U.S.-based Nigerian historian and professor of Africana Studies, Apollos Nwauwa, has advised the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to guard against manipulation of election results.
Nwauwa, who is the Chairman, of the Nigerian Diaspora Movement (NDM), told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in New York that the manipulation of the results of the elections could lead to a crisis.
He said that the electoral umpire should ensure that votes counted and announced results reflected the true decision of Nigerians.
“My call to INEC is that they shouldn’t announce figures that do not reflect the will of the people.
“Nigeria may not be the same again if the results of the elections are manipulated.
“They should let every single vote count. This will prove to the people that the elections are transparent.
“Doing so will save our country a lot of tr,’’ the official said.
Nwauwa, a director of African Studies at Bowling Green State University, Ohio, U.S. also advised the electorates and candidates to be tolerant and respect peoples’ voting rights and choices.
“Don’t think that everybody is going to vote for one candidate. It’s impossible. If you are choosing your candidate, allow others to choose.
“I think at the end of the day, that’s how we avoid political violence and bloodshed,’’ he said.
In addition, the don advised Nigerians, especially the youth not to allow the politicians to use them as tugs to prevent people from voting, urging them not to involve in any kind of political violence.
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“Yes, we can campaign for our candidates. Yes, we can vote and canvass for votes, and tell our people and our friends to vote for our candidates.
“But we should not engage in preventing people from voting for whoever they want to vote for. Elections and democratic dispensation are the same all over the world.
“You vote and go home and watch to make sure that your result is counted, and don’t engage in any kind of political violence,’’ he said.
According to him, Nigerians in the diaspora are watching the elections and they have been actively involved through their voice, mobilizing people to perform their civic rights.
Nwauwa said that they have been mobilizing people in one way or the other, adding that the diaspora voice is strong and influential.
He, however, expressed sadness over the situation in the homeland, which has led to suffering and hardship for the people.
The don said that the Nigerians living abroad feel the situation also, even more than those at home, noting that it is causing depression for so many of them.
He said they feel depressed about the situation if they could contribute to their host country and are achieving excellent results, but people could not understand why their home country is not fixed.
“People look at us and they say Nigerians, they can’t get their axe together. It doesn’t give us any sense of being proud of where we come from, because we can get it together.
“We hope that this election will be a kind of reset for Nigeria to plan for its progress and development,’’ the don said.