National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday insisted that former President Goodluck
Jonathan, introduced and perfected vote-buying syndrome into
Nigerian politics, calling on the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, to prosecute him for electoral crime.
Comrade Oshiomhole in a statement by its Chief Press Secretary,
CPS, Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, wondered why the former president
resorted to name calling instead of addressing issues raised by APC
National Chairman.
While noting that it is unfortunate that the former president
rather than own up and apologize to the nation for his crime if he
still retain little remnant of conscience after a disastrous
presidency, the statement said among others, “A quick fact-check
will disclose that Jonathan invented vote-buying as was witnessed
in 2015, in Edo State as well as other states of the nation when he
injected billions of naira desperately buying votes to ensure he
got a futile second chance as President. Out of desperation
Jonathan injected over N5 billion through PDP leaders with a view
to forcefully influencing Edo electorate into voting PDP. This was
why the PDP was able to corner two senatorial seats in the state
and got a majority of the House of Representatives’ seats against
the wish of the electorate in Edo State.
“At press time, PDP leaders in Edo are currently in court over
the funds the ex-president deployed to buy votes in the state. If
he had worked hard even for his constituents in the South-South as
President, he would not have had any cause to voyage into
vote-buying. What transpired served as a deadly behaviour
modification for innocent voters and skewed their consciousness to
the awareness they could now make money before voting for
candidates.”“INEC as the electoral umpire should move to prosecute Jonathan
for being a harbinger of vote-buying. At press time, Jonathan’s
cronies are either on the run or singing in different courtrooms on
how they converted funds meant for purchase of arms and ammunition
in the fight against insurgency to buy votes for the
ex-president.”
Today, some of the ill-fated underhand strategies Jonathan
deployed to win elections are no longer secrets. The humongous
amounts – the Dasuki cash, Diezani loot, et cetera, that the EFCC
has uncovered in connection with funding the 2015 presidential
election and buying votes are now well known.
“It is worth recalling here that in its 16 years in power, the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, betrayed considerable hope. Instead
of strengthening democracy and promoting good governance, the party
was bedeviled by indiscipline and a compelling failure to exercise
power to the benefit of Nigerians. The PDP had with a strange
consistency violated the constitutional primacy of free and fair
elections as the only way of choosing a leader.“The administration of Jonathan did not deviate from the flawed
vision or governance impunities of the PDP. Vote-buying is a sad
product of PDP’s uninspiring history. It has no place in the
patriotic vision of APC. So how can ex-President Jonathan have the
moral grounds to attack the national chairman of the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC, who is initiating transformational
template of party governance for a popular party on a rescue
mission.”
National Chairman of All Progressives Congress, APC, Comrade
Adams Oshiomhole, yesterday insisted that former President Goodluck
Jonathan, introduced and perfected vote-buying syndrome into
Nigerian politics, calling on the Independent National Electoral
Commission, INEC, to prosecute him for electoral crime.
Comrade Oshiomhole in a statement by its Chief Press Secretary,
CPS, Mr. Simon Ebegbulem, wondered why the former president
resorted to name calling instead of addressing issues raised by APC
National Chairman.
While noting that it is unfortunate that the former president
rather than own up and apologize to the nation for his crime if he
still retain little remnant of conscience after a disastrous
presidency, the statement said among others, “A quick fact-check
will disclose that Jonathan invented vote-buying as was witnessed
in 2015, in Edo State as well as other states of the nation when he
injected billions of naira desperately buying votes to ensure he
got a futile second chance as President. Out of desperation
Jonathan injected over N5 billion through PDP leaders with a view
to forcefully influencing Edo electorate into voting PDP. This was
why the PDP was able to corner two senatorial seats in the state
and got a majority of the House of Representatives’ seats against
the wish of the electorate in Edo State.
“At press time, PDP leaders in Edo are currently in court over
the funds the ex-president deployed to buy votes in the state. If
he had worked hard even for his constituents in the South-South as
President, he would not have had any cause to voyage into
vote-buying. What transpired served as a deadly behaviour
modification for innocent voters and skewed their consciousness to
the awareness they could now make money before voting for
candidates.”“INEC as the electoral umpire should move to prosecute Jonathan
for being a harbinger of vote-buying. At press time, Jonathan’s
cronies are either on the run or singing in different courtrooms on
how they converted funds meant for purchase of arms and ammunition
in the fight against insurgency to buy votes for the
ex-president.”
Today, some of the ill-fated underhand strategies Jonathan
deployed to win elections are no longer secrets. The humongous
amounts – the Dasuki cash, Diezani loot, et cetera, that the EFCC
has uncovered in connection with funding the 2015 presidential
election and buying votes are now well known.
“It is worth recalling here that in its 16 years in power, the
Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, betrayed considerable hope. Instead
of strengthening democracy and promoting good governance, the party
was bedeviled by indiscipline and a compelling failure to exercise
power to the benefit of Nigerians. The PDP had with a strange
consistency violated the constitutional primacy of free and fair
elections as the only way of choosing a leader.“The administration of Jonathan did not deviate from the flawed
vision or governance impunities of the PDP. Vote-buying is a sad
product of PDP’s uninspiring history. It has no place in the
patriotic vision of APC. So how can ex-President Jonathan have the
moral grounds to attack the national chairman of the ruling All
Progressives Congress, APC, who is initiating transformational
template of party governance for a popular party on a rescue
mission.”
Read more https://apc.com.ng/vote-buying-comrade-oshiomhole-wants-inec-to-prosecute-ex-president-jonathan/