President of the Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) and Archbishop of Owerri Metropolitan, Luicius Ugorji, has criticized election in Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi states and the brutalisation of the President of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, saying it is an indication that the people have learnt nothing.
“I have never ceased to ask whoever cares, if we have learnt anything at all since 1999, when we started the current political engineering.” Ugorji said this on Sunday, November 12 at a during a pastoral visit to Christ The King Parish, Owerri, Imo State.
“Just yesterday (Saturday), I asked a few people, if they were going to cast their votes during the off-cycle gubernatorial election and a number of them said they would not. They hinged their reason on the outcome of the February 13 polls and the judicial decisions
“The police, army, Department of State Services (DSS), Economic and Financial Crimes Commission and other security outfits, came into the state in their numbers. Helicopters kept keeping surveillance from the air.
They were supposed to ensure there was no violence in the state. This gave us a measure of hope, which sadly failed again. If the commentaries that followed the poll, is anything to be reckoned with, then, we have not learnt anything in Nigeria.
“Voting during all elections, remains a civic responsibility. People should be allowed to vote freely, without intimidation, coercion, killing or maiming.
We have had this democratic engineering for 25 years, but what have we achieved? We should be free to determine who should rule or represent us at whatever level.
While public office holders should know that power is transitory, our youths should resist the temptation of offering themselves as canon fodder or thugs,” he said.
