Those pushing for Prof. Attahiru Jega’s
removal do not seem to be tired – a protest is
slated for Lagos today.
The Jega-must-go march is being led by an
amorphous organisation – The Coalition of
Concerned Nigerians – backed by the Oodua
Peoples Congress (APC).
The protest is coming after the weekend action
against the Independent National Electoral
Commission (INEC) chair by the Movement
for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of
Biafra (MASSOB) in the Southeast.
It is all at a price – N9billion – the All
Progressives Congress (APC) said yesterday.
The APC accused the Jonathan administration
of sponsoring ethnic militias to foment trouble
before, during and after the March 28 and
April 11 general elections, saying the N9
billion recently paid out to some ex-militants
and ethnic militias is aimed at mobilising them
to scuttle the polls.
In a statement issued in Lagos by its National
Publicity Secretary, Alhaji Lai Mohammed,
the party said the protests by MASSOB
seeking the sack of the INEC Chairman were
orchestrated by the administration as part of
its continuing efforts to sabotage the elections.
It said the next group that has been mobilised
to protest against Jega and the use of card
reader is the OPC, which is also a beneficiary
of the N9 billion payout, ostensibly for pipeline
protection, but in reality to prepare the ethnic
militias for their reprehensible role in scuttling
the elections.
The APC said more ethnic militias are to be
enlisted by the Jonathan administration to
continue the protest against Jega and the card
reader, in order to give the impression that
Nigerians want Jega sacked and are also
against the use of card reader.
As from today, some companies owned by
some former Niger-Delta militant leaders and
prominent Nigerians are to take over pipeline
protection from the police and the Nigerian
Security and Civil Defence Corps, following
President Jonathan’s approval of their
contracts.
They include Government Ekpemuopolo (aka
Tompolo); Mujaheedin Asari Dokubo; and
Chief Bibipori Ajube (aka Gen. Shoot-At-
Sight).
According to a source, seven companies have
been allocated “regions” or operational areas
as follows: Egbe Security River One (Bayelsa);
Gallery Security (Mosinmi -Ore); Close Body
Protection (Edo State); Adex Energy Security
(Rivers); Donyx Global Concept (Lagos and
Ogun); Oil Facilities Surveillance-(Delta) and
New Age Global Security (Mosinmi-Ibadan).
The Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation
(NNPC) will coordinate the multi-billion
naira deal.
The APC expressed sadness that a President
who inherited a united nation has done
everything he can to divide the country along
ethnic and religious lines, including patronising
ethnic militias who serve no other purpose
than to champion sectional interests at the
expense of national unity.
It wondered why President Jonathan would
pay N9 billion to a handful of people at a
time of great economic downturn and falling
Naira, as well as in a situation in which
many states cannot even afford to pay their
workers because of dwindling allocation from
the Federation Account.
‘’A profligate government that has been bribing
people with dollars and ferrying huge funds
around practically to buy votes has outdone
itself by paying out all of N9 billion to a few
Nigerians, with less than three weeks to the
elections. Shortly after the payment, some self-
serving groups started organising protests
that, for all intents and purposes, are being
orchestrated to scuttle the polls. This is a
shameful show by the federal government,’’ the
APC said.
The Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) confirmed
that it will be part of today’s protest.
While its founder Dr. Frederick Fasehun
denied knowledge of the planned protest last
night, its coordinator Chief Gani Adams said
the OPC will be joining another group to stage
the protest.
According to him, about five million people in
the Southwest have not collected their PVCs,
barely two weeks to elections.
“The INEC boss cannot disenfranchise our
people for not just any reason. We are equally
protesting because Jega created about
30,000 polling units in the North without
creating any in the South. This is an
indication that he has his own agenda. We
cannot fold our hands when majority of our
people are being denied their legitimate right.”
“If Jega feels that he cannot cope with the
situation on ground before the election, he
should resign and let another competent man
be saddled with the responsibility.”

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