Apr 23rd, 2007
Mimiko Rejects Cancellation of Ondo Guber Poll
Source: http://allafrica.com/stories/200704230175.html. Champion Newspapers
- Hires four SANs to handle tribunal
Labour Party (LP) in Ondo state and its governorship candidate, Dr. Olusegun Mimiko have rejected the cancellation of the April 14 Governorship poll by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), just as four Senior Advocates of Nigeria [SANs] have been hired to trade battles at the post- election tribunal.
Addressing pressmen in Ikeja, Lagos state, weekend, the Director of Communication, Mimiko Campaign Organization, Pastor Ranti Akere also said that the post-election reactions by the people in the state during which property valued at several millions of naira were destroyed and over 400 people arrested so far made him to love the late despot Sani Abacha more than President Olusegun Obasanjo.
He alleged that the move by INEC was to afford the ruling People’s Democratic Party [PDP] “To perfect what it couldn’t do penultimate Saturday because the people were just too vigilant for their [PDP] plan.”
Rather than accept the verdict of the INEC, the LP and its candidate have resolved to seek the judicial redress, with Akere saying, “we only want judicial means.”
He explained that neither the party nor the candidate was afraid of going to poll again, even if it will be hundred times over again, “But what would happen to the people’s trust and confidence freely and cheerfully given to Dr. Olusegun Mimiko on April 14, 2007; what would happen to the people’s stress and hope on that day,” he queried.
While alleging the presence of heavily-armed military men, intimidating the electorate at the polling units, Pastor Akere said, “We are against any attempt to cancel that election because we have all the facts that we won the election.”
He alleged that the INEC would never organize any credible election in the state should the result of the controversial one be cancelled, “It is to give them the opportunity to perfect their tactics; they now want to selectively have election in the areas where there were no elections so as to oppress electorate with soldiers.”
Warning on the implication of the cancellation move in some parts of the state, Akere alleged that INEC and the PDP would conspire to manipulate election result, saying, “They will write forged result that would conveniently put them ahead of other contestants.”
However, the LP chieftain gave a condition, under which the party and its candidate would accept the INEC’s decision, “Unless all elections in other parts of the country are cancelled, otherwise, we reject it.”
According to him, “the election was an outright rape on democracy; as a matter of fact, I prefer Abacha to Obasanjo thousand times all over;” advising the populace not to take law into their hands, adding that the governorship candidate had contacted four senior legal luminaries to argue his case at the election tribunal, “Mimiko believes in the efficacy of the law, already, we have four Senior Advocates of Nigeria working for us.”
He disclosed that they have gathered the needed incriminating facts and figures that would upturn the result in their favour, “We have gathered all the incriminating evidence against the PDP, we shall fight it out legally,” describing the experience at the polls as horrible.
4 Responses to “Mimiko Rejects Cancellation of Ondo Guber Poll”
Let the heat continue. Justice would therefore be thoroughly cooked and well-served on the people’s table.
‘Bo pe, bo ya ni’; light will always prevail over darkness. And Mimiko’s case will not be an exception. We must keep the fire ON!
So what happens next. Cancel the Polls? Ask the discouraged people to come out to re vote and say yes to what they have already said yes to? Have the yes turned to a NO again as the corruptipn level of rigging election is not only widespread but deeply rooted? Have some lives lost again? Come out to declare a lie again and possibly announce Ondo State election result in Abuja first while Ondo State INEC Commissioner is yet to resolve the ballot in Ondo state? Say again that for the second time Agagu is the winner – (all the results and way and manner Nigerian election has gone so far speaks for itself)?: Then have Mimiko go to court a second time and then cancel the Polls again and start THE VISCIOUS CIRCLE ALL OVER AGAIN???????????????? The answer is a categorical NO. The people have voted MIMIKO as their Governor. He won the polls which were stolen and given to AGAGU. There is no need cancelling the polls. INVESTIGATE THE POLLS AND THE RESULT OF THE ELECTION ON APRIL 21. You will find that Mimiko is the clear winner by over 65%. Give back to Mimiko what was stolen from him i.e. the peoples mandate, the peoples wish and the peoples need for MIMIKO to govern Ondo State wef 29th May 2007. Fair is Fair and JUSTICE WILL BE DONE. MIMIKO AND THE PEOPLE OF ONDO STATE MUST KEEP THE STRUGGLE GOING TILL THE JUST END.
Information should be passed across to everybody in the state who is having one proof or the other to support this case, be it on tape or any other form, that he/she should find means of passing them across to the legal team for a solid case to be advanced before the election petitions tribunal.
We have been cheated all-round (I just got to know that they also won the 3 senatorial seats, with somebody like Gbenga Ogunniya being returned to the senate) but the fight for Mimiko’s mandate will be a good one to start with.
And there’s need for us to be articulate in this fight in order to achieve the desired result. I wish the legal team and indeed, everyone of us, the very best as the struggle continues . . .
I have just read in one of the National Dailies that the Prosecution of Election Riggers have commenced in Lagos. This is good as anyone who is found guilty of doing any form of evil should be brought to the books. When i was growing up my mother took me to watch a stage drama at Ibara in Abeokuta which was acted out by prisoners. MOST OF THEM WERE PUT IN PRISON FOR YEARS FOR ACCEPTING BRIBES!! What went wrong in Nigeria? Bribery is now a way of life and corruption has become the victorysong in high places! We will collectively bring Nigeria back to the glorious days. This is bound to happen as we cannot continue this way forever.
My question now though is this- WHEN WILL THE PROSECUTION OF OBASANJO, AGAGU AND THE LIKES OF THEM COMMENCE?
Iroko yi jo gba sibe. You will win this fight for justice. God is the only one you can trust in this matter – not man, please note this. The lawyers are making the right moves. Move along with them and God. You are being taken through all this to learn vital lessons of life which you will use to govern Ondo State successfully. If Joseph was sent directly to Pharaoh before he went through his baptism of fire i.e. Sold into Slavery& put in prison for an offence he did not commit, he may have not developed the mastery skill of discerning people, making wise judgements and decisions. He could have taken along his so called brothers who did not really love him. God is going to use this experience to separate you and the vision killers and ticks and leeches who would have tagged along with you if the journey was too smooth and then through demands contrary to your vision, make the journey so bad, and thereby not letting the people really benefit. I understand that some of them are beginning to decamp. Good riddance to bad rubbish i say. Dont forget this sir. You are a man of the people. I know your stolen mandate would be restored. It is a matter of time. I am actually moving on to remind you of all the masses. Your vision for Ondo State is what they are clinging to. No one should debar you from doing all you promised for them. I repeat as always, ALAGBAKA AWAITS YOU.