Osun Election: CAN’s Call For Cancellation, Disturbing – Pro-Democracy Group

 

A pro-democracy group, the Osun Progressive Left (OPL), has expressed concern and worries over the call by the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to out rightly cancel both Osun and Ekiti 2018 governorship election.

The organisation, in a press release signed by its Convener, Comrade Wale Adebisi, said it was miffed that a serious body like CAN could call for the cancellation of the recently conducted Osun Governorship election without any justification.

Adebisi said its organisation considered CAN’s statement as partisan, self-serving, inciting and an attempt to look for unwarranted relevance.

Adebisi warned CAN not to get itself messed up in politics; rather it should remain neutral and maintain a non-partisanship position.

It will be recalled that couple of years back, CAN almost turned Osun to a theatre of religion crisis over the introduction of school uniform but for the mature approach with which Governor Rauf Aregbesola handled the matter.

Adebisi said its organisation was fully aware of the freedom of expression and that of speech as it is enshrined in the Nigeria constitution but said a situation whereby these rights are abused to the detriment of the entire nation called for serious concern.

The statement read in part: “We begin to wonder how on earth could an organisation like CAN, which is expected to be at the front burner of peace-making, be making such an inflammatory statement that is capable of heating up the already tensed political situation in both states and Nigeria at large.

According to the organisation, the only body competent to examine and order cancellation of any election in Nigeria after INEC has declared result is the court of competent jurisdiction.

“This attempt, in all ramifications, by CAN leadership is to set Nigeria ablaze by canvassing for an annulment of election result that has been announced to the public.

“It is totally irresponsible for any group to ask for the cancellation of an election without any legal basis. The last time we had election annulment was June 12, 1993, presidential election won by late Moshood Kasimawo Abiola. This wicked act put Nigeria permanently in the reverse for six years until civil democratic rule was returned in 1999.

“In our own opinion we consider this statement as partisan, self-serving, inciting, ungodly and an attempt to look for unwarranted relevance. We advise the Christian Association of Nigeria not to get themselves messed up in the political situation of the country, but rather remain neutral and maintain their non-partisanship position.

“We call on well-meaning Nigerians to strongly appeal to the CAN to allow peace to reign and desist from reckless and inflammatory statement that is capable of encouraging violence.

“These characters have benefited immensely from both foreign and local financial support from their collaborators which is evident in the ways and manners they engaged in vote buying before and during election, it reads”.