*Sir, good evening and commiseration on the outcome of the elections. What's your general overview of the recently concluded General Elections, especially the Presidential/National Assembly.*

Thank you so much. I dare ask? Was there an election in tandem with democratic principles? The issue of commiseration is not applicable. I did NOT loose the election. I'm aware of vote allocation in line with the highest bidder and political muscle! Were the true desires of the people allowed to prevail? As Journalists, did you all not witness a complete rape on our nascent democracy.? Are you proud of the entire process? People are concentrating on the outcome without probing the process.

*What's your view on the process?*

 In order to answer your question, let's carry out a clinical assessment and analysis of the entire process. 

Firstly, let's look at the role of the supposed "unbiased umpires" - INEC.

INEC lied to Nigerians on a number of occasions before the "elections" about the operations of BVAS. Results were expected to be posted on their public portal live! Was that what happened ? I believed Prof Yakubu Mamood when he highlighted the operations of BVAS before 25th February 2023 but he knew he had no plans to conduct a credible elections.

Results suddenly changed from the ballot boxes as it went through various collation centres.

*We noticed your name is not on the Senatorial result sheet of INEC, what happened*

I think you should ask Prof. Yakubu Mamood- the INEC Chairman.

*But you were the candidate of SDP*

When intellectuals plan to commit crime, they pull out all the stops but on this occasion, there was a lacuna in their cerebrum.

Listen carefully, I won my primary election in May 2022. The beaten candidate decided to go to court, which is within his right. He contested my victory all the way to the Supreme Court, he lost. 

My name was uploaded to the INEC portal as the candidate of my Party straight after the primary elections and was never replaced. When INEC published the names of all candidates across the country, my name was published.!

I campaigned and contested the Senatorial seat in Ogun East under the banner of Social Democratic Party. Alas, the result, as published by INEC, had the beaten aspirant's name. That name is not known to INEC, that name was NEVER sent to INEC by my Party as confirmed by  the National Excos of my Party. The question is "what happened"? Seriously, you need to ask Prof Yakubu Mamood and his co-travellers in INEC for explanation.

*What do you think happened, could it be administrative error*?

I refuse to think for INEC. Let them think and come and tell Nigerians what happened to my name. 

*What role do you believe the electorate played in the outcome of the 2023 elections*

For me, Nigerians are not ready for True Democracy. We pay lip-service to good governance and people driven representation.

Most political elites are desperately wicked. They play on the vulnerability and gullibility of unsuspecting electorate. How do you slaughter your future and that of your children at the altar of N500, N1,000, N5,000 or N10,000. Some were induced with as little as N200. I witnessed people being induced with a N50 plantain chips and a bottle of coke in exchange of vote. About 80% of voters are politically unaware and uneducated. *Hunger and abject poverty were the prerequisites of vote buying* 

Vote buying is a new dimension in our polity and INEC are simply unwilling and incapable of doing anything about it, especially where it 

involves their bill-payers.

*Are you saying vote buying was rampant during the elections*?

It's not a question of what I'm thinking or saying; that was what happened and you all witnessed it. 

*Security Agencies were on ground to forestall all these allegations......*

Please don't insult the sensibilities of Nigerians.  What role did you see your  "security personnel" play in the places you visited during the elections. The Security Agencies were heavily and senselessly compromised. They aided the already flawed process to an undeniable level of regret. I make bold to say that the Money Bags, INEC and the Security Agencies jointly disenfranchised Nigerians during the last elections. In my 23years of active participation in Nigerian politics, this is evidently the worst election on record.

*Do you intend to go to court*

No

*Why*

To achieve what? Do you have an idea of the attendant costs of political litigation? I have consulted my family and my teeming supporters and we have decided not to petition. 

*We are aware you've always been with the progressives, do you intend to go back to APC where you might have the opportunity to serve your people in a different capacity?*

SDP is a Progressive Party. Those who worked with me are not all in SDP, I need not jump ship to be relevant. The ruling Party is expected to go beyond Party line in chosing those who will assist the process of governance. When late Bola Ige was brought into government by Obasanjo, he was in AD while Obasanjo was in PDP. 

We are all Nigerians and our desire is a better country. Political Parties are mere ideological platforms. 

*What's your advise for the incoming administration at the center*

Nigeria and Nigerians first.

Thanks you for your time sir.

Otunba (Engr) Adewale Adenaike PhD, was the SDP Senatorial Candidate, Ogun East in the recently concluded elections.