By John Nnia Nwodo
Special to USAfrica [Houston] • USAfricaonline.com
Almost 72 hours after Nigeria’s presidential elections of Saturday February 23, 2019, we still have no final and complete results.
There is hardly any voter in Nigeria, who does not know the results of elections in his or her polling booth.
The two major national parties [the ruling APC led by President Buhari and the PDP led by former Vice President Atiku Abubakar] claim contradictory victories.
Conflicting results dominate the social media.
Returning officers in Rivers and Imo claim to be under siege, on the orders of a minister and a governor, respectively.
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The Igbo in Lagos are being threatened for exercising their civic rights to vote.
On Monday morning, they were stopped from opening their market stalls in Oshodi, Lagos.
The Oba of Lagos [Akiolu] remains quiet.
The Governor of Lagos State [Ambode] makes no broadcast.
The safety of more than four million Igbos living in Lagos seems to be of no concern to him.
The ‘Jagaban’ [former Gov. Bola Tinubu] threatens Igbos to relocate away from Lagos back to the south eastern parts of Nigeria, if they do not vote for his APC party.
The Acting Inspector General of Police [Mohammed Adamu] refused to pick my three calls to him.
The Commander- in- Chief of Nigeria’s armed forces, President Buhari maintains an ominous silence.
Thanks to the Afenifere group for its salutary and comforting voice.
The International Community wonders: what a country this is!
The conduct of these elections hold implications for the nation. Therefore, INEC Chairman Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, be warned. Remember 1966. Remember 1983.
Our democracy was upturned on those two occasions for the action or inaction of our electoral commission.
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Ebonyi State Governor Umahi, cannot be Chairman of South-East Governors and remain unconcerned about the plight of Igbos in Lagos and unperturbed by the manipulation of our votes in the South-East.
History is recording our action and inaction.
I appeal to Igbos to remain calm and law-abiding while remaining resolute to seize the moment of these elections to change the character of our governance.
May the Almighty God save our country from sliding into another crisis. • Nwodo, a former federal minister, is the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide.
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