In less than 24 hrs to the most talked about 2019 presidential election in Nigeria, unknown gun men with Department of State State Security Service (DSS) identity cards abducted my friend and popular online blogger, Usman Okai Austin on his way to Dekina LGA in Kogi state to exercise his civic responsibility.
I have spent over a month in Kogi state now and I discovered that Kogites still play dirty politics. The activities of Kogi state politicians need to be checked. I noticed that they are notoriously known for advocating for votes from the masses, after which they will return to their base mostly in Abuja where they live like kings and queens without infrastructural development from the central government at home.
What do I know, I don’t blame them. After all, they get their so-called votes with a token of #500, even as low as N150. Let me live it here.
My concern is that the kidnappers must release this young man. Free Okai Usman Austin! The inability or failure of whoever is responsible to release Austin Okai from this mess does not correspond with a society that values democracy respect for rule and economy development in Kogi State generally.
This singular failure to set this most valued online blogger of Igala extraction free will automatically send wrong signals across Nigeria and the international community about our rule of law and our knowledge about democracy in itself. Let us not create a wrong impression about the practices of democracy in Kogi State to the expatriates here and other intending investors across the globe even the existing ones might be tempted to think that their dear lives is in danger which mostly is not the truth.
Let’s make a real statement by allowing a free and fair electoral process. The Emir of Kano, Sanusi Lamido Sanusi said “rigging of elections does not only occur during voting process, it is an act that can precede even after voting.” The incarceration and intimidation of persons in the opposition is nothing but electoral rigging in disguise. When the people are being impressed that it is a deadly mission coming out to cast vote for the candidate of their choice and they chose to stay indoors on the day of voting thereby allowing the scavengers have their ways to rig with impunity. Then, where is the democracy we clamour for? What is the hope of the common man on the street?
May we as Kogites come out and do the right thing at the right time. This begins with how the sanctity and respect for the rule of law should be protected or practice. It is the duty of the state government to protect the citizen at home and in diaspora.
– Emmanuel Attah writes from Lagos.
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