"Obaseki Orchestrated A Charade Not An Election" _ Human Rights/Pro-democracy Activist _ Calls for the Scrapping of State Independent Electoral Commissions In Nigeria

By Williams Adesoji

The September 2nd, 2023 Local Government Elections held in Edo State, has been described as Godwin Obaseki's orchestrated charade. This view was expressed by the Executive Director, Nigeria Good Governance Research Centre, and a renowned human rights/pro-democracy activist, Comrade Igbotako Nowinta, via a press statement he signed and made available to journalists on Sunday 3rd of September, 2023, in Benin City, Edo State, Nigeria.

Comrade Igbotako Nowinta, who is also a conflict resolution expert said the reports that emanated from the fields in various poling centres across Edo State on Saturday September 2nd 2023, during the State Local Government Elections showed that it was a 'charade orchestrated by the Governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki'.

According to the full text of the press release:

"On Saturday September 2nd, 2023, Governor Godwin Obaseki brought himself to a new low, by descending to the valley of shame, ridicule, deceits and lies when he positioned himself on the political turf, as the referee, player, attacker, goal- keeper and striker during the Edo State Local Government election into the 18 Local Councils.

"Reports reaching us was clear about how Edo State Independent Electoral Commission (EDSIEC), tied itself to the apron strings of Godwin Obaseki, abandoned the BIVAs and the Card Readers; refused to distribute enough electoral materials in Edo North and Central; non - availability of results sheets; scanty electoral materials or none at in many polling centres; cold blooded thuggery in some isolated places, etc.

"In orchestrating a grandiose charade Godwin Obaseki brought his junior brother, Tom Obaseki from the blues to contest for the Chairmanship of Oredo Local Government Area. In Oredo for instance, the candidate of the Labour Party, Daniel Ero Onaghise was not even allowed to cast his vote. And Obaseki said he was satisfied; that it was a free and fair elections?

"As far as we are concerned Godwin Obaseki orchestrated a charade not a an election on September 2nd, 2023, in Edo State. Definitely history will record this brazen and wicked manipulation of the electoral process against him and his supporters. All those who are in this terrible electoral lane with Governor Obaseki are simply enemies of genuine democracy in our country.

"We are using this medium to call on patriotic Nigerians to stridently demand the scrapping of all States Independent Electoral Commissions in Nigeria, because there is nothing independent about them, just as EDSIEC has just displayed blatantly in Edo State.

"How can we have good governance and progressive society when cerebral and missionary candidates are consistently blocked by men of yesterday using political barbarism? The struggle to claim back our country continues!

Reporting from Benin City, Nigeria.