A former member of the Ekiti State House of Assembly and ex-aspirant for Ekiti North Senatorial District, Honourable Princess Titilayo Owolabi-Akerele, has explained why the upcoming off-season governorship election in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa State will be tougher than the general election held across the country between February and March 2023.
The ex-Ekiti lawmaker, who has been actively involved in the grassroots politics in her state for years, said as against what is obtainable in countries with advanced democracies, off-season elections are often more difficult for opposition parties in the state to win due to the huge conspiracy that rent the polling units on the election day and the incumbency power the sitting governors wield to rig the poll in their favour at all cost.
She said despite the repeated promises from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to make election credible in the country, past incidents of flagrant conspiracy from the electoral commission have put huge doubt on its capacity to make the next November 11 free, fair and credible for all residents of the affected states.
The former lawmaker, who stated this in her reaction to an analysis and interview published in Sunday Tribune newspaper, said except a miracle happens, the ruling parties in the three affected states will definitely win the upcoming election even when that may not necessarily be the choices of the voters in the states.
“Stagger or off-season elections are mostly tough and non-democratic. Such elections are more autocratic and largely controlled by those with the state apparatus of power. I am giving you this opinion because I play politics in a state with an off-cycle election and I have participated in election primaries at least four times,” she explained.
“The most obvious expectation from INEC will be a level playing field for all participants! But is INEC really independent? Are they 100% non-partisan? Are the state security personnel apolitical?. These are questions begging for honest answers!”
“From my experience, I can predict the results of the three states. Please keep this interview and review my prediction after the elections. APC will win Kogi and Imo, while PDP will win Bayelsa.
“This is because as it was in the beginning, it is now, and soever shall it be. Until I see genuine efforts at departing from the past. Vote merchandising, thuggery and disallowing the electorate to produce a candidate of their choice are still so much rooted in our electoral processes,” she added.
READ ALSO FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
and then