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He alleged plans by some unscrupulous elements to subvert the electoral process and suppress the votes in Lagos, adding that the plot will not work.
Tinubu, spoke with reporters, shortly before and after casting his vote at his Polling Unit OO45/EC 30 along Sunday Adigun, Alausa, Ikeja, during the presidential and national assembly elections and the performance of the electoral agency. He was inundated with complaints by party chieftains and other prospective voters in many parts of the state about the failure of the card readers, lack of polling materials and absence of polling staff.
Warning against the plot by enemies of democracy to truncate the process, he charged INEC to quickly correct the anomaly and restore public confidence.
He said: “There are many areas that are affected. There are various problems. We should be patient. What I will call for is that INEC should take a decision to extend. Equally, they take responsibility for issuing agents cards after the submission of their names. Not all agents were given these cards. We have cause to suspect what is going on.
“But, we will be patient. They have various delay problems in Alimoso, Ikeja, Mile 12, Magodo, Ogba, Maryland, Omole Phase 11. We should believe in the institution that was set up with public fund to serve the public. INEC’s integrity depends on all of these. They can no longer give excuses. It is better for them to extend the voting time here in Lagos today and ensure that they send various supervisors to the affected local governments.
“Rapid response is what is required. You don’t say a work in progress will be perfect in a day. But, the majority of the affected areas may be substantially disenfranchised. And that is my worry. If they are ready to vote and you call them to come and vote, you should not frustrate them. You called them out. They should exercise their civic rights. It will be a shame, if quick and remedial action is not taken to ameliorate the suffering of the people.”
Tinubu denied sending messages to voters that they should vote for President Goodluck Jonathan, saying that it was a fabrication.
He said: “People are calling from all areas. They started with the fraud that I sent a text message that people should vote for Jonathan. I didn’t. I have a record on my phone. I did not send any text message. I have made my number public so that people can even call and verify. They are doing this to convert or confuse people. What kind of leadership is this? What kind of character. A nation must be ruled by the people of great character, vision and responsibility.”
The former Lagos State governor added: “This is my phone number. I can still make it public; 08062240104. I didn’t send any text message. That is part of the gimmick and the desperation of the ruling party; when they pack some fraudulent people in office, trying to subvert the right of the people to freely exercise their civic duty. Again, that is fraudulent. I didn’t authorise any network to do anything. That one we will discuss when we go to court. I cannot campaign today. But, I know what I have told my supporters and the supporters of our party. You all know which party I belong.
And you know the candidate of that party.
“The only text message I can send is that people should believe in me, our party and the presidential candidate, senatorial candidate, House of Representatives candidates. You know the party I am. Don’t believe in any text message coming from me to do otherwise. I stay firm, I stay credible, I stay resolved. I am determined and committed. I am a leader of the party. If anybody sends to you a fraudulent message, you should know they are cowards. They know they are going to be defeated. That is why they resort to fraud. That is why they should not even be in government. That is the more reason they should be out. That is the truth. I have received texts and several calls from people to verify the so-called text messages. But, I have consistently denied that. It is disturbing. It is annoying. It is terrible that people will resort to fraud. What kind of leadership, what kind of legacy, what kind of ethics are we teaching our people?
“How can I compromise the platform that I lead? I help built, and by the grace of God, the best platform that is available? So, it is a lie. And I will go to any extent to investigate this to know whether my phone is cloned or who sent fraudulent messages on my behalf. The investigation has started. It is a fact. I work tirelessly for our platform. No change. Why should I change yesterday? If you were in my house yesterday, who would have seen the crowd in their thousands? We instructed them to wash their hands; comply, keep peace, don’t be violent.
“They were the ones shooting all night to scare the voters from coming out to vote. It is democracy, not war. Their leader said he won’t step on anybody’s blood. But, if agents are killing and scaring people on your behalf, you must be held responsible, that is the truth. I made so much sacrifice for this platform.”
Tinubu urged Lagosians to make more sacrifices for democracy, assuring that their labours will not be in vain.
He said: “Nigerians should just endure. You are blessed. You should persevere. Exercise your right. This is the only time you can apply commonsense revolution; to begin to hold leaders accountable. If leaders are not performing and they know you can vote them out every four years, they will sit up. If leaders are dishonest, they can only fool you for four years.
“After four years, you change them. This is your turn to choose who you want to rule you in this circumstance. I believe that, looking at your faces, many of you have families who are suffering. The economy is down. The newsprint you use is imported. The exchange rate is high. Industrialisation of the country is a must. That is why we must behave true to our education. It is disgraceful that we are not behaving to it, despite the fact that we are educated and sophisticated and we have the capacity to compete. Knowledge is money. Commitment is virtue.
“Ethnic difference is not what will put bread on the table of the people. Poverty has no trade mark. Let’s work our way out. Hard work will take us out of this mess.”
At the unit, 241 voters voted. At the close of the poll, APC got 180 in the presidential election. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) got 55. In the senatorial election, APC got 181. The PDP got 53, while in the House of Representatives poll, APC had178 votes. PDP got 53 votes.
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