Press Release
For Immediate Release
The Nigerian civil society Election Situation Room has called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to address the challenges and complaints associated with the National Assembly elections.
In a press conference addressed in Abuja, the CSO Election Situation Room called on INEC to tackle the problems of the collation and the announcement of results which have led to allegations of manipulation at different levels.
According to the Situation Room: “Nigeria goes to the polls on 16 April with renewed optimism following the relative success of the 9 April election, itself a marked departure from previous exercises. It commended the enthusiasm exhibited by Nigerians in their effort to protect their mandate. INEC itself has demonstrated its own commitment to ensuring free and fair elections and deserves commendation. It also noted the improved performance of the security agencies, the uncommon dedication of the Youth Corp members who formed the majority of the INEC ad hoc staff, and the transparency occasioned by the modified open ballot system.”
The group identified a number of lapses that occurred during the 9 April election which, it is hoped, will not be repeated on 16 April. Of particular note were problems in Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta and Imo states. In the case of Anambra, there is the embarrassing anomaly of two conflicting returns from the same senatorial district. In Bayelsa, a presiding officer was offered money to manipulate the results; another was abducted and made to give a false declaration. Overall, at least 39 people were killed in election-related violence and 165 arrested, including the ADC to the Benue State governor, Olu Power, who was caught with AK47 rifles and a number of rounds of ammunition. Other problems included security officials arriving at polling units ahead of INEC staff which, in some case, left the voting material unescorted, and poor security arrangements in transporting ballot boxes to collation centres, with the result that ballot-box snatching was rendered easy.
According to the Situation Room, it is important that citizens, party agents and friends of Nigeria continue to monitor the election process from the polling units to the collation centres by the use of cameras and other devices. Nigerians are also encouraged to be orderly and non-violent in their conduct. INEC itself must ensure that its directive to the RECs concerning missing names in the voters’ register has been adequately addressed, and erring INEC staff should be prosecuted. Further, INEC should keep to its pledge of releasing results within 48 hours of the conclusion of the election and ensure that only genuine victors are announced. For their part, law enforcement officials should conduct themselves in a professional, non-partisan and impartial manner.
For: Elections Situation Room
Dr Jibrin Ibrahim
Executive Director
Centre for Democracy and Development
(CDD)
Tel: 0803 4001200
Clement Nwankwo
Executive Director
Policy and Legal Advocacy Centre(PLAC)
Tel: 0803 8899999