on Friday, October 1, Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has raised an
alarm over alleged plans to rig the 2023 general elections.
He made the allegation on Sunday during an interdenominational church
service in commemoration of the nation’s Independence Anniversary at the Saint
Paul’s Anglican Cathedral in Diobu, Port Harcourt.
“Other countries are talking about how their elections will be
transparent, we are talking about how we will plot to rig an election in 2023.
He also raised concerns over why Nigeria is yet to adopt the electronic mode of
transmission of election results,” the governor said.
.He believes Nigerians should have had a good reason to celebrate the
country at 61 if the electoral system is made a little stronger by introducing
electronic transmission of results.
“Transmit a result electronically to show the transparency, to show that
really the person you are declaring won the election is the problem. I thought
by now, we should be talking about how this country will be competing with
other developed nations,” he said.
The governor also lamented the societal ills in the country, blaming poor
leadership for Nigeria’s challenges.
Wike, therefore, charged Nigerians to take personal responsibility to
ensure that the values that will entrench better society are strengthened as
the country marks 61 years of independence amid the socio-cultural problems and
ethno-religious intolerance.
According to him,
it feels disappointing that Nigeria at 61 years is yet to have truly
independent legislative and judicial arms that can check the excesses of the
executive, especially in the management of finances.
Speaking further, he lamented that the legislature is not playing its role
of holding the executive to account.
He took a swipe at the National Assembly for not checking the excesses of
the Federal Government, especially with respect to excessive borrowings.
Wike added, “what are we celebrating about 61 years old? We have a
congress (where) anything goes. Where is the legislature? A legislature that
cannot speak, a legislature where anything they bring is right?
“A legislature that cannot say that Nigeria has gotten to the age of conducting
a free and fair election, a legislature that will close your eye anytime they
bring money, borrow you borrow. Where are the courts? The courts have been
intimidated; the judges have abandoned their responsibilities out of fear of
what will happen,” Wike said.
