The 2023 presidential election in Nigeria has come and gone which threw up Bola Ammed Tinubu as President but believers in democracy still fume with an outcry of foul play.
Former Chairman of Police Service Commission, Chief Simon Okeke in a recent media chat described 2023 as a year of turbulence both economically and politically in Nigeria.
Addressing the press at his hometown, Akata Lodge, Amichi in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, Chief Okeke said point black that 2023 was the year democracy was murdered in Nigeria.
He declared that INEC and judiciary had disappointed Nigerians by coming up with verdict that was contrary to the people’s expectations and opinion. Chief Okeke congratulated those who the electorate adjudged to have won the election at the presidential, governorship and other levels.
He assured the people that justice one day would be done to democracy that had been battered in Nigeria.
Okeke insisted that the 2023 presidential election by all intent and purposes was believed to have been won by the candidate of Labour Party, Mr Peter Obi, saying that those who the constitution gave the power to decide, decided otherwise.
“Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba voted LP candidate, Mr Peter Obi and expected that he would be given the mantle of leadership but the constitution was battered by INEC and Judiciary to give a contrary verdict. It should be a remembrance day for the Igbo all over the world, “he added.
He advised Igbo and lovers of Igbo all over the world to mark May 29 every year as a day to remember when democracy was murdered in Nigeria.
Chief Okeke regretted that President Bola Tinubu had in his inaugural address insisted that he would continue from where his predecessor stopped.
“Former government at the centre favoured Fulani and this present one appears to favour Yoruba.
“Giving his appointments without adequately covering all the geographical zones in the country would be a dangerous trend which must be revised.
“Today, one major ethnic group in the country, the Igbo tribe, has been excluded in the leadership of this country. It must be noted that the more you exclude Igbo from leadership, the more you support agitation of Biafra, ” Okeke said.
The former police Boss took a swipe to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kani who he said should not remain detention.
Chief Okeke said that Kanu was not carrying any arm that deserved to tag him a terrorist, even though reversed in a recent court pronouncement.
He said that people reserved the right to agitate for any injustice done to them.
“I call the attention of the president since the judiciary had put a final full stop to Kanu’s release to use the power given to him by the constitution to get him released because if he dies in the prison for lack of treatment, it will be catastrophic, “he said.
Okeke commended the efforts of Anambra State government so far in ensuring peace and security in the state. He said he observed relative peace in South East this time around. He commended the efforts of South East Governors to contend with insecurity in the zone.
He disclosed that security would be stronger if the constitution would be amended to give each Governor the right of true Chief Security of his State by giving them right to have State Police.
Okeke called on Governors of South East to cooperate and work together to secure their zone, adding that there is strength in unity.
He touched subsidy removal which he said was right but wrongly timed, noting that all people were arguing was that nothing was put in place before the subsidy removal.
