A pan-South-West socio-political organization known as the Yoruba Council Worldwide (YCW) has called on former President Olusegun Obasanjo to be cautious with his statements and to refrain from actions that could destabilize Nigeria. The organization labeled Obasanjo’s recent alarm regarding officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as “unfounded and false.” They accused him of attempting to incite ethnic conflict, which could lead to civil unrest, as suggested in his letter dated February 27, 2023.
The YCW warned that any unilateral cancellation of election results by the INEC chairman, as proposed by Obasanjo and his associates, would be a recipe for anarchy and could result in long-lasting damage to the nation. Oladotun Hassan, the President of the YCW, characterized Obasanjo’s remarks as “selfish” and “egocentric,” asserting that they were a deliberate attempt to disrupt the electoral process through partisan efforts aimed at undermining the credibility of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS). Hassan’s response, titled “Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s false alarm over BVAS and cancellation of 2023 presidential election: A steer to implode anarchy in Nigeria,” criticized Obasanjo’s undemocratic stance, suggesting it has diminished his credibility to mere trivial arguments lacking substance.
Hassan further expressed that Obasanjo appears to be frustrated and desperate to impose his preferred candidate, Peter Obi of the Labour Party, on the Nigerian populace, disregarding the democratic process and the will of the voters expressed on February 25, 2023. He emphasized the YCW’s respect for all ethnic groups, including the Igbo, and called for mutual respect in return. The organization urged Obasanjo to refrain from pursuing a personal vendetta that could foster division and hatred among the populace.
The YCW described the Yoruba people as peaceful and accommodating, appealing to President Muhammadu Buhari and all Nigerians to dismiss Obasanjo’s misguided predictions. They urged support for INEC to ensure the electoral process concludes successfully, based on principles of free, fair, and credible elections. Hassan noted that any issues regarding the uploading of results from polling units to INEC portals should be addressed by the Election Tribunal, should the allegations be substantiated.
He stressed the importance of INEC employing lawful means to maintain the electoral process amidst negativity from disgruntled politicians and citizens motivated by ethnic biases. The YCW called on all presidential candidates to adhere to the peace accord established by the National Peace Committee, emphasizing that no one’s life is worth the election. Additionally, they urged law enforcement agencies to remain vigilant and take immediate action against anyone inciting violence through words or actions. The organization reiterated its confidence in INEC to continue the results computation process according to the laws of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, insisting that the winner should be declared promptly and issued a certificate of return.
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