INTERNATIONAL HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVISTS IN DIASPORA CALL FOR VIABLE DEMOCRACY IN NIGERIA.

"Screening of aspirants, by political parties is the step to ascertain the names and credentials of aspirants of political parties before elections. Therefore, it is very undemocratic after screening and elections are held, that the winner has to be taken to court for inconsistencies in names that have been screened and submitted to National Electoral Committee, as accepted." Ochuko Otoba

A group of Nigerians alongside rights activists in the Diaspora are demanding for a viable democratic arrangement in Nigeria, following the outcome of parties primaries and ahead of the 2023 General Elections.

The group, under the aegis of International Human Rights Activists in the Diaspora, under the leadership of Chief Ochuko Patrick Otoba, on behalf of its members cutting across African countries, the Caribbeans, the UK and United States of America, have expressed their worries in the debilitating manner democracy is being run in the country.

IHRAD, in a release to journalists, said;  "We observed that in the recent past, Nigeria has been bedeviled by too often court cases after elections.

It should be obvious that election victory is purely on the voters' choice, because democracy relies essentially, on the ‘relations in which people stand when they are common citizens of a democratic regime.

Screening of aspirants, by political parties is the step to ascertain the names and credentials of aspirants of political parties before elections. Therefore, it is very undemocratic after screening and elections are held, that the winner has to be taken to court for inconsistencies in names that have been screened and submitted to National Electoral Committee, as accepted.

In Delta state, the margin of 597 for Oborevwori and 159 for Edebvie has no room for the contest in court.

The screened names submitted to INEC are Oborevwori Sheriff Francis Orohwedor.

If primary elections are held and voters democratically elected one person with a major vote to win the gubernatorial of that party, such candidate is on the merit of the voters; the votes can never and should never be contested at a law court, unless on the sole ground that such an election was rigged and was not the case.

The notion that aspirants from political parties bribing delegates to emerge winners in primaries, is a routine practice that all aspirants are guilty of. However, it should be noted that democratically, the people's choice should be respected.

Contesting of discrepancies can only be during screening, but, not after screening and submission of names to INEC. It therefore, becomes the case of, forever hold your peace.

But what do we see in Delta state of Nigeria; that a political party with more than ten contestants had one candidate emerging with 597 votes and he is sued by another having just 159 votes after all have been properly screened?

This is a strategic lawsuit against delegates and public participation. It is a threat to democracy under flimsy excuses of discrepancies of names in certificates.

These are purely abusive lawsuits.

We urge leaders and elders of PDP to make sure that the party upholds its dignity because, “Where there is unity, there is always victory.”

The rationale behind this action is sure another hereditary trait of Cain's grievance. Just because Cain's offering was not accepted, he resolved to kill his brother Abel. However, killing Abel did not guarantee the acceptance of Cain's offering. "God told Cain that grudges is crouching at the door, and its craving is to dominate you."

Losing an election and keeping grudges has become the road that leads to courts in Nigeria's democracy.

Truth be told, the genesis of this disunity in the PDP could be the DC23 favoring David Edebvie and disrespecting the incumbent choice. But, whereby the screening exercise took place and the same certificates were validated, why the grudge?

According to a popular proverb that says: "He who is destined for power does not have to fight for it."

If the name, "Oborevwori Sheriff Francis appears in both primary and secondary school certificates, that is enough for the Nigerian constitution to allow an aspirant to contest under that name and certificates, irrespective of a university degree.

However, if the opponent is not contesting names but rather a date of birth, such errors are resolvable by a court affidavit, which has been done.

The bottom line is, that democracy is decided by the votes of the people and not by court order.

Oborevwori won the governorship primary election with a great margin and should be accorded his mandate of the delegates, people, and party.

The delegates or people's choice should be respected as democracy demands.