Electoral Fraud and Stolen Mandates, The Real Obstacle to National Development.

The flag bearer of Accord Party for the state House of Assembly representing Ijebu North east LGA at the just concluded general election,

Omoba Olumide Okueyungbo who has since decamped to the peoples Democratic party PDP has identified subverting the will of the people as a major inhibitor for national development.


Speaking with newsmen in Abeokuta on Monday, the party man explained that Nigeria has all resources it needs to be counted among the class of developed countries in the world but for greedy leaders who subvert the choice of the people.


Okueyungbo who equated stolen mandate to the act of stealing said corruption flourishes because leaders subvert the popular will of the people for selfish gains.


In his words, "stealing as an art requires effort and usually a much scheming the same goes for stealing the people's mandate. Mandate thieves thrive on greed and this breeds distrust, strife, resentment, depression, unproductivity and ultimately the death of institutions.


"I believe this is why constitutions world over and even the Holy Books prescribes various degrees of punishments for thieves.


"However, our electoral systems seems to consistently produce individuals who tend to be undaunted by the Constitution they swore to protect.


"Electoral fraud and subsequently stolen mandates is by far the greatest display of man's inhumanity to man. The subversion of the will of the people is tantamount to slavery. Little wonder that the socioeconomic indices has in recent times revealed that our people have been working more and yet the purchasing power, or the ability to sustain relevant relationships has been dwindling out simultaneously. This aptly describes the living conditions of a slave."


He further opined that, "electoral fraud inhinders rapid industrialization, regional integration and press freedom is always in jeopardy as dissenting voices have to be suppressed and our airwaves filled with propaganda throughout the era to create a sense of achievement which is actually nonexistent."


Okueyungbo who took a swipe at the federal government over the continued slide into poverty of the citizenry said there's no tangible commitment  to any project or laws aimed at improving the lives Nigerians, save mere rhetorics.


He noted that naming the Eagles Square after MKO at a time when the recently concluded Presidential election result is still under contention before the Court amounts to playing to the gallery as the essence of Democarcy which June 12 represents is not upheld.


While commending the doggedness of Alhaji Abubakar Atiku's democratic approach in retrieving his lost mandate, he called on stakeholders to be committed to upholding the ideals of democracy for the interest of the country.