By John Shiklam in Kaduna
Former Kaduna state governor and presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democrat Party (PDP), Senator Ahmed Makarfi, has
tasked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies on the need to conduct free, fair and credible elections in 2019.
Speaking in an interview with journalists on Monday in Kaduna, Makarfi said how the election is conducted and how the electoral process is managed would largely determine the fate of Nigeria.
He said INEC and security agencies must know that the fate of this country squarely lies on their shoulders.
“You see, the interest of Nigeria is larger than the interest of any of us.
“How we conduct the elections and how we manage the electoral process will largely determine the fate of Nigeria.
“INEC and the security agencies must know that, the fate of this country squarely lies on their shoulders.
“It is not even about history being kind to them, it is about how they will end up. Therefore, they must conduct free, fair and credible elections” he said.
Makarfi also condemned the freezing of accounts of PDP governors and aspirants, saying that such intimidation must stop.
“When you see some moves like freezing of accounts, monitoring of opposition governors, I have never heard where an APC governor’s account is being frozen.
“If governors do certain things, is it only PDP governors? The APC governors may be doing worse, but you never hear that happens to any of them.
“While elections are approaching, you don’t hear of APC members, aspirants accounts being frozen. But for PDP, even accounts of family members of aspirants are being frozen!
“They should remember that there is tomorrow, because what goes around, comes around and what is good for the goose is good for the gander,” he said.
Speaking further, Makarfi said: “If you are doing anything to anybody, do it to everybody. Our governors must be left alone to work, our aspirants must be left alone to do their politicking and campaign unmolested like other aspirants.
“From what I am seeing, I am not comfortable, and if Nigerians keep quiet, then it is like harbouring what is wrong. People must speak out.
“If it happens to someone today, it can happen to you tomorrow. You don’t have to be in politics, but it means once you dissent, anything can happen to you.
“So, for me, I think INEC and security agencies have a lot to do and so far, I am not impressed, but they must remember that the fate of Nigeria lies squarely on their shoulders. PDP and other political parties will do what is right.
“I am cautioning APC, they should not be smiling and grinning, we must never burst this bubble. They should not be carried away by the comfort of power and think that they are immune from calamity.
“We are all not immune from calamity; nobody knows when calamity will come. We all have a stake, we all have responsibility, be you PDP, APC or any other political party and especially INEC and security agencies and other agencies that are used to muscle down the opposition, they must remember that the country comes first, not any government or political party”.
