Candidate of Social Democratic Party (SDP) in the November 2019 Kogi governorship election, Barr Natasha Akpoti and a chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state, Comrade Austin Okai has applauded the United States government for imposing visa ban on individuals who rigged elections in Kogi and other states.
Reacting, Akpoti said the action goes a long way to validate all claims she and her party made at the courts with regards to the gross irregularities of electoral processes amidst violence to install Yahaya Bello as governor of Kogi state.
“To think the Supreme Court dismissed my petition as being flimsy and lacked evidence whereas all INEC result sheets tendered as evidence had no SDP on them; shows the depth of corruption and dishonesty of the Nigerian judicial system.
“Nigeria should remember that she doesn’t exist in isolation but as part of a community of third world countries whose actions shape her international relations with allies.
“No doubt, the Nov. 2019 election has setback Nigeria’s democracy decades of progress backwards and I do hope this ban is limited not only to the individuals in Kogi state government but principals of institutions who were saddled with the responsibility to ensure free, fair and safe elections such as INEC,” she said.
For Okai, the recent visa ban by the United States of America on politicians who rigged elections in Nigeria is an indication that PDP truly won the November 16 poll in Kogi state.
In a statement issued on Monday, Okai celebrated the decision while describing it as a welcome development.
“We have been justified by the United State of America’s action against the election riggers in Kogi state. This is a welcome development and that shows somebody somewhere is listening to our plights and our position.
“This is an indictment of our Supreme Court’s action and is obvious that Bello’s so-called Supreme Court victory is a mere charade and an indictment that the so-called victory does not reflect the reality on the ground. This called for electoral amendment and reform.
“It is also a vote of no confidence on the entire Nigerian judicial system, which calls for a complete overhaul of all facets of our political adjudication.
“This development calls for concerted efforts by the Nigerian government to review some of the politically motivated judgement by the courts to avoid further rape on our democracy in Nigeria.
“This situation, if not checked now, is capable of setting the citizens against each other and by extension, the constituted authorities for obvious reasons.
“Aside sanctioning the perpetrators of insane election process through the rigging, killing and clamp down on opposition elements, judicial officers involved in the controversial judgements of these states should be brought to book through sanctions by the National Judicial Commission (NJC).
“The embarrassing situation, nationally and internationally, has brought a self-imposed shame on the nation.
“An election where voters right to exercise their franchise was muzzled, helicopter was used to shoot at and disperse voters, is enough practical and technical evidence that should have warranted outright cancellation of the process as a charade,” Okai said.
He, however, appealed to the United States not to reverse the stringent decisions and monitor to the letter.
