- Ask INEC To Cancel Results
By Abdulrahman Aliagan, Abuja
Following violence, aiding, abetting rigging, vote buying and other electoral malpractices that characterised the just conducted Kogi elections, Barrister Natasha Akpoti, candidate of the Social Democratic Party, SDP in the Kogi governorship election and two other major election observers in Nigeria, Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and YIAGA have called for the total cancellation of Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State.
Apoti who also claimed on her twitter handle Natasha Akpoti (@NatashaAkpoti) · Twitter on Monday that Yahaya Bello had ordered her assassination rejected the outcome of the exercise in the state called on the Independent National Electoral Commission to cancel the result.
In a petition sent to the INEC, she said the election was marred by violence and electorates were stopped from exercising their rights by thugs brandishing different kinds of weapons, adding that the thugs, clearly loyalists of the All Progressives Congress, were acting in support with the security agents.
She described the election as “far-cry from credible election” and one that “cannot pass the test of fairness and credibility”.
According to hre petition “In the 780 polling units of the Kogi Central Senatorial District, elections did not hold as a result of the violence unleashed by APC-led thugs whom attacked voters, electoral officials and electoral materials destroyed and/or burnt.
“The APC-led thugs were shooting at voters, which resulted in deaths of voters.
“The thugs in most cases were shielded by security agents, who are supposed to provide security for the citizenry.”
She stated further that agents of the SDP were chased away from polling units with voters barred from coming near the polling booth unless they would vote for Yahaya Bello of the APC.
She lamented that the name of her party was missing on some result sheets and 2015 stamps were seen on ballot papers. “In few of the polling units where there was a semblance of conduct of election, there were no result sheets.
“Ballot papers already thumb-printed by voters in favour of Social Democratic Party already tucked into the ballot boxes were sorted out by the APC-led thugs and burnt.”
“The election as it is cannot pass the test of fairness and credibility. Whatever gains INEC seem to have achieved in the conduct of elections in the past will be completely eroded if the election in Kogi Central Senatorial District and some other parts of Kogi is allowed to stand.”
In a related development, the two major election observer groups in Nigeria have called for the total cancellation of Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi State.
The Nigerian Civil Society Situation Room and YIAGA said the election was marred with violence, votes buying, voters inducement, intimidation and harassment.
Governorship election was held across the state while a senatorial rerun was held in Kogi West Senatorial District.
The Situation Room, a coalition of prominent civic groups, said the Kogi election represents a major dent to Nigeria’s democracy.
The Situation Room is one of the accredited observers for the election.
The convener of the situation room, Clement Nwankwo, announced the group’s stance in a press conference in Abuja on Sunday.
According to him, if this election is allowed to stand, 2023 and Ondo State election next year will be a bloodbath.
”Situation Room is disappointed with the procedure the two governorship elections that held in Kogi and Bayelsa States and worries that the elections fall below the standards expected for a free, fair and credible elections, ” he said
He said the governorship elections conducted in Kogi and Bayelsa States represent a major setback for Nigeria’a electoral democracy while noting that the two elections have proved to be a disappointment.
”Election day turnout was however marred by violence and activities of political parties and security agents leading to disruptions of polls in several areas, ” he said.
Mr Nwankwo also lamented that security personnel were watching incidents of ballot box snatching, violence and abuse of the electoral process and look other sides.
”The claimed overwhelming numbers of deployments by security officials should ordinarily provide enough security for the elections.
He said security forces failed to provide details of names of it’s personnel that it deployed for the elections, raising questions about the claims on the number deployed.
Speaking on vote trading, Mr Nwankwo said the commercialisation of Nigeria’s elections appear to have reached unprecedented height.
”Political parties and their agents operated openly and with impunity distributing money in purchase of votes and it appeared that there were no efforts to stop them. Sums paid at the polling units ranged from N500 to N6,000.
He also alleged that there were open exploitation of Persons with Disabilities (PWD’s) by politicians who cash-in on the level of their poverty to buy their votes.
He said there was low voter turnout of PWDs in both states.
The civil societies asked INEC to interrogate the elections in Bayelsa State with a view to identifying the high incidences of malpractice that took place and reflect the genuine vote of the people.
“In the light of the security failures, thuggery and general abuse witnessed in the elections, Situation Room calls for an urgent passage and implementation of an Electoral Offence Commission law to address all issues related to electoral abuse.
YIAGA Africa, a public policy think-tank, also said violence and malpractices challenged the proper conduct of the Kogi governorship and senatorial elections.
The Board Chair, YIAGA AFRICA, Hussaini Abdu, said the group received a total of 69 incident reports with cases of election infraction, snatching and stuffing of ballot boxes and papers, including reports on voter suppression manifesting in the form of denying voters access to polling units by political thugs.
He said the challenges in the Kogi elections were caused by the failures of security agencies, particularly the police, political parties, the major candidates and the state and non-state accomplices.
“The stakeholders deliberately worked to undermine the election; they appeared to be more concerned about electoral victory than the credibility and legitimacy of the process,” he said.
He also asked INEC to conduct a thorough investigation of the conduct of the Kogi governorship and senatorial elections and to conduct a new election that gives voters a genuine opportunity to exercise their right to vote.
”We are deeply worried and concerned about this emerging trend in electoral manipulation and the deepening culture of impunity. Failure to institutionally and decisively act could undermine our democracy, ” he said.
Speaking on transparency, he called on INEC to make public the list of polling units where elections were cancelled.
Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA, Samson Itodo, said the group planned to verify INEC’s result using its Parallel Voter Tabulation method .
Mr Itodo however said due to election malpractice, YIAGA AFRICA would not release its PVT results data as the PVT estimates could not reflect the preferences of Kogi voters because some stakeholders compromised the process.