WITH just seven days to the beginning of the 2007 general elections, concerned politicians, candidates and different political parties have called on the security agencies to arrest the worsening violent clashes and avoidable deaths that have ravaged the political scene of late.
Also, Vice President Atiku Abubakar has reacted to Federal Government�s declaration, Thursday, that he remained disqualified from participating in the April 21 presidential polls irrespective of Tuesday�s court ruling which directed INEC to clear the number two man for the exercise.
On deaths on the political turf and other acts of violence that have left the nation dripping with blood, Chief Edwin Ume-Ezeoke, the national chairman of the All Nigeria People�s Party and running mate to Gen. Muhammadu Buhari said: “What I think should be done on the issue of political violence is for INEC to assure that there will be free and fair elections. But if INEC keeps giving the impression that elections will not be free and fair, those who feel that they are being cheated out would employ different means to protect their votes and ensure they are not edged out. They have to protect their votes and ensure their supporters come out to vote. That means they can also employ different means to do that.
“What�s happening is unfair and criminal. Why should people shed blood because of elections? The thing has given our politics an ugly name, but to avoid political violence, INEC should assure the people that elections would be free and fair.”
On the looming possibility that the electoral body may be planning to bar even some cleared candidates, the party boss added that “the Court of Appeal made it clear that INEC has the right to disqualify candidates and that is saying that anybody can be disqualified at anytime and nothing can be done about it. That is the position of things now and that has not changed. So, candidates should expect anything from INEC because the court said so.”
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the national publicity secretary of Action Congress pointed at another cause of the tension in the polity. “We also said on Tuesday that the Attorney-General of the Federation received thirteen names of disqualified candidates who had earlier been cleared but INEC denied it. A few days later, it made pronouncement that more candidates would be disqualified.
“Now, you are talking about political violence, what has to be done is for the presidency to declare the issue a matter of urgency that has to be tackled now. The police is not being professional in the way it is handling this matter. Now, I�m talking about a situation where leaders of AC were arrested to clear the way for the PDP. That is not professional . And today (Thursday) in Lagos, PDP with the help of the police bulldozed its way into Campos Square with the aid of the police after it was earlier denied access.
“You see, as long as this continues, violence will continue to be the order of the day and so, we have to get really serious. Our party laments the fact that human lives are wasted anyhow and so regularly these days, but the government has to find lasting solution to it. How many of the people behind the deaths been apprehended and prosecuted?”
Chief Remi Adikwu-Bakare, a female gubernatorial candidate of Progressive Peoples Alliance, PPA, in Lagos State whose supporters were recently battered urges the Nigerian women to rise up and decry political violence. “I am particularly worried about it because it is our children that will be killed. The sponsors of these thugs have their children neatly kept away overseas and nothing happens to them. So, that is the problem and that is why the women should rise up because these politicians use their children to achieve their selfish desires.
“Nigerians should also understand that someone who wants to serve them does not have to shoot his way to power. If you have to kill people to realise your political ambition, it means you are not going to serve them but to steal their money. That is the truth.”
However, a member of PDP�s Board of Trustees, Alhaji Abubakar Iro Dan-Musa said that the judgements of the courts on the issue of candidates for the election are confusing.
“I don�t quite understand but I know that with the Appeal Court affirming that INEC has the power to disqualify candidates, it all means that anybody can be disqualified at anytime. It means that if there is information about a candidate which was not initially available to INEC, that candidate can still be disqualified even though he had earlier been cleared as long as it�s done in line with the constitution.”
Dan-Musa further blamed political violence on the inability of candidates to show maturity. “I think candidates should try to show maturity and understanding because, election is competition and there must be tolerance. Democracy is about choice and the electorate should be given a free atmosphere to make that choice. Therefore, the candidates for the election should eschew violence and show maturity.”
The national vice-chairman of the PDP in the South-East, Nze Ozichukwu noted that there can be no death and political violence without sponsors and therefore, the government and the parties should descend heavily on the sponsors.
“That�s the way to stop them. The thugs do the job they are paid to do and it�s somebody that paid them. Obviously, the person also assured them that if they get into trouble in the process, he (the sponsor) would free them. That is wrong. To bring death into politicking is unfortunate and must be stopped.”
Atiku replies FG
Reacting to Thursday�s declaration that he remained disqualified from the race, Vice President Atiku chided the government for assuming the position of the judge and the jury. He wondered why the presidency was in such a desperate haste even before the Supreme Court made its verdict known on the matter.
“One can only but wonder why they (government) arrogate to themselves the power that they don�t have,” says Mallam Garba Shehu, spokeman of the Atiku Abubakar Campaign Organisation. “Why are they so desperate as not to allow the relevant courts to make the pronouncements? Or is Aso Rock the Supreme Court now?”
On the statement credited to Alhaji Umar Musa Yar�Adua, the PDP presidential candidate that personal opinions of individuals and organisations no matter how highly placed should not decide whether an individual should contest election or not, Garba had just but advice for the Katsina governor.
“Well, we would very frankly advise him to work hard towards the elections because the general elections are different from PDP convention where some credible aspirants had to be excluded. One would wish that he concentrates on his campaign and work hard because it is the entire Nigerian electorate that will vote this time around, and not members of a party that would tell her credible candidates to withdraw.”