As the Peoples Democratic Party Campaign train continues through northern Cross River State in southern Nigeria, the governorship candidate, Senator Sandy Onor has urged traditional leaders to invoke the gods against election riggers.
Senator Onor, who was speaking to traditional rulers in Ogoja local government area, urged that the gods be invoked against election riggers in addition to the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, which would be deployed by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.
Onor reasoned that for the people to protect their votes during the election, the gods must be invoked for action such as releasing swarms of bees to sting anybody that would disrupt the exercise.
Onor stated, “it is time we must move away from lies to truth, from darkness to light. Times have changed; today you truly have the power to choose, who your leaders are through your PVCs (Permanent Voter Cards). There is also BVAS to check, who came out and voted.”
According to him, “this will in no small way minimize rigging. The days of running away with ballot boxes are over, but I do not even want you to allow that to happen. We want to see the gods in actions; invoke the gods to deal with them, let the gods deal with those who may want to cause violence or rig the elections.
“We do not want violence at all. But, nobody should come to your communities to ferment trouble. It is time to invoke bees to chase those that will want to cause trouble,” he said.
Vote PDP
Speaking further, the senator urged the people to vote only for the candidates of the PDP comparing those of the All Progressives Congress, APC, as products commissioned to ruin the state completely if elected.
The candidate reasoned that the process that produced the APC flag bearers compromised the integrity and independence negatively impacting their credibility.
He said, “it is a common knowledge that all the APC candidates on parade were handpicked by the governor. It would be a terrible risk to support any candidate tied to that apron string.”
Also speaking, the senator representing Cross River northern, Jarigbe Agom Jarigbe expressed delight in the massive support given to him and the PDP in Ogoja.
Senator Jarigbe, who decried the paltry stipend paid by the ruling APC government to traditional rulers, announced a 100 percent increment from the current package of seven thousand five hundred and twenty thousand naira for village and clan heads respectively.
One of the leaders, the Paramount Ruler of Ogoja, Mr. Mathias Abua represented by Butrus Abue urged the politicians, security agencies, political parties and INEC to ensure peaceful, fair, transparent and credible elections.
N.O
