NIGERIANS HAVE CHOSEN BALLOT OVER BULLET-ORONTO DOUGLAS

Presidential Adviser, Mr. Oronto Natei Douglas has declared that with the conduct of the National Assembly elections, Nigerians have spoken with one voice that the ballot must replace the bullet in the enthronement of enduring democracy in Nigeria.

According to him, incidents like the bomb blast in Suleja, Niger State are not enough to discourage Nigerians as they have resolved that there is no stumbling block on the march to take over decision-making process through the ballot.

Douglas speaking in an interview with Daily Sun, stated that President Goodluck Jonathan is in tandem with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to deliver electoral justice.

He explained that the lapses recorded in the National Assembly elections were being handled by INEC, stressing that the days when illegality were perpetrated without any challenge were over as Nigerians have never been this firm in the determination to make their voices heard.

Hear him: 'My understanding is that wherever there are irregularities, INEC will stand up to ensure that irregularities are regularized to the demands of the people and that the ballot must speak loud and clear.

Whatever little lapse that is noticed in the first one would be perfected in the next one as we approach the final one. If you notice, INEC said that some elections have to wait. There are some senatorial districts and House of Representatives elections that were suspended.

Even in Bayelsa State, the election for Bayelsa Central District was suspended. This is to tell you that the time you gloss over irregularities and stamp authoritarianism over the will of the people is over. This is the time when the people of Nigeria are standing up to say electoral justice must be done. And quite frankly, we are marching on.

Remember this is a country of 150 million people, remember almost 70 million people registered, remember never in the history of Nigeria have Nigerians reasoned in such large numbers to say we want take over government and control the decision making process through the ballot.