2027: Nigeria ‘s democracy facing obvious threat–Egu
By Athan Agbakwuru, Owerri
Following the controversial outcome of recent elections across the country, a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) , Hon. Greg Chukwuemeka Egu, has expressed concern over the future of Nigeria’s democracy going forward stating that it is under serious threat as a result of the shady practices by politicians under the guise of conducting elections.
Egu, a former member of the House of Representatives for Aboh Mbaise/Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency (1999-2003) described as worrisome the ugly trend of imposing representatives on the people by the electoral umpire, Independent National Electoral Commission, (INE) and the judiciary.
The soft-spoken former lawmaker bared his mind on Nigeria’s elections and the future of the country’s democracy during an interactive session with journalists from Ngor Okpala who paid him a courtesy visit last week.
He condemned the situation where individuals are imposed to represent the people who never elected them lamenting that the country’s elections are now brazenly rigged with impunity by the ruling cabals.
According to him, unless one belongs to the ruling party, one can never have one’s way no matter the wealth of experience, credibility and massive support one enjoys among the electorate.
His words, “People are being appointed in the Local Governments via charades in the name of elections. It’s not peculiar to Imo State, everywhere the Governor’s party wins all chairmanship and councillorship positions. That’s not the kind of politics some of us want.
” I don’t see any kind of governance here, all I see is absentee representation by both the President, Governors and Legislators. The lawmakers abdicate their responsibilities.
“Nigeria’s democracy is doomed and the judiciary is not helping matters either. If politicians were causing all these havock and the judiciary rises to its duties to deal with them, they will stop.
“But the judiciary has been compromised also, that’s why the politicians are reckless and when they finish with you, they tell you to go to court.
“I feel sorry for those who want to contest elections because it doesn’t matter how credible you are, or how much you campaign, the powers-that-be can deal with you and tell you and those who elected you to go to hell, because their votes do not count.
“Some of us are discouraged to contest elections. If Nigeria is good and elections are credible, certainly I will run either for Senate or Governorship.
But you cannot go and earn your money the hard way and go and throw it into a contest and you are written off by one idiot. We leave it for those who want to throw away their money for now until they correct the system.
On his ambition for the next election, Egu declared it’s risky and foolhardiness to invest in an election its outcome cannot be based on the will of the electorate and therefore dismissed the idea of engaging in any future electoral contest especially when it’s hard to find reliable political allies.
Fielding questions, Egu who was the Director-General of 2023 PDP Presidential Campaign Organization in Imo State posited that Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi must unite and run a joint ticket for the opposition to be able to dislodge the ruling APC come 2027.
“Concerning Imo, the State is in the hands of game men. If Owerri zone needs to produce the next governor, the political gladiators have to be united. They must not rely on the so-called ‘Charter of Equity’ else they will be scammed.
“It’s not by this style of everyone singing discordant tunes. Owerri zone has to be sincere to themselves. We have the numbers to elect an Owerri son as governor. Orlu has 12 LGAs but Owerri has a higher electoral numerical strength to carry the day,” he said.
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