Asari-Dokubo Group Stages “Jega Must Go” Protest In Warri
SAN FRANCISCO, February 27, (THEWILL) – A group led by Alhaji Muhjahid Asari Dokubo of the outlawed Niger Delta Peoples Volunteers Force (NDPSF) Thursday demanded the immediate sack of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Attahiru Jega.
THEWILL learnt that a massive protest against the INEC boss organised by Asari-Dokubo in Warri partially shut down the ever- busy Effurun/Ughelli Express Road in Uvwie Local Government Area of Delta State for several hours as the protesters accused Jega of allegedly compromising his integrity towards the conduct of the presidential election.
The group alleged that the INEC chairman was working to sway the votes in favour of his alleged “Gambari/Fulani Born to Rule” brother, Gen. Muhammadu Buhari.”
Leading the protesters, Comrade Rex Ekiugbo Emojite Zavi Anighoro, who doubles as spokesman of Asari Dokubo accused Prof. Jega of allegedly perfecting plans to confer electoral victory on Gen. Buhari in order to return to power through “unfair electoral processes.”
Comrade Anighoro also alleged that Jega was set to conduct a pre-determined election with a clear agenda to foist a “Gambari-born to rule” President on Nigerians.
The protesters vowed to resist and reject the outcome of any “flawed elections” to be conducted by Prof. Jega whom they said was sitting on a “keg of gun powder.”
The pro-Jonathan protesters specifically accused Jega of allegedly manipulating the distribution of the Permanent Voter Cards, (PVC) in favour of the northerners as against the people of the south.
“The people in the north that is volatile have collected their PVCs while places like Ekiti, Edo, Delta and Bayelsa that are peaceful have not collected their PVC,” the protesters lamented.
Comrade Anighoro said the situation was a grand ploy to disenfranchise Nigerians, noting that over 20 million eligible voters have not collected the PVC.
He lamented that about 600 fake PVC's were discovered in Ogun State while an undisclosed number of fake PVCs were also discovered in Enugu State.
“Why should Jega say he was ready when indeed he was still printing PVCs as at last week when Presidential elections would had been over? Had Nigerians not insisted on a shift, why was he in a hurry to conduct the elections when it was apparent he was not ready? Why was he so comfortable at disenfranchising Nigerians at no fault of theirs? Whose interest was he serving, public good or Gambari good?
“Jega was only in a hurry because he has ensured that his Gambari Northern states have gotten enough PVCs to perfect his plans of conferring undue majority voting strength to the Gambari North. Tell me, how can war-ravaged and desolated states of the North have more voting population and more collection of PVCs than economically stable and peaceful states of the South?.
“How come over 600,000 fake PVCs where found in Ogun state, how come PVCs of Cross Rivers State were found in Kebbi State, how come card readers failed to function at test running exercise?
“Why should Emirs be allowed to distribute cards by proxy, was it not to cover up for under age voters and also deny non-indigenes access to their cards?
“Jega is clearly up to mischief, he cleverly planned all these flawed process and even allowed some of it in the south as cover up for his satanic plans, we demand his resignation, he has lost the confidence of the people, Jega must go,” the protesters said.
They called on INEC to allow the use of both the Temporary Voter Card, TVC, and the Permanent Voter Card to allow Nigerians exercise their civic rights in the forthcoming elections.
Comrade Anighoro, who accused Prof. Jega of toying with the future of the South-South, also called on the international community to hold Prof. Jega responsible for whatever happens after the conduct of the election.
According to him,” Because they want to renew the licenses of their oil blocks in our land, that is why they are fighting President Jonathan to dominate our economy.
“Unless Prof. Attahiru Jega is sacked, the Presidential Election will not be credible.”
He vowed that the people of the Niger Delta especially the youths will resist every unfair election, pointing out that the INEC boss has no business conducting the 2015 presidential election.
He added that the INEC boss cannot conduct “free, fair and credible election.”
According to him, “ Jega gave PVCs to Emirs in the North but our Kings and pastors in the South-South have not got theirs.”
The protesters urged the Federal Government to appoint another INEC boss from among the Resident Electoral Commissioners (RECs) with a caveat that such a person must be credible and should be from the Middle-belt or a minority from the North.
Comrade Anighoro , who doubles as the National Secretary of the Youth Wing of the Urhobo Progress Union, also warned supporters of the opposition party not to stage any protest if the forthcoming election is not in their favour.
“Jega has compromised, he is pretentious and hypocritical, his sanctimonious posturing is deceit carried too far and we are not fooled. He is determined to enforce a chaotic disorder and turn Nigeria into a theatre of bloodshed. He should resign now; Jega must go, he is a scam, enough is enough,” he said.