Grandiose Parlor

11 Responses to “Oshiomole vs. Osunbor: Annulment isn’t Enough Deterrent for Electoral Fraud”

1. If Osunbor is not made to face prosecution for rigging the election, he should at least be forced to repay the salaries he collected during his term in office.
   If this is not done, people will still be encouraged to rig elections. At least they’ll get a lick of power for approximately 20 months before they are booted out.

   By Anthony Arojojoye
   November 12, 2008 at 2:34 am

2. Nigeria is gradually becoming a country where political leadership is based on merit order than fraudulent and forceful imposition of leaders on the people.
   Yar Adua’s administration has set the precedence and i hope that the antangonist of rule of law will not murder it.

   COngrats to my mentor- Comrade Adams O. for the good fight and the victory for the democracy.I know you will not dissapoint the people of your state.

   By Sampson
   November 12, 2008 at 2:38 am

3. Well said Imnakoya. This post brings to the open something that has and is still troubling my mind. Well comments above butress the fact that gradually we in Nigeria are waking up and we now need to keep awake and follow through this fight for justice. Pen and paper and computer keyboards are playing their part. Hope others will join in this fight to ensure that there is no repeat of this madness come 2011. We are gaining gradual momentum and should keep it up. The struggle has just begun. We will strive for more success in many other areas. The Nigerian legal, judicial system, and even the lawyers, magistrates etc need to wake up to the truth also. Not too many people can say good things about their various experiences in Court. Then next we come to the NIGERIAN POLICE….

   By omotaylor
   November 12, 2008 at 5:07 am

4. Hi Omotato and all those that clamour for justice,

   We need to think of a way of minimising electioneering rigging. It is off course going to be cumbersome, although not impossible.

   Omotayo takes a view of 2011 and the madness of rigging. Could seminars and public orientation be constantly held in our respective states/LGs/communities and homes.

   Election rigging will be minimized if the youths say no to it.

   By Sampson
   November 12, 2008 at 7:54 am

5. @Sampson, I have always had a strong belief in education and training as an effective tool for enlightenment. But you see things work a bit different in Nigeria. You propose good ideas, they are swept under the carpet or repackaged (sometimes wrongly)to suit some other people’s evil interest. Only States with good leadership and leaders by the people for the people can be approached to allow such seminars to proceed. But then all is not lost, for example in Ondo State it is our hope and belief that this will be done. Hope Edo State under Oshiohmole would embrace the same idea.

   That said, the issue of having free and fair elections is more than seminars and lectures at Local Government levels. It should include studying and doing a SWOT analysis of good Models from any country with a proven successful election process. Will Nigeria allow this? Even as we speak, the USA free and fair election system that gave the world hope and something to be proud of (especially Africans and African Americans), has already been berated by one of them Nigerian so called leaders! So what hope? In spite of all that has transpired so far, many enemies of progress abound in Nigeria who still will not want free and fail election sytem in place, because rigging, corruption, bullying, blackmailing and what have you are the only adjectives in their dictionary. Such people will need be eliminated from Nigerian politics come 2011.

   Do we need an electoral system where every Tom, Dick and Harry would come out and contest even on Presidential level? NO. Do we need an electoral system where the police and soldiers would be compromised to assist in ballot snatching, intimidating innocent voters etc? NO. Do we need an election system where one individual would decide the result of an incomplete election, announce it in the Capital (Abuja) while in the affected state (Ondo), the electoral officer is still trying to unravel some mysteries? NO. Do we need an electoral system where the officers who are in charge of the system (INEC) could be so compromised and fraudulent that it needs Judicial Appeals to sort out the mess, which could take anytime up to 2YEARS? NO. I could go on and on with questions, but I am sure you get the flow.

   2011 is just round the corner. Now is the time to start preparing for it. Are the leaders listening to the voice of reason? Only a few. Others are thinking of how to arrest, detain, torture and intimidate bloggers? WHERE IS DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA? HOPE ITS JUST HALF ASLEEP AND WILL BE WOKEN UP AS OPPOSED TO DEAD.

   Fraustrating when you are a Nigerian and you could see how easy it is to make amends but you are not anywhere near the seat of power to do this. ~Even if you have any such power, would others around you flow with you? Well, leadership from the top down like Fashola is seriously doing in Lagos State would at least help. Where you can talk to your leader and be listened to. In Edo State, the people must demand same. In Ondo State, under the elected Governor Dr Mimiko, THIS WILL HAPPEN.

   If anyone dares on a private basis dare convene such seminars and lectures, they would be held in Nigeria for TREASON or worse. Maybe we can form Drama groups and travel the length and breath of Nigeria with plays that will teach morals and useful election tips. Wole Soyinka did this, am proud to say I was one of his followers/actors and it worked well - e.g. OPERA WONYOSI, BIKO’S INQUEST. I then followed on the cry against apartheid when i was a lecturer at Ogun State Polytechnic by single handedly forming a drama group called - PATHFINDERS. We had hit plays e.g. LET MY PEOPLE GO.

   When studying for my Executive Mangement masters, I was once asked when we had a module in Austria called MANAGING ACROSS CULTURES, what I personally find very annoying in Leadership styles in some countries. My answer then (over 10 years ago) is very relevant to present day Nigeria:
   “I hate when leaders make silly mistakes to the detriment of a whole nation/state/culture. I still do. For if the led can propose better ideas than the leader (all the time) then there is a problem. Such is the type of problem that Agagu has been and is still faced with. Some leaders just dont have a clue. They only want to ride on the shoulders of others and rely on their gift of the garb to see them through. If this is not foolery, please tell me what it is.

   We need to collectively make our voices heard, in any way we are able to. I am. Through writing and commenting on blogs for now. Morning shows the day, not night time.

   Peace, and as I say mostly nowadays, - ALLUTA CONTINUA.

   By omotaylor
   November 12, 2008 at 3:32 pm

6. @Sampson, hope you get my name right next time around. I thought it was someone else and had to scroll through the responses to ascertain that it was me. Cheers Bruv

   By omotaylor
   November 12, 2008 at 3:34 pm

7. One of the measures that can be taken against electoral fraud is to make it punishable under the law. If robbery and fraud are jailable offences, I don’t see why rigging and ballot box stuffing shouldn’t.

   And as Anthony suggested, it would be a great to see usupers like Osunbor refund their salary and other allowances earned during his stay.

   What can be written into law is to suspend paying salaries to any elected official whose case is pending in the court. And in the event of a reversal — like Oshiomole and Osunbor — the out-going administration should be investigated, with no exceptions.

   By Imnakoya
   November 13, 2008 at 6:29 pm

8. As it is not currently written in the law do you believe this will happen. So we need to push for the law to be amended in parts. The law is so full of legal LOOPHOLES.

   By omotaylor
   November 13, 2008 at 7:42 pm

9. I am sorry that I do not share a lot of people’s optimistic outlook to any elections and the forth coming ones from Nigeria. Our people are not free to think about choice let alone make it, these elections are won before the polls open and that is not so bad. My concern is simply the idea that any one person can change the rot that took over 40 years to take hold is erroneous and most Nigerians do not even care about who the all powerful chief executive is. The state of being completely subject to someone more powerful is still widespread in Nigeria today, people have been conditioned to servitude and as such hail the next person that brings the “cola”.

   Should the Nigerian electoral system reward fraud and injustice? That is an excellent question but will never fit the Nigerian scene as it is unjust in the 1st place. Nigeria and the rest of Africa needs a whole new set of rules. The world sees a poor continent and as such use aid and charity as a benevolent at arms length treatment. How do we stop the rot or how should we contribute to the development? The questions we must be asking included, what were the people measurable benefits left after each end of term? Incoherent answers should be met with heads for the chop. Today, OBJ walks free as UN Congo envoy and Atiku is making noises of returning.

   By Beauty
   November 23, 2008 at 1:58 pm

10. first it was Obi in Anambra State, now Oshomhole in Edo State. Maybe there is really a future for Nigeria if truely we learn to damn all consequencies to fight for what is right.

    By Isitoah, O. Emmanuel
    February 17, 2009 at 7:45 pm

11. Well well I share all optimism for a good future for Nigeria and Nigerians. Slowly it will be but surely we shall get there and never say die. for all our good efforts will pay off.

    Ondo State is next and Dr Mimiko shall win. While Obasanjo hides his head in shame, Agagu will flee. I wonder why these people keep on running to Yaradua, our sleepy president. What do they want him to do? Corrupt the truth? Well good thing is Yaradua is not a corrupt man.

    He who laughs last laughs best.

    Peace

    By Omotaylor
    February 20, 2009 at 4:33 pm

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