Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and INEC accredited observers in the November 11, 2023 Kogi State governorship election as well as indigenous people of the state have raised concerns over what they described as mindless blackmail and “propaganda taken too far” by the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Muritala Ajaka, aimed at putting undue pressure on the Judiciary.
According to them, the needless attacks on the Judiciary after every judgement on the governorship poll, showed crass ignorance on the part of both the SDP and its candidate, “who are not being properly guided by their lawyers for obvious reasons.”
The groups specifically noted that the continuous attacks on critical stakeholders, especially the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Judiciary without evidence should be seriously condemned by well-meaning Nigerians as an attack on Nigeria’s democracy and the rule of law, stressing that such attacks should not go without security agencies arresting and investigating people behind it.
At a joint press conference on Monday in Abuja, the Coalition of CSOs, INEC-Accredited Observers in the November 11 poll, and the Kogi Indigenous People Initiative said it was condemnable that despite an ongoing court process after the election, the SDP had allegedly resorted to self-help by deriding and ridiculing the Judiciary in the public space.
They, however, reminded the SDP and its candidate, Ajaka, that court cases are won with facts and evidence, not through propaganda, intimidation and name-dropping.
Speaking on behalf of the CSOs, the National Coordinator of the Coalition of Civil Society of Nigeria, Ohalete Wisdom Kelechi, said the INEC and the Judiciary were two critical institutions of government that must be protected from the prejudice of political interests.
He said, “We are concerned that some political interests have continued to stoke embers of hate, further heightening the tension in the land.
“It must be clearly stated that those who have continued to abuse, harass, lampoon, insult and event attempt to induce officers of the judiciary do not mean well for our country.
“When the electoral body and the judiciary come under fierce attacks, coordinated propaganda and mindless blackmail, the pillar of democracy hangs in the balance and good governance will take a back seat.”
Also speaking on behalf of some of the observers accredited by INEC for the election, Mr. Emmanuel Oluwasegun, commended INEC for conducting what many described as the freest and fairest election since the creation of Kogi State.
He said while the SDP performed well in the Senatorial District of its candidate but poorly in the two other senatorial districts making up the state, its key leaders had continued to pollute the political atmosphere over their failure to secure victory.
Oluwasegun said, “It is important to note that there was an election which was credible in all its ramifications. INEC officials were at their best from what we witnessed and from report by foreign observers.
“The SDP won in local governments where its popularity is organic. It was able to mobilise people to vote for the party. The APC utilised its popularity in the state to mobilise the needed support in all the local governments. It did very well in both the West and Central districts, winning overwhelmingly in the district of its candidate. This resulted in about 190,000 votes difference between it and the closest rival.”
“No one is saying political parties cannot go to court to test their luck or seek justice if they think they have a case, but the resort to name calling, character assassination and propaganda against the Judiciary is seriously off the line and must be rebuked. The Judiciary doesn’t yield to intimidation. Prove your case with facts and in line with the Electoral Act,” he said.
Also in his remarks, the leader of the Indigenous People of Kogi State, Oguche Benjamin PhD, who is also from Kogi East, said some politically exposed persons had caused a wide division between the ethnic and religious divides in the state, which had led to avoidable tension, urging them to exercise caution in their utterances.
Dr. Oguche accused the SDP of promoting ethnic divisions, hate and violence against non SDP members in Kogi East LGA. He said several high profile government officials were hounded by SDP sponsored and known Igala military personnel who were sent home on specific assignments to arrest, beat, illegally detain and torture known APC leaders and stakeholders.
He insisted that the violence, intimidation and attacks meted on APC members, which he witnessed, first hand, were “unimaginably unjustifiable and unacceptable”, adding that despite all that, the APC still won the election convincingly.
“The lower tribunal and appeal courts gave the same judgement, in line with what local and international observers saw. Why concocting non-existent figures all in the name of desperation and for propaganda? The law is blind to sentiments or hooliganism. What matters is proving your case in court beyond reasonable doubt and nothing but that,” he said.
The Kogi indigenes, therefore, advised the SDP candidate to rebrand his politics away from hate peddling and outdated propaganda if he wants to try his luck at the next governorship election in the state.
“This strategy is outdated and cannot sway the learned community, and definitely not the Judiciary,” they stated.
