Youths can retrieve Nigeria from wicked politicians – Ogili

Ahead of this year’s Easter Celebration, Fidelis Ogili, International President of Dominus Vobiscum International Centre for Conflict Resolution based in Enugu,  spoke to journalists in Enugu on 2023 general election, corruption, and other burning national  issues, concluding that the youths can retrieve Nigeria from wicked politicians.

EXCERPT:

Q: What is your view about the state of the nation?

A: Months before the Endsar, I was moved to address the media on the

dangerous direction Nigeria was going.  During the press interaction,

I warned of the imminent danger that was coming fast against the nation and I gave them some of the symptoms that were visible like the

police standing on the roads taking bribes, giving change to the citizens, threatening the citizens who are their employers as animals. I also mentioned that the political leaders were the originators of corruption by the police because police was not provided with uniforms. They were not provided with vehicles, no maintenance, fuel, etc.

At offices, you cannot get anything done without greasing people’s

palms. Pensioners that served their nation are being owed months and

in some cases, years and many of them are dying of hunger and diseases.  Eventually, I was warning them to address those issues to

avoid the revolt of the citizens against the government but they did not listen, hence, the Endsars came.  Then the Endsars which would have been a good opportunity for the political class to learn their lessons but they mishandled and bungled the whole thing by using extensive force to the point of calling in soldiers against harmless citizens which led to the several degrees of injuries and deaths of innocent Nigerians.  With the political elites denying the fact that

they were responsible for the deaths, they were passing bucks, denying

and telling lies which were bare before the International Community. This woke the youths of the country up to get interested in who governs them as preached by Peter Obi of the Labour Party, and the hope of the youths were raised high as they were promised credible election by Prof.  Mahmood occasioned by the signing of the Electoral Act and the use of BVAS for the elections.

Q: What’s your assessment of the just concluded Presidential election?

A: I am afraid that this country is at the edge of a precipice now more than before because of the unimaginable level of wickedness exhibited by the electoral umpire through the denial of the counting of votes as promised that restored hopes to the youths.  They bungled the whole election by selling the mandate to the highest bidder, thereby denying the citizens their mandate despite the sacrifices they made to make the election work.

Q: In your view, do you think the election should be cancelled?

A: My answer is no but the electoral umpire should bring to the fore the

original copies of the election results as witnessed by all the parties  in all the places where the elections were held without hitch,  And where there was a breach of the INEC regulation, they should either cancel it or organize a re-run.

Q: The Yoruba socio-cultural organization, Afenifere, is insisting that

Peter Obi of the Labour Party won the presidential election.  How do you see their stance?

A: It is not that Afenifere said, it is as clear as crystal that Peter Obi won.  It is also clear that Prof. Mahmood voluntarily and knowingly tampered with results emanating from the states among which is the Enugu State results.  That being the case, the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, should do the needful by righting the wrong or this country will explode any moment.  The only saving grace now is the judiciary.

Q: Do you then have confidence in the judiciary?

A: My answer is no and yes.  No because the legal system in Nigeria is

part of the government in power and can be bridled or overlooked. Yes, because I know that there are still decent, upright, God-fearing members of the bar. The disobedience to court judgment by the government like in the case of Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB leaves in doubt if the decision of the court will be adhered to in the case of litigations and judgments of the courts concerning the election.

Q: How would have rate the involvement of the security agents during the polls?

A: If I’ll give them percentage, I’ll give them 20% and the 20% is not for their offices but for the few individuals working in those outfits who for conscience sake did what was right.

Q: Why do you think the Governorship and the Assembly elections were shifted from March 11, 2023 as scheduled to March 18, 2023 when it

eventually took place?

A: The shifting of the March 11 scheduled election to 18th was a joker by the ruling party to kill the morale of the people who were yet to recover from the damage done to their psyche by the presidential and National assembly elections that were manhandled and it actually resulted in voter apathy during the governorship and the state assembly elections.

Q: What is the way forward? What do you think should be the solution?

A: The first thing that should be done is to make this election that has just been concluded is to bring out the results that the electorate expect to assuage them for the time they invested in the election.  In a summary, the peoples votes should be made to count and those areas with questionable results should be revisited in line with the electoral act which is clear that the result should be uploaded from the polling unit in real time  and it is not possible now that result, as assented to by all the party agents should be declared and where

there is doubt, the result should be cancelled and a re-run held before the swearing in date.

Q: What is your advice to the Nigeria youths concerning the outcome of

the just concluded general election? My advice to the youths is that the future of this country belongs to

them and that the thieves and criminals among the politicians who have taken over the country are not going to hand over the country on a

platter of gold, therefore the youth should be resolute, courageous and untiring in the Obidient Movement that has started until theation is recovered from them.

Q: What is your Easter message?

A: My Easter message is simple. Show love and continue to be your brother’s keeper. What is Easter? Easter is one of the central holidays, or Holy Days, of Christianity. It honors the Resurrection of Jesus three days after His death by crucifixion. For many Christian churches, Easter is the joyful conclusion to the Lenten season of devoted prayer, fasting and penitence. Along with the Nativity of Christ, Easter is one of the most important celebrations in the Christian calendar. It is when Christians glorify and give thanks for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ. After His crucifixion, death, and burial, Christ rose from the grave three days later. By this, He conquered death and redeemed us from sin.