The Coalition for a Better Nigeria – also known as June 12 Veteran Activists – has warned against election violence and rigging in the forthcoming governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.
The elections are scheduled by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to take place on Saturday, November 11, 2023.
The Coalition issued the warning through a statement on Saturday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Awa Bamiji.
It urged the electorate in the three states to act in accordance with the tenets of democracy, and conduct themselves peacefully, in order to allow the wishes of the people to prevail.
“We protected the mandate of …President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, when we staged a peaceful protests against the call for election cancellation and Interim Government by disgruntled opposition parties before the May 29, 2023 presidential inauguration.
“In the same spirit of Aluta, we must all make sure that our eyes are everywhere, before, during and immediately after the next Saturday’s gubernatorial elections coming up in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states.
“Out of these 3 states, we must remember that the only PDP State, which is Bayelsa, was won by Chief David Lyon of the APC during the last gubernatorial election in the State but the Supreme Court ruled otherwise, giving the victory to the sitting Governor, Duoye Diri, of the PDP.
“The ruling was based on the discrepancy in names written on the credentials of the APC Gubernatorial running mate, Senator Biobarakuma Degi-Eremienyo, who was then representing Bayelsa East in the Senate before his historic nomination.
“The interpretation of this is that the State still belongs to the APC considering the strength of the electorate, the ultimate deciders of where the free and fair election result swings.
“While we call on the electorate to go out en mass and cast their votes without fair and favour, we advise the political thugs, hoodlums, election riggers, unknown gunmen and bad eggs among the INEC and Security Agencies to steer clear of these 3 States during the election because there would be no hiding place for them.
“We, the June 12 Activists, are masters of the game when it comes to policing elections in Nigeria for 3 decades running. The usual gimmicks, lies and propaganda of the opposition and all enemies of democracy have continued to fail them day by day. A word is enough for the wise,” the Coalition warned.