CONTROVERSIAL EX-MILAD, AHMED USMAN, WANTS 'PEOPLE OF QUESTIONABLE CHARACTER OUTLAWED FROM NEXT YEAR'S ELECTION

By NBF News

Former military administrator of Oyo State, Col. Ahmed Usman (retd), has advocated that if Nigeria is to get it right in the 2011 general elections, politicians with questionable credentials should be prevented from standing for elections.

Usman said in an interview in Jos, Plateau State that whoever was seeking for elective position in the 2011 should show evidence of being accepted by the people of his community before aspiring to represent his people at whatever level of government be it at the legislative and executive capacity:

'For Nigeria to get it right in 2011, it has to be through conduct of free and fair election where only credible people are allowed to stand for elections. Incredible people should be disallowed to participate in the process. 'It is my candid opinion that we need to do the right thing by correcting the wrongs of the past if we are to move forward. We cannot afford to continue with the mistakes of the past in the forth coming elections now that Nigeria is already in the eyes of the world.'

Usman, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kogi State suggested that if election rigging would be stopped, those found to have participated in election rigging and were indicted should be made to face the full weight of the law. If they are allowed to be walking freely on the streets simply because they have the backing of some power brokers in the society, there might be no end to the ugly incident of rigging in the polity.

He lamented the situation in the past where election riggers were celebrated even after being identified by the security agencies. He said now that the present government has determined to create room for one-man-one vote, the INEC leadership led by Professor Attahiru Jega should do all it could to give all political office seekers a level playing field.

Usman advised that at 50, Nigeria having survived as one entity in spite of all man made disasters that had afflicted the country, efforts should be made by those in government to give Nigerians purposeful leadership.