Radical lawyer, right activist and politician, Mr Maxwell Opara speaks with The New Narrative in Abuja, on concerns about the last presidential election, excerpts.
Can you do an evaluation of the recently concluded presidential and national assembly elections conducted by INEC?
Well, this is not the first time we have had a general election in Nigeria and this is not the first time Nigerians have criticized presidential elections that it was rigged since 1999. But I think what happened in this one that involved the sitting president Muhammadu Buhari is that many Nigerians see his government as a government for a particular tribe and religion. Two, many people especially the Christians believe that President Buhari is not taking pro-active actions against Fulani herdsmen in terms of killing of Christians in Benue, Taraba and other parts of the country. So based on this there was an outcry, there was a revolution, there was protest vote against him. So meanwhile, the presumed independent electoral umpire has declared the election free and fair and declared him winner of the election, we should leave it at that. The next step for anyone who feels aggrieved is to approach the court that is where we are now.
Yes indeed, the PDP, the main opposition in the 2019 presidential contest has vowed to go to court. How do you see the action?
Yes it is within the constitutional right of the party to go to court.
As a lawyer do you think the PDP has a good case?
I may not say, in that I don’t have the facts. I am not among Atiku’s legal team. Because for me to advise you or to speak on any particular matter such as on your chances or otherwise in the court, as a lawyer I must see your documents, I must see your evidence because law is all about evidence. If I discover that you have weighty evidence that can help us secure judgment at the tribunal or the court why not I will offer my advice.
Looking at the country’s judicial system do you think there will be justice and fairness?
On whether there will be justice for the party I think is a panel anything that has to do with election petition at the Supreme Court is before a panel of seven, it is four against three, so I may be wrong to say that if you go to the tribunal you will not get justice, until that is done and people now will see it. But I think a lot of people are looking at it from the angle the way and manner the CJN was suspended. I think that is why many people are beginning to question the integrity of the judiciary and that is why we are condemning the action. As an APC member I condemned the action that you don’t do things to help people to read meanings into it, especially the timing. But as a lawyer it will be out of place for me to ask people not to go to court because you won’t get justice. I won’t make such a comment.
What can you say about voter apathy during the last elections?
I think everything lies squarely on security during elections I will continue to say this. Any time you talk about electoral violence and destruction is the security. If the security says you will not carry ballot paper you will not carry ballot paper, but if the security compromised you will get everything wrong. That is what actually happened in the last elections. The security did not do their work with all the money given to them, because had it been that the security did their work, how can a governor ask somebody to declare him winner at gun point using security men.
In his acceptance speech, President Buhari promised to run an inclusive government in his 2nd term in office. Do you think this will reduce the concerns over the credibility of the elections?
Seen is believing that is my position on that. Because now that he has said it let us believe him and watch him. Remember in his 1st term during his inauguration he said that he is for everybody and he is not for anybody. But in his actions he is not for everybody. In his actions in his appointments, in the area of employment and other things he showed that he is not for everybody. And when people complained he said why should an area that gave him less than 5% expect to have equal share in appointments with areas that gave him high votes. So as a father of the nation that statement is an unfortunate one. It should not come from the president. Because immediately you emerge as a president you are now the father of the whole nation and the father of a particular party.
Talking about the distribution of appointments by President Buhari in his first term which sent a signal that he favours a certain section of the country do you think this will repeat itself in his second term looking at the voting pattern which shows clearly that he scored less than expected in some regions of the country?
The way the south east voted in the last election I think President Buhari caused it, I will continue to say this. And based on his attitude towards the Igbos the leader of Ohaneze said before the presidential election that the Igbos had resolved to vote against the president and when you are talking about the Igbos you are talking about the majority. In all the five states in the south east the president lost in the election and that is the only way the people can show the president that they aggrieved with the way he treated them in his first tenure. And they believed that they have taken their decision. The Igbos have shown that they are not happy. So the president as the father of the nation and the APC as a political party should look into all these and address all the issues affecting the people of the south east so that in 2023 general elections these things will not repeat itself again.
There have been concerns over the last elections with observers saying that the polls were marred by irregularities in other words, the country is still struggling with making its elections credible. In your view how can our elections be credible?
Is to strengthen the legal framework of INEC . The electoral act needs a thorough amendments. We need to strengthen our institutions and let us do away with anything that is manual and go fully on electronic voting system. We need to sensitise our people more about elections. We need to look at the number of registered political parties we have because the large number of parties going in to contest elections is confusing considering the level of education in Nigeria.
How many political parties would you recommend?
Five. We should not have more than five political parties.
Do you think Nigeria is ripe for e-voting system?
Yes because I know that If I go to my village in Mbaise I can use my ATM issued to me in Abuja. Then, why can’t I use my PVC and vote anywhere I choose to vote.
