Interviews

INEC is not doing their job, they manipulate results manually – Bode George

A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Bode George, has accused the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of manually manipulating election results.

George, in an interview with Punch, stated that the country’s problems are linked to the multiplier effects of the mismanagement of the electoral process by INEC.

The former military governor of Ondo State asserted that the call for the military in governance was unacceptable, having experienced both the military and civilian governments.

George maintained that the government’s failure of the day was the primary bait behind some people giving a spot for military intervention.

He submitted that the supervisors of the country’s election must be fair, just, and equitable, which he added are the tripods of a stabilized government.

He said, “We knew what we suffered during the military. It’s an unusual thing to happen. Yes, I know we haven’t reached the level where we would all be happy with civilian government. I went through the two (military and civilian governments) and have seen the two,” he said, mentioning power under the democratic system comes “from the base up – It belongs to the people.

“The major issue of disappointment in the country now is that INEC is not doing their job.

“If they’re doing their job properly, and we know if we go through the electoral process, it is fair, the right people would be managing the government and then they would know they derive their power from the people.

“When you have an election, they manipulate the results manually and all kinds of things; so people who are not voted for emerge as the manager of the country. So how do we get the right thing?” he questioned.

“What is happening now is as a result of the type of the management of the electoral process. If whoever is there knows for sure that the people would play a major path in electing or denouncing him on the day of the election, he would wake up and work for the people, not fight for his pocket.”