U.S. Don, Larry Diamond Says Ekiti Election Was Flawed

Prof. Larry Diamond, director at the Centre on Democracy, Development and the Rule of Law, delivered a thought-provoking verdict —flawless voting alone is no parameter for a credible election. He was, apparently, faulting the process that led to the June 21 governorship election in Ekiti State, saying it does not inspire confidence about the seriousness of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to organise free and fair elections in 2015.

Prof. Diamond, who was delivering the inaugural edition of the Freedom House Democracy Lecture Series at the Muson Centre on Lagos Island, said: “You cannot have the police and the military blocking the supporters (not to mention fellow governors) of one party from moving about a state and campaigning, and call that a fully free and fair election.”

The bells of 1993 are still ringing - BUHARI

REMARKS BY GENERAL MUHAMMADU BUHARI, GCFR ON THE OCCASION OF POLITICAL PARTIES SUMMIT ON JUNE 12TH 2014
One of the most important advantages of history is that it affords us the opportunity to learn from it. A sage once said “those who do not learn from history will be condemned to re-live it.

1993 was an important reference point in our politics, our efforts at unity, our evolution and integration – in short our history. The bells of 1993 are still ringing. We lost a historic great opportunity to do the right thing for the peace and harmony of the nation.

The main purpose of this gathering, I believe, is to soberly recall and reconsider the events of 12 June, 1993 and their aftermath. When we are able to learn the correct lessons of those turbulent days, we must then resolve never to repeat those mistakes. We need not further dwell on who or what was responsible or apportion blame or who won and who lost. The whole country lost. Nobody won. The past is prologue.