The former Minister of Federal Capital Territory (FCT),
Mallam Nasir el-Rufai has warned that the 2015 general election will be marred
by riots and other forms of violence that my lead to loss of lives and
properties except the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and
security agencies are ready to hold free and fair elections. El-Rufai accused
INEC of incompetence, that if it was not
able to organise credible elections in Anambra and Delta States, it would be
almost impossible to expect free and fair elections from the umpire in 2015. He
expressed lack of confidence in the Attahiru Jega-led electoral commission and
security agencies to organise impartial elections in 2015, predicting a
disastrous outcome if those involved did not get their acts together early
enough.
He said: “The next election is likely to be violent and many
people are likely going to die (in the process). And the only alternative left
to get power is to take it by force; this is the reality on ground.
“Clearly, we have seen a few by-elections in Delta and in
Anambra. The level of preparedness of the electoral body was awful; bribery and
the use of police and military was rampant. That was even just a by-elections
in one or two states, so by the time we have a general election all over the
country, its going to over stretch the capacity of the electoral commission and
the security agencies.
“I have no confidence in the level of preparedness of the
INEC, security agencies and others to conduct elections based on the experience
of the other elections they have conducted so far, but they have the time to
clear their act. It’s left to them.”
The former Director General of the Bureau of Public
Enterprise (BPE) further clarified that with the prevailing situation, the only
option left to wrestle power from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) was
to force their hands through votes.
According to him, “The ruling party is unwilling to hand
over power even where it is clearly unpopular.
“This is what caused problems in the 2011 elections that we
had post-elections violence. I see the same thing happening in 2015 unless
elections are free and fair, unless INEC cleans up its act and organises free
and fair elections, there will be violence.
“If people lose confidence in them, there will be violence,
there will be riots and other related issues. But this can be prevented if
those who are tasked with the job of security and impartial umpires discharge
their responsibilities. However, based on what I see on ground, I don’t see that
happening but we all pray that before then they will get it right.”
0 Comments