NTP PRESS RELEASE:
VICTORY FOR DEMOCRACY IN OSUN STATE
by National
Transformation Party on Friday, November 26, 2010 at 4:40pm
Once again, the true wishes of the
Nigerian people have prevailed in Osun State of Nigeria with the appeal court’s
declaration of Engineer Rauf Aregbesola as the duly elected governor of Osun
State, three harrowing and long years after the elections had been conducted!
This declaration once again puts to
shame the evil legacy of do-or-die politics which the President Obasanjo
led-PDP and the Maurice Iwu led-INEC foisted on Nigerians in 2007. But we are
happy and satisfied that both men are alive today to witness the fall and crash
of their evil empires which they built at the expense of the blood, sweat, and
lives of Nigerians which have been lost in the quest for true justice in Osun
State.
This is the victory of sense over
senselessness; brain over brainlessness; mind over mindlessness; reason over
braggadocio; ballot over bullet; transformation over domination.
Like the African proverb goes, “He
who must eat the egg buried in the rock need not check the tip of his axe”. We
hereby salute the courage, determination and faith of Engineer Rauf Aregbesola
and the Action Congress of Nigeria. They have indeed shown that faith is higher
than optimism, for even the greatest of optimists would have given up on this
mandate, but their resolve to see it to such fruitful and logical end showcases
their genuine belief in democratic ideals and their confidence in the Nigerian
judiciary as the final bastion of hope of the common man in Nigeria.
We therefore call on Engr. Rauf
Aregbesola to pick up the mandate of his people with a clear head and steady
focus. Whilst his victory came at great pain and cost, he should avoid
vendetta-driven politics and move on swiftly to execute programs which will
develop the State of the living spring speedily and showcase the huge
difference between a PDP-led government and an Opposition-led government. By
the reason of his performance, the people of Osun state should be able to see
vividly that a new dawn has arrived in Osun state, one of transparent and
accountable governance, supremacy of the rule of law, speedy development of
human capital and public infrastructure.
At this point again, we hereby call
on the National Assembly of Nigeria to come to the succor of Nigerians and pass
laws which will ensure credible elections in Nigeria. The huge cost of election
appeals which last for three years and the negative trend it inflicts on the
psyche of the Nigerian people is too great to bear.
We hereby call for the immediate
establishment of the much awaited electoral crimes commission. A commission that
will investigate thoroughly into all upturned elections and fix culpability
where culpability lies. For in the midst of wrong doing, if the executors are
not responsible for their actions and made to pay for it, wrong doing will
definitely continue, and this time around, we the Nigerian people are saying no
to this. We believe that electoral crimes are as inimical to the development of
our nation as economic and financial crimes. If we can have an Economic and
Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), then time has come for the establishment of
the Electoral Crimes Commission (ECC). In Nigeria, the fear of recrimination is
the beginning of wisdom.
We also call for the immediate
resignation or retirement of all Resident Electoral Commissioners who are found
wanting in the face of the recent spate of electoral heists. The Nigerian
people no longer have confidence in their neutrality as they have failed in
executing justice twice: in both the major elections, and again in the re-run
elections that followed. They should bury their heads in shame and leave the
scene right now lest they incur the wrath of Nigerians in the coming elections.
We will not fail to mention the
statesmanship of President Goodluck Jonathan who has followed in the steps of
his predecessor, the late President Umaru Yar’adua in rising above the
perversion of the PDP and giving the judiciary a free hand to hand down true
and unhindered judgment to the satisfaction of Nigerians. We submit that their
place in history will be mentioned in great dignity for this simple act.
We hereby also call on the Professor
Jega led-INEC to learn from the turn of events and determine to give Nigerians
free, fair and credible elections in 2011. So much responsibility is resting on
your shoulders. You cannot afford to fail Nigerians. You must ensure that
whilst your predecessor’s name has been rubbished in the mud, and justifiably
so, yours will be written in gold in the annals of the history of our dear
nation. Do not succumb to whatever pressures there might be from any party or
individuals no matter how mighty or highly placed; do not stain yourselves with
the dirt of filthy lucre of corrupt individuals. It is obvious now, that the
end does not always justify the means. The British courts and Nigerian
electoral tribunals have shown us that in recent times. Do not forget the sayings
of the holy book “A good name is better than many riches.”
Once again we congratulate the
people of Osun State and Nigerians as a whole on this sweet victory. We call on
all Nigerians to move out en masse and cast their votes in the coming elections
as victory is sure. The lies of the PDP have been exposed as they are only a
huge placebo, empty of content, with no real ideological base or followership,
2011 is the year of the true wishes of the Nigerian people, and God helping us,
we shall MAKE IT HAPPEN!
LONG LIVE THE NATIONAL
TRANSFORMATION PARTY!
LONG LIVE THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF
NIGERIA!
