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As a message of hope to Nigerians on his 77th birthday, President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted in most of the National Dailies as saying, \”I would stop desperate Politician in 2023\”.
The above statement by Mr President has generated a lot of reactions among Nigerians across board.
While some people have commended Mr President for the above statement many others have raised an eyebrows against it.
For example, many Nigerians are asking that why must Mr President wait till 2023 to do that when stager elections witnessed between 2015 and 2019 as a result of court judgements under President Muhammadu Buhari\’s watch were characterized with rigging, thuggery, violence and imposition of candidates!
Kogi recent election where Helicopter was used to aid rigging in favour of APC is a germane scenario.
In this particular write up, we bring to you the reaction of a well respected legal Icon, Jibrin Sam Okutepa (SAN) on how he receives the above statement as culled from his official Facebook page.
Let us read him;
\” President Muhammadu Buhari said in 2023 he will not tolerate or allow electoral malpractice in our elections.
He said this during his 77th birthday recently.
How I wished this is not one of many promises rooted in political statements that hardly gets fulfilled.
I am eagerly waiting to see how the president intends to do it or stop electoral malpractice in 2023 given the fact that he will be voting in Daura and he will not be in all the polling units all at the same time.
But before he tells us how he intends to achieve this feat, the statement by the president is an acknowledgement that there has been electoral malpractice which the president promised he will not allow in 2023.
As a mark of his commitment to achieving his promise, is it not then good if he ensures that those who engaged in electoral malfeasance in 2015 and 2019 are duly brought to book to serve as a deterrent for the would be transgressors of 2023?.
The elections of recent times under this INEC has been anything but free and fair.
The level of gunshots in our recent elections shouldn\’t be swept under the carpet.
The level of fake police during the recent elections should worry the president.
The level to which air arsenal was used in the recent elections should worry the president.
The rascalities of political actors in winning at all costs should worry the president.
That our experiences in the elections in the last four years show clearly our intolerable appetites for undemocratic means in attaining political offices should worry the president.
Primary elections of political parties have witnessed most undemocratic choice of flag bearers of political parties.
While the statement by the president is encouraging I think the president must match his words with action if we are not to say good bye to democracy in Nigeria\”.
Jibrin Sam Okutepa (SAN)
Abuja – Nigeria
