Rivers State Re-run Election 2016
-By Salaudeen Kadri Olayin
"RIVERS IN THE WRONG HAND MOVING RETROGRESSIVELY"
"When the head is rotten, other parts of the body will be rendered useless"
Olusegun Obasanjo.
Fellow Nigerians, in my opinion I consider Election to be a significant feature of a
democratic society, as it serve to legitimize political systems, ensure the accountability of leaders and
reinforce citizen’s participation in the political process.
In political system of any country, legitimacy, accountability and citizen participation are crucial for political stability and peaceful co-existence. In fact, the atmospheric condition of democratic societies are threatened when political parties and politicians, either acting individually or through their guys engage in any random or organized act that seeks to determine, delay or otherwise influence an electoral process through threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical assault, blackmail, destruction of property and or lost of lives.
It should be noted that electoral violence has a critical impact on the electoral process, the outcome of the elections, and their perceived legitimacy. It negatively affects a society’s prospect for democratic consolidation and sustainable development. The deadly re-occurrence of electoral violence in Rivers state continues to undermine the free expression of the will of the people through the ballot, weaken accountability mechanisms, and frustrate citizen’s participation in the political process.
However, Rivers state today is under the leadership of Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (born 13 December 1967) a lawyer who is the sixth governor of Rivers State. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party. Going by history, Wike was appointed Minister of State for Education on 14 July 2011 by ex president Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He was later appointed the Acting Minister of Education, after Mrs Riqqayatu was sacked but resigned before finishing his term to campaign for Governor of Rivers State. In 2014, he won the Rivers State People's Democratic Party primary and chose former Secretary to the State Government Ipalibo Banigo as his running mate for deputy governor.
He defeated Dakuku Peterside of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 Gubernatorial Polls to emerge as governor controversially. It is however disheartened that before, during and after the election that brought Wike into power till today elections in Rivers was considered as war whereby many do lose their lives. It should be recalled that before and during the election that brought in Wike as governor many promising Nigerians lost their lives and governor Wike did nothing to bring those behind the killing to book. Similarly, many feared dead in the rerun conducted over the weekend in the state and it is disappointing that it didn't reflex in governor Wike's behavior and speech that lives were lost during the rerun he is only concern about the emergence of All Progressive Candidate.
With this will I be right to say Wike has no human feelings? To this end, I must make it clear it is quite unfortunate that a state like "Rivers has Wike as their governor" on the ground that the state and the office requires a person of integrity and of high intellect which Wike lack. Finally, am using this humble medium to call on the Federal Government in collaboration with our security agencies to find lasting solution to electoral violence in Rivers and across the nation in order for people's will to continue speaking for them as failure to which might manifest to destruction. With this, I believe Nigeria will be great again. God bless my father land.
"RIVERS IN THE WRONG HAND MOVING RETROGRESSIVELY"
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| African Opinion |
In political system of any country, legitimacy, accountability and citizen participation are crucial for political stability and peaceful co-existence. In fact, the atmospheric condition of democratic societies are threatened when political parties and politicians, either acting individually or through their guys engage in any random or organized act that seeks to determine, delay or otherwise influence an electoral process through threat, verbal intimidation, hate speech, disinformation, physical assault, blackmail, destruction of property and or lost of lives.
It should be noted that electoral violence has a critical impact on the electoral process, the outcome of the elections, and their perceived legitimacy. It negatively affects a society’s prospect for democratic consolidation and sustainable development. The deadly re-occurrence of electoral violence in Rivers state continues to undermine the free expression of the will of the people through the ballot, weaken accountability mechanisms, and frustrate citizen’s participation in the political process.
However, Rivers state today is under the leadership of Ezenwo Nyesom Wike (born 13 December 1967) a lawyer who is the sixth governor of Rivers State. He is a member of the People's Democratic Party. Going by history, Wike was appointed Minister of State for Education on 14 July 2011 by ex president Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan. He was later appointed the Acting Minister of Education, after Mrs Riqqayatu was sacked but resigned before finishing his term to campaign for Governor of Rivers State. In 2014, he won the Rivers State People's Democratic Party primary and chose former Secretary to the State Government Ipalibo Banigo as his running mate for deputy governor.
He defeated Dakuku Peterside of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the April 11 Gubernatorial Polls to emerge as governor controversially. It is however disheartened that before, during and after the election that brought Wike into power till today elections in Rivers was considered as war whereby many do lose their lives. It should be recalled that before and during the election that brought in Wike as governor many promising Nigerians lost their lives and governor Wike did nothing to bring those behind the killing to book. Similarly, many feared dead in the rerun conducted over the weekend in the state and it is disappointing that it didn't reflex in governor Wike's behavior and speech that lives were lost during the rerun he is only concern about the emergence of All Progressive Candidate.
With this will I be right to say Wike has no human feelings? To this end, I must make it clear it is quite unfortunate that a state like "Rivers has Wike as their governor" on the ground that the state and the office requires a person of integrity and of high intellect which Wike lack. Finally, am using this humble medium to call on the Federal Government in collaboration with our security agencies to find lasting solution to electoral violence in Rivers and across the nation in order for people's will to continue speaking for them as failure to which might manifest to destruction. With this, I believe Nigeria will be great again. God bless my father land.
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