A member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Teejay Yusuf representing Kabba Bunu/Ijumu Federal constituency of Kogi State has urged the European Union, United Kingdom and other developed nations to emulate the US in banning election riggers.
In a statement issued in Abuja on Thursday and made available to DAILY POST, the lawmaker expressed fear that the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) would in their ignoble style declare Edo governorship election inconclusive.
He said, PDP’s 16 years leadership produced only one inconclusive election but the supposed pro-people APC has produced 22 inconclusive elections within five years, lamenting that APC was retrogressing the nation politically.
Speaking further on Edo governorship election scheduled to hold at the weekend, the legislator urged Democrats across the nation to prevail on the United States, the EU, UK and all other countries to insist that there is no repeat of the APC’s trick in Osun State where they casually engineered an ‘inconclusive election’ to manipulate and win through the back door in Edo.
“We shall continue to commend the USA for wielding the big stick against those who played inglorious, despicable roles in the violent rape of democracy during Kogi State’s last governorship elections.
He insisted that the APC should be tamed by the US, EU and UK for the party’s penchant for rigging by slamming them with Visa ban the more.
“It is curious and alarming to hear that this government consistently rewards those who unashamedly subvert the people’s will during the electioneering process.
“For instance, a top INEC official who perpetrated ungodly roles in the 2019 Kano State elections was rewarded with more sensitive responsibilities, posted to Kogi State where further compromise was glaring and now, this same person has been posted to Edo State for next Saturday’s governorship election.”
Yusuf pointed out that the APC’s five years in power has been laced with unprecedented nepotism, worsened insecurity, economic misery, high unemployment and grand schemes to thwart democracy through various means, including ‘inconclusive election’, regretting that the party professed to be on the side of the people.
He said the APC rode to power while spreading propagandist illusion of being populist, saying they have been disconnected from citizens.
He called on the judiciary to rise to the historical occasion of saving Nigeria’s democracy, adding that official deafness to voices of reason has inspired worsening mass resentment and a widening call for regionalism and even dismemberment of the nation.
