The National Coordinator of Believe Nigeria Initiative (BNI), Mr Idris Usman, who served as an election observer in the April 11 governorship election in Akwa Ibom State, has said he is ready to testify at the electoral tribunal that elections did not take places in most of the local governments in the state.

Speaking with newsmen in Abuja on Saturday, Mr Usman said it unfortunate that the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP) was claiming victory of a governorship election that was marred by irregularities and rigging in places where elections held.

“I am ready to testify at the Akwa Ibom electoral tribunal that what was witnessed in the state on April 11 was everything but short of a credible elections. I am willing to do this for the interest of the good people of Akwa Ibom, because posterity will judge all of us. For as I am concerned, the current state governor, Mr Udom Emmanuel is sitting on a stolen and unmerited mandate.

“It is high time we exposed the evil taking place in our land, for the proper things to be done. People should be allowed to make their choice and decide who governs them, and not be held hostage by a few individuals acting as gods and deciding the fate of the people.

“I happen to be in Akwa Ibom State during the election as an observer. I covered all the areas, including Ikot Ekpene and its environs. And I must say that every area I went to with my team, we discovered that election did not take place. We have all the evidence and documented all the irregularities and malpractices. It was as if people were paid to ensure that no one came out to cast their votes.

“In some places, all we saw were thugs, corps members and INEC officials at deserts polling units. In some other places, we were harassed and asked to turn back. This was the case in almost all the senatorial districts, we also went to the borderline of Akwa Ibom and Abia and there were voters in sight, yet results were announced in these areas,” Mr Usman narrated his experience?

He further noted that for Nigeria to make any meaningful progress politically, electoral offenders must be brought to book and punished, saying electoral offences are crimes against the state and humanity.

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