made a success because it is only through that will the country consolidate and strengthen the roots of democracy.
“In a democracy, periodic elections are the only legitimate means for the peaceful transfer of power from one party to another. Since 1999, Nigeria has had six general election circles, but none was considered substantially clean and fair.
“The outcome of the 2003 general elections was rejected at different levels by the opposition and the losers and litigated up to the Supreme Court. The outcome of the 2007 elections led to protests, riots, the loss of several lives, and the destruction of property in particulat sections of the country.”
Governor Wike recalled that even President Musa Ya’ardua had promised necessary electoral reforms when he publicly denounced the process that brought him to power because it was severely flawed.
According to Governor Wike, the 2011 general election also suffered a similar experience and was litigated by the opposition to the Supreme Court.
“None of the defeated contestants believed they lost fairly and blamed the umpire, the security agencies, and politicians for undermining our democracy with brazen electoral fraud,” Wike added.
Governor Wike noted that the 2015 general election, though considered rigged, recorded some improvements with the use of the smart card reader and the emergence of opposition candidates as the winners of the presidential.
The governor said the 2019 general election was equally problematic and rejected as highly compromised by the opposition and litigated up to the Supreme Court.
“In Rivers State, we battled the military in the 2016 and 2019 re-run and general elections with pure courage and determination to secure our victory and retain our mandate with the sweat and blood of innocent citizens,” he said.
