DAILY POST
The 2023 governorship and State Houses of Assembly Elections may have ended and winners declared in most of the States of the federation but many questions have been left unanswered.
Prominent among the questions is the capability of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to conduct free, fair and credible elections Nigerians can be proud of.
Most Nigerians, international communities, non-governmental organisations, international and local observers of the 2023 general elections have expressed huge disappointment in the process that birthed new leaders to drive the country for the next four years.
For instance, no fewer than 20 persons were feared killed during the governorship and houses of assembly elections across the country as violence, suppression of voters and apathy marred the process.
These persons fell to various acts of electoral violence that happened in Delta, Lagos, Rivers, Cross River, Niger, Akwa Ibom, Osun, and Benue states and other areas where politicians deployed every means possible either to retain power to themselves or install their stooges.
It was a do or die affair in most states such as Rivers, Lagos, Kaduna, Kano, Abia, Enugu, Delta, Adamawa, among others, where the incumbent fought their last battles to remain relevant to ensure they keep control of their states either as governors or ex-governors.
In Lagos, the ruling party was said to have planted thugs at every nook and cranny of the state who easily overran the security architecture comprising the State Police Command and other sister agencies supposedly put in place.
The sponsored thugs unleashed violence on voters and officials of the INEC in Surulere, Oshodi, Mile 12, Ejigbo, Bucknor, Oke-Afa, Bolade Oshodi, Surulere, Amuwo Odofin, Berger, Ojo, Agiliti, Ago Palace Way, Okota, Mushin, Igando, Ibeju Lekki, Alimosho, Ijegun, Ijesha, Ikeja, Magodo, Elegushi, Fadeyi, and many other areas.
Not one of these thugs, who were backed by local militia and motor park touts was arrested or questioned by the security agencies as they moved unhindered brutalising and maiming voters, especially those who were not out to vote for the All Progressives Congress, APC.
Speaking ahead of the March 18, 2023 election, a chieftain of the APC in Lagos State, Biodun Ajiboye had admitted that the Labour Party and the Obidient Movement took his party architecture unaware and shook their political foundation in the presidential election, vowing that they will never allow that to repeat in the governorship and state assembly elections. And the proposed way to stop a second defeat turned out to be through brutalising hundreds of voters, including celebrities, destroying properties belonging to them and preventing them from carrying out their civic responsibilities of voting.
