Grammy-winning Nigerian singer, Damini Ogulu better known as Burna Boy has issued warning to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to do the right thing.
He called on the electoral body to respect the decision of the electorates who trooped out enmasse on February 25 for the presidential and National Assembly elections.
Burna Boy urged INEC to not allow itself to be used as a tool for the manipulation or rigging of the 2023 election.
He gave the note of warning via his social media page after being called out by Nigerians who expected him and his colleagues to lend their voice to the demand for free and fair elections.
Burna said; “Let Nigeria decide o! @inecnigeria. No try any result magic”.
The votes cast across the 36 states and Federal Capital Territory are still being collated at Local Government levels. For the polling units that violence marred voting, the INEC chairman, Mahmood Yakubu said there will be rerun on Sunday, February 26.
Meanwhile, activist and presidential candidate of African Action Congress, Omoyele Sowore, has said any Nigerian who votes for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) to retain power “loves suffering.”
He made the statement on Wednesday, January 11 while fielding questions on ‘The Roundtable’ organised by The Punch.
Speaking on how he would feel if the APC candidate, Bola Tinubu wins the presidential election, Sowore said it is either rigging would have occurred or the people who would vote for the party aren’t tired of suffering.
The activist further wondered why Nigerians seem to love supporting their “abusers.”
He said; “I’ll be surprised but first we will need to analyse two things. First is if there was a credible election because the APC is used to winning elections that don’t happen. Very shady party, the same thing applied to the PDP when they were in power (at the centre).
“Secondly, if it is true they won the election, then we would need to examine Nigerians as a people, if there is something wrong with our ability to take punishment. Do we ever get tired of punishment? Do we ever get tired of being abused?
“Why will a people be seemingly convenient with hardship? It’s nothing new anyway, but I’m just reiterating it. I have asked myself this question many times. Sometimes, you read comments by pundits with ignorance and very holistical views about the state of the nation, you will question what is wrong with us. And some of them are people you happen to respect. Some would say with authority that the position of the government is the best. They did it when June 12 election was annulled; they did it when former President Olusegun Obasanjo wanted to run for third term, with some defending that Nigeria had never had a leader like him so he should run for third term.
“They also did it during (Gen Sani) Abacha’s time, five political parties came together and were swearing that he was the best thing that could ever happen to Nigeria; but the day he died, they sang a different tune. At the end of the day, we need conscious citizens to remain steadfast and regardless of who wins this election, we will all bear the consequences of our actions”.
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