Establish an interim administration immediately, the protesters occupying the National Assembly demand

Tuesday, under the auspices of the Free Nigeria Movement, tenacious protesters besieged the National Assembly gate in Abuja, demanding the establishment of an Interim National Government (ING) pending the resolution of all litigations arising from the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections.

Protesters gathered in large numbers stated that the elections failed to meet every electoral standard, while also accusing Professor Mahmoud Yakubu, chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The protesters who demanded the cancellation of the exercise carried placards with phrases such as “Save our Democracy,” “INEC + Corruption, Politicians are killing our Democracy,” and “INEC is destroying Nigerian democracy.”

Security personnel denied access to the national assembly to the demonstrators.

The Police Division Office of the national assembly stated that neither the group nor the relevant authorities had provided written permission to enter the complex.

The protest’s organizer, Dr. Moses Paul, told the crowd that Nigerians’ votes must be counted.

Vanguard gathered that the protest began on Monday at the Unity Fountain and moved to the INEC headquarters on the first day.

The protest reached the national assembly on Tuesday.

Paul stated that it will proceed from the Ministry of Justice to the court of appeal headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday.

He pledged to continue until Yakubu was apprehended.

“Today, we mourn the demise of credibility, the violation of trust, and the abuse of will,” he said. Today, we stand atop the ruins of transparency, where inclusion, equity, and responsibility have been embalmed. Today, we are voiceless and devoid of our preferred music. Today, we are broken Nigerians pleading with INEC to count our votes.

On February 25, 2023, Nigerians flocked to their polling stations with one goal in mind: “to cast their votes and select their next leaders.” They qualified for this exercise by participating in the Yearlong Continuous Voter Registration program, which saw a spike in participation unlike any election since 1999. Months later, they returned to collect their permanent voter identification cards and returned home with a commitment to participate in and engage with the electoral process. The shackle of Apathy was broken, and it was cast into the bowels of oblivion. We were free to experience our Nigerianness to its fullest extent. In terms of ideology, they held us together; in terms of trust, they cleansed us like water; and in reality, they kept us alive.

“We fully embodied what it means to be a citizen in a secular progressive society. When the day finally arrived, we were confident that our votes would be counted, even in the portion of our hearts that always questions the truth. The assurances of Mr. President Muhammadu Buhari and Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud, Chairman of INEC, bolstered our faith more than anything else. Remember that President Muhammadu Buhari signed the Electoral Act Amendment Bill 2022 a little over a year ago. Due to its unwavering devotion to the Nigerian spirit, the fanfare that greeted this amendment deserves recognition as one of the most vibrant in recent history. We were not Igbo, Hausa, or Yoruba on that day. We were neither Efik nor Tiv nor Urhobo. We were neither Gbagyi nor Kanuri nor Ijaw. On that day, we were filled with the positive energies of our nation.

“I regret to inform you that today, in the hearts of some, everything has been wasted. You may have seen the video of the diaspora member ripping up his passport. Because INEC, through Prof. Yakubu Mahmood, chose to silence their voices, other Nigerians have similarly harmed the fabric of our identity.

Therefore, I ask, “What is the value of democracy if the process that selects its leaders lacks credibility on a consistent basis?”

“Perhaps the answer lies at the International Conference Center, where Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud began, maintained, and concluded the collation and declaration of a candidate as the winner of the presidential election on the basis of a falsehood, in violation of its guidelines and the Electoral Act. It is extremely disturbing that this was done in broad daylight. Our democracy has never been so severely abused by public or private sector citizens.

“Professor Yakubu Mahmoud has set a precedent for impunity that will require many years of electoral excellence to rectify. This was not the electronic transmission he had promised Nigerians and the international community at Chatham House. Prof. Yakubu Mahmoud has lied to Nigerians and taken advantage of our freedom of choice. We vote no confidence in him and demand his immediate dismissal and prosecution. We cannot afford to maintain a culture of lawlessness without repercussions. We are as robust as our statutes and as imposing as our institutions. We cannot afford to go any lower than this point.

“As a microcosm of our demographics, the National Assembly embodies our collective aspiration, desire, hope, and faith in a nation that works for everyone. The laws you enact determine the course of our cooperative participation as individuals and institutions. Legislators should support justice, equity, and fair play. Our request is that you take a stand with the Nigerian people, whose place you hold in these hallowed chambers, in their demand for a system that works for all, and urge INEC to count our votes. This is the only way for your laws to have the merit and effect they deserve.

We therefore urge President Muhammadu, whose commitment to free and fair elections is enshrined in the Electoral Act 2022, to initiate the processes and procedures that will place Nigeria under the control of an interim government pending the resolution of all litigations relating to the conduct of the February 25 presidential election.

“Our nation requires healing. It would be counterproductive to permit a fraudulent process to continue, as birth fraud will always exist. We cannot build our democracy on lies and mistrust. The gaps in our nation’s fabric must be mended. Establishing a Truth and Reconciliation Committee in Lagos State and other areas where voter intimidation and violence occurred during the presidential, national assembly, governorship, and state assembly elections is one solution. This will help build trust and confidence among Nigerians and promote ethnic cooperation.

“As concerned citizens, we believe that our nation is destined for greatness and are optimistic that our faith will soon propel our dreams into reality. This is our prayer as we nurse hope’s wounds. Even though they force us to the edge of a cliff, we will not curse our country or support those who do so.

Curse it. We will not steal from our nation whatever dignity-based treasures it possesses. We will uphold the promise of unity, faith, peace, and advancement.

“We will not cease our efforts until they arrest Professor Mahmood and provide us with an interim government that will oversee credible elections.”

(TNT)