A former NTA Director-General, Prof. Tonnie Iredia has, on Wednesday, likened defecting PDP governors and opposition politicians joining All Progressives Congress (APC) to herdsmen, criticising their pre-2027 political moves.
While calling on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be accountable as only credible elections can bring good leaders, he said Nigeria needs strong institutions and not strong men.
Iredia, stated these in Abuja while speaking at the Annual Lecture Series of the National Association of Political Correspondents (NAPOC) with the theme, “The Legacy of Option A-4 and June 12 election.”
He said, “I see those defecting Governors as same like herdsmen who move about destroying people’s crops and claim to have right of movement. Governors are free to move to wherever they want. But they must not move with the votes of the political parties.
“They should be stopped from moving because they’re taking the votes of others. June 12 should remind us of true democracy.”
According to him, the objective of his speech was to reecho the views of the international community on the June 13 1993 presidential election as the best in the political history of Nigeria and Option A-4.
Iredia said Option A-4 should be adopted in party congresses and primaries and in places where elections have not been known to be credible.
He said, “Option A-4 should be adopted in party congresses and in places where election have not been known to be credible. There are misconceptions about Opinion A-4. It’s not a system of voting, but an arrangement which made it possible for election results and winners to be known on the spot.
“We wait to announce declaration of results on the later. That’s why elections are rigged. Journalists should learn to report results of where it was collated.”
Describing June 12 as “a watershed”, he traced the history of chequered elections in the political history of Nigeria since 1959 before and after the June 12 election.
Iredia said, “What was special about June 12 was the calibre of the personnel of the electoral commission. There was unity of direction of late Prof Humphrey Nwosu. He told us that if elections are free and fair, we will all be given national honours by President Ibrahim Babangida.
“In our days, judiciary couldn’t stop elections, except where there is widespread irregularity. INEC itself should be accountable. Only credible elections can bring good leaders. Nigeria needs strong institutions, not strong men.
“The Nigerian media has been unduly timid, they have been over censored. When we talk about media ownership and control, we should also speak about self censorship. Journalists should report as it is and should not hide under media owners to censor themselves.”
Friday Olokor
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