Tasks politicians to shun violence
The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Edo State, Obo Effanga, at the weekend, scored the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) high in delivering its mandate of free, fair and credible elections for sustainable democracy in the country.
Effanga also urged politicians to learn to accept failures and successes in an election rather than blame the electoral umpire.
The REC, who spoke in Benin City during a post-election review meeting with journalists, said it is the only way the nation’s democracy can thrive.
He sued for continuous support of the commission from all stakeholders, particularly the media, saying: “I am not in any position to say how well we performed during the election, but what I can tell you is that the management team and the entire INEC in Edo State strived as much as possible to conduct the elections the best way it could based on the Constitution, laws and guidelines for the elections.
“It was interesting that at some point, when the elections were concluded, we had a few protests here and there, and, interestingly, the three political parties that won elections in the state had, at different times, also complained about where they did not win.
“I found it interesting that where they won, they were happy about it; and where they did not win, in some instances, they raised issues about it.
It is about the game politicians play that whenever they win, it is victory for democracy, it was a reflection of how the people love them and voted for them; and where they did not win, they will always find one or two reasons to excuse themselves, and want to blame everyone except themselves.”
Effanga, who condemned acts of electoral violence perpetrated during the just concluded elections in the country by politicians, called on all to commit to credible elections, devoid of violence and electoral malpractice in the future.
He added: “The people who disrupt elections do not commit it on their own accord, but are always sponsored by politicians.
“And if people disrupt elections, they don’t do it on their own, somebody recruited them to do that. Who are the people recruiting them to do that? It is the same people who are supposed to be beneficiaries of the process, the politicians. We need to call these people out.”
