By Akinwale Kasali
Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, is mocking the Nigerian Political elite. He said it was a big shame that it took the action taken by the US, and the threat from the UK, to allow a free and fair election in Edo State.
The US had, a couple of days to the election, banned a number of them from the issuance of Visa, over the role they played in the 2019 Governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa states, as well as the role they so far played in the just concluded Edo election, and the upcoming Ondo election. In the case of the UK, it threatened Visa ban, seizure of assets and international prosecution.
The election, projected to be violent, surprisingly was relatively peaceful, with little or no rigging.
While many people attribute both the peaceful nature and outcome of the exercise to President Muhammadu Buhari and Security Agencies, Kanu attributed the success and transparency to the visa ban imposed as penalty for election riggers.
Kanu, in a statement by his Media Aide, Emma Powerful said: “Here is Mary Beth Leonard, the courageous US Ambassador to Nigeria that delivered the first truly free and fair elections in the history of Nigeria in Edo State, something the EU and UK have failed to do for over 60 years.
“This amazing woman imposed ordinary visa ban on perennial election riggers and they quickly behaved themselves. Add a bit of Nyesom Wike and the tenacity of Igodomigodo and you have the perfect result.”
Kanu added that the fear of the Visa ban was the beginning of wisdom for Nigerian politician and Election riggers, stressing that ban crippled them and foiled their plans.
An aspirant for Anambra governorship election in 2021 on the platform of the PDP, Chief Emeka Etiaba (SAN), urged the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to replicate its performance in other forthcoming elections.
Etiaba hailed the electoral body and security agencies for the successful and peaceful conduct of the election, which he said would boost the morale and confidence of the electorate to participate in future elections.
He expressed the need for both the INEC and the security agencies to ensure that nothing scuttles the forthcoming elections including Ondo and Anambra States.
