MURIC Defends INEC, Warns Opposition Parties Against A Repeat Of June 12 Crisis

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has alleged that the opposition is trying to use the court to stop the ongoing electoral process.

Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola, warned that this was how the June 12 crisis started in 1993 and he said any attempt at imposing another June 12 would not be accepted.

Addressing a press conference yesterday, Feb. 28, MURIC said the allegation by the opposition parties that the election was rigged was illogical when many incumbent governors lost out in their bids to go to the Senate.

He said, “This is another June 12 loading. As Arthur Nzeribe headed for the courts in 1993 to stop the announcement of results of the June 12 election, the agent of the main opposition and his cohorts who stormed out of the collation center is allegedly looking for a court injunction to stop proceedings at the collation center. This was exactly how the June 12, 1993 election was annulled by the military. Anybody who supports this move is dragging Nigeria back to the Stone Age. We say no to another June 12.”

Akintola also criticized Olusegun Obasanjo for what he termed his “unsolicited and jaundiced intervention” after the former President called for the cessation of the collation of results.

He said: “Obasanjo’s call is sacrilegious. It is a rape of democracy. It is an attempted coup.

“Obasanjo’s sanctimonious façade comes crumbling down against the background of his role in the enthronement of Musa Yaradua as president. The latter himself admitted that he was rigged into office.”

MURIC urged INEC to ignore the cries of the opposition and go ahead with the process.

“INEC should not listen to these agents diabolic. The electoral body should not stop the collation of results, rather the exercise should continue until all the results are announced and certificates of return given to the winners,” Akintola added.