Can a single individual like Governor Rotimi Amaechi unilaterally transfer
the electoral mandate of the Rivers State people from PDP to APC?
If a single individual is allowed to unilaterally transfer the electoral
mandate of the Rivers State people from PDP to APC …. then there is really
no need for Rivers State people to go out and vote for a political party
of their choice …… there is really no need.
I am of the view that more Nigerians will boycott future elections if
Amaechi and others (Kwankwaso, Nyako, Ahmed, Wammako) are allowed to
continue as Governors of their respective states.
The Nigerian constitution makes it very clear that it is political parties
not individuals that we vote in elections.
The Nigerian constitution stipulates that no political party will be
allowed to govern a State without proper and valid electoral mandate from
the registered voters of that State.
Using the specific example of Rivers State, the registered voters of
Rivers State who voted in the 2011 Governorship election gave their
electoral mandate to PDP to govern the State for 4 years.
As I write this comment Governor Rotimi Amaechi has moved from PDP to APC
and APC is now governing Rivers State without the constitutionally
required electoral mandate.
The manifesto of APC is strange to the people of Rivers State and it has
never been formally presented to them.
Furthermore, the people of Rivers State did not at anytime vote APC or
give their electoral mandate to APC to govern Rivers State as they are
doing today simply because Governor Rotimi Amaechi is now a member of APC.
What is the basis of APC governing Rivers State? Where is the
constitutionally required electoral mandate for APC to govern Rivers
State?
Can a single individual like Governor Rotimi Amaechi unilaterally transfer
the mandate of the Rivers State people from PDP to APC?
Why should a Nigerian go out to vote for a political party of his choice
……… and that party he voted for eventually wins the election but one
single individual like Governor Rotimi Amaechi wakes up one morning and
unilaterally transfers the electoral mandate that was clearly given to the
victorious party to another party that was defeated in the election or
even to a party that is not known to the electorate at that time like the
case of APC in Rivers State?
If this is allowed to stand, then why should a Nigerians go out to vote?
Why should a Nigerian take all the troubles and inconveniences of going
out to vote when his electoral mandate will be treated with levity and
subjected to the whims and caprices of a single individual pursuing
selfish ambitions that massage his prideful and over bloated ego?
Again I ask: why should a Nigerian go out to vote for a political party
knowing that an individual can wake up one morning and transfer his
electoral mandate to another party that he did not vote for?
We are already complaining about voter apathy in Nigeria ……..
something must be done quickly to restore the confidence of voters in our
electoral system.
Voters must be assured that their electoral mandate is sacrosanct and
protected by our constitution.
And indeed, our constitution both in letters and in spirit of the
constitution clearly stipulates the protection of voters’ electoral
mandate.
As a matter of urgency, the Governors who have defected from PDP to APC
must not be allowed to transfer the electoral mandate of the people to a
political party that the people did not vote for as this will amount to
gross violation of the letter and the spirit of our constitution.
PDP must now appoint the persons who finished in the second position
during the Governorship primaries in the respective States to step forward
and takeover as substantive Governors of the States affected. This must be
done without delay.
Alternatively, the irreducible minimum is for the affected Governors and
their respective Deputy Governors to resign immediately and pave way for
INEC to organize fresh elections in the affected States.
There is no reason why these Governors should not resign immediately
especially as they claim that the reason they are leaving PDP is because
of impunity in the running of the affairs of PDP …… what greater impunity
can compare with their reluctance to resign and leave an example and
legacy for our democracy.
There will be mass protests all over Rivers State and in Port Harcourt.
These protests will continue until the electoral mandate of the Rivers
people is restored to the party they voted for and in this case that party
is PDP.
PS: Governor Rotimi Amaechi’s attempt to unilaterally and
unconstitutionally transfer the mandate of the Rivers State people from
PDP to APC is completely inhuman, insensitive and most wicked.
It will not be allowed to stand ……. we will never allow APC to govern
Rivers State without obtaining the mandate of the Rivers people