North West Civil Society on Anti–Corruption (NWCSAC) in a peaceful protest staged on Monday in Kano, has begged President Bola Tinubu, to intervene over the controversy surrounding the conduct of the elections tribunal in the State.
This is just as the body informed Tinubu that “Kano and other states are already politically tense with anxiety, therefore any attempt to manipulate the outcome of the elections in Kano, may result into an unprecedented crisis which may consume the country”.
NWCSAC Convener, Alhaji Ibrahim Waiya, in a letter presented to the state governor, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, said that the union organised the protest to intimate President Tinubu on the recent unfolding scenario coming from Election Petition Tribunal in the State.
The statement then called on Tinubu to demonstrate a high sense of democratic integrity by staying away from any induced sentiment of allowing himself to be used to interfere in the activities of all elections Tribunal, to safeguard his honour and self-esteem.
The union consist of students groups, academics, democrats and patriotic individuals, in Kano and other six States of the North West, promoting campaign against corruption and social injustice, as well as promoting accountability in governance.
The letter read:
Your Excellency, you will recall that in 2019, Kano State was overheated at what was alleged to be a gang-up through the influence of the then APC-led Federal Government of Nigeria, aimed at manipulating the outcome of the re-run elections and thereby usurping the rights of the Kano people to choose leaders of their desire.
The inconclusive saga has already been written into the Guinness Book of Nigerian Politics, as one of the most disastrous events in Nigerian political history.
Many efforts were summoned by critical stakeholders in the state to prevail on the likely conflicts which were about to be ignited through the anger of the aggrieved masses, however, tensions were doused as the matter was referred to the judiciary, therefore igniting another hope of getting justice from the Nigerian judicial system in the country.
Your Excellency, despite the generated tensions in Kano State, in 2019 which we all lived to witness, it was apparently alleged that the mandate of the Kano people was hijacked through the machineries of some institutions, such as police, INEC and the rest, and was said to have cumulatively conspired against the desires of Kano people, taking into cognizance the outcome of the election.
Similarly, 2023 is here again, and the responsibility of upholding the mandate of every election anyway in the country does not only lie on your shoulders, but it is religiously mandatory upon you to work towards providing an enabling environment to all.
Your Excellency, the recent revelations credited to one of the justices in Kano Elections Tribunal, is a clear indication that some people are working to manipulate the judicial processes, despite hugely recorded electoral fraud, such as: rigging, massive use of money to induce voters, attempt to create violence as another machineries to scare the Kano voters from exercising their franchise to choose the candidates of their choices.
The level of this exhibited anxiety engineered through the work of some desperate politicians, is not only worrisome but also dangerous to the continuous survival of our democracy. It is our adamant belief that if this trend is allowed to strive in our democratic system, giving edge to some evilly minded politicians who think of nothing except themselves, slowly but surely we would be consumed.
For a Justice of the Election Tribunal to make such public outburst complaining about the persistent attempts to be induced to compromise her impartial stance, was surely not for the first time, and this selfless service to humanity, she exhibited deserved to be commended.
We considered writing this letter to present to you, after a peaceful demonstration by the good people of Kano, organised by North West Civil Society Anti-Corruption Network, to register our displeasure over this unfortunate attempt to bribe the judges to manipulate the outcome of the elections petitions,
The widespread rumour to turn up the victory of some elected political leaders, is not only dangerous but also suicidal, which may in turn also affect your political integrity, standing and recognition not only in Nigeria but across the international communities.
In his response after collecting the letter, the state governor, Alhaji Yusuf assured the protesters to deliver the letter to President Tinubu.
He also commended the NWCSAC for organising peaceful protest and thanked the security operatives for their efforts in preventing it not to be hijacked by hoodlums, which in turn, would have led to the breakdown of law and order.
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