Vice presidential candidate of the People’s Democratic Party, in the February 23 presidential election, Mr. Peter Obi, decried alleged rigging in this year’s general election and said no nation can really grow with a rigged election.
Obi said the process through which people come into office is far more important than what they do thereafter.
He noted that election-rigging is the worst form of vices and the root of corruption as it impacts negatively on the political and economic growth of the country.
Obi also said that the fraud which characterised this year’s election has greatly undermined the country’s democracy, its future and has significantly damaged the on going fight against all vices and tainted the integrity of those responsible.
The VP candidate, who governed Anambra state for eight years, said through a statement from his Media Office, that Nigeria cannot quantify the enormity of damage the electoral fraud has done to the psyche of the country.
He described such negative acts like election manipulation as the the real reason why Nigeria is not growing and has been unable to tackle the existing myriads of problems like unemployment and its attendant vices.
“The only thing rigging does to a country is that it continues to keep incompetent people in office, and as a result rather than put energy in creating jobs to engage its teeming youths, it instead channels it trying to contain all sorts of vices and brigandage.”
He also lamented the effects of election-rigging “which encourages incompetent persons to hang on in office and cause more harm to the society.”
Obi equally said his main concern and worry is how to create jobs and engage millions of Nigerian youths roaming the streets doing nothing; in their prime productive ages.