Sowore alleges manipulation, likely postponement of 2023 polls

African Action Congress (AAC) presidential candidate, Omoyele Sowore, has reacted to the recent warning by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that the 2023 elections might be postponed due to ravaging insecurity in the country.

INEC had at a Validation and Election Security Training Resource in Abuja on Monday hinted at the likelihood of the polls being postponed.

The Chairman of the Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, who was represented by the Chairman Board of Electoral Institute (BEI) at the event, Abdullah Zuru, called for security monitoring in order to forestall cancellation of elections.

Sowore, who spoke on the development in a Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Tuesday, slammed the warning.

He described the warning as conspiracy against democracy, alleging manipulation by the electoral commission as well as Nigerian government.

Sowore said: “What has happened to Nigeria over the years is that the country has failed successively in the security and other areas. A lot of non-state have been in control of Nigeria and we have been in denial about that. That’s why INEC is now coming up openly to say the election might be postponed.

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“Another area is how they have always deactivated the interest of the public in the election. There is always a security agenda in every election cycle. We have always known that we have security issue but to come out now in few days to election and raise concerns is basically to create election and make people lose interest in the election itself.

“There is always a conspiracy against democrary in this country. In my feelings, apart from what is obvious to everybody in terms of security, the ruling class and their friends have other plans. When Jonathan postponed elections during his time, it’s because there was security report he might not win election. Similar thing happened in 2019.

“Presidential elections have always been postponed for unknown reason, but this time around after hope and lies about BVAS, the preparedness of INEC and all the documents being in place, postponement means there is something beneath which has not been told to the public. For someone who has been a direct observer of the ways these guys operate, you will understand that there is more to the concerns raised.”

Meanwhile, the Chancellor, Afe Babalola University, Ado Ekiti, Chief Afe Babalola (SAN), had insisted on the suspension of 2023 general elections.

The legal luminary who spoke at a press conference in Ekiti on Wednesday said the 1999 Constitution under which the 2023 polls will be held cannot produce new leaders with new ideas.

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