*Consequence of wrong electoral conduct?
By OUR REPORTER
Some security agents wearing reflective jackets of Federal Airport Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) were seen evening of Friday March 31, 2023 as they bundled a yet-to-be-identified protesting passenger of the Labour Party’s Peter Obi political ideology out of an Ibom Air flight in Abuja.
He was being bundled out of flight heading to Lagos, before take off, over allegedly unruly behaviour of saying “Tinubu should not be sworn-in” on May 29.
The security action was captured in a video watched by The DEFENDER but details of the report, as published in other media reports including PUNCH, News Direct, ReubenAbati.com, showed the man reportedly shouted on the aircraft that on no account should the President-elect, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, be sworn in as Nigerian leader.
His strange behaviour attracted the attention of other passengers and flight attendants, who called in some security personnel that forcibly removed him from the plane.
As the man struggled with the security men, he kept on shouting that ‘Obidients’ were looking at him being manhandled on the plane.
“Obidients, you’re here. They are doing this to me. Obidients you’re here, I am naked. Obidients you’re here, I am going naked,” he said.
The protesting air passenger also said, “You all are sitting here and Tinubu is about to be sworn in as President. Tinubu must never be sworn in. He must never be President.”
No one could come closer to him as officials of FAAN and Ibom Air surrounded him.
Eyewitnesses reportedly said the middle-aged man had stood at the middle side of sitting onboard the plane and raised his voice making the protesting call, a development they said delayed the aircraft’s take off scheduled for 6pm for more than an hour. The flight was, however, yet to take off into the sky as of 7pm that they were giving accounts.
Consequence of wrong electoral conduct?
The DEFENDER reports that the action of the political party supporter protesting on the plane was blamed on what former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mr. Mike Igini, expressed to be consequence for wrong conduct and violation of laws at elections.
Igini, in an interview published in Vanguard on Saturday, has charged the judiciary, who are currently looking at grievances of aggrieved political parties and candidates as a result of the infractions during the 2023 general elections, to – as a matter of responsibility – stand mighty in defence of democracy and rule of law.
“I can understand the feelings of extreme disappointment, pain and frustrations of fellow countrymen and women particularly youths, over what was promised and the painful experience they went through during the elections and their unmet expectations.
“We are in these agonizing moments of pain together. l have been down emotionally and still in shock over the level of deviation from established laws, issued guidelines and procedures that we all signed into and that I leveraged, honestly and faithfully to call on Nigerians to participate fully to determine their leaders.
“I will never be part of any plot or design to deceive Nigerians, may such a day never come in my lifetime. My passion for free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria did not begin in 2023.
“Those who have diligently followed my advocacy for election integrity will remember my zealous exertions and subsequent detention in Enugu before and after the annulment of the June 12 elections in 1993, many also will recall my participation in CODER for electoral reforms after the fiasco that was described as the 2007 general election.”
Abuja following his declaration that President-elect Bola Tinubu must not be sworn in on May 29.
