Following what it described as “widespread irregularities and gross violation of international best electoral practice processes as recorded and archived by several mainstream media outfits, political parties, polling agents, election monitors,” the Peter Obi Support Network Diaspora (Europe) has called for the resignation of the Chairman in the Independent National Electoral Commission, (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.
INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu
This came after INEC announced the results of the February 25, 2023 polls, which returned Asiwaju Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress (APC) the winner of the Presidential Election.
But POSN, in a press release signed by its UK’s Head of Strategy & Research Dr. Udeinya Onovo, UK Deputy Coordinator (Operations) Dr. Ugo Nweke, and Diaspora (Europe) Coordinator Comrade Princewill Urum, the group decried INECs chairman failure to fulfill his earlier declaration that the INEC Results Viewing (IReV) portal and Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS) would be used.
The POSN Diaspora (Europe) lamented over “despicable, lacerating, and totally unacceptable gross irregularities leading up to and playing out during the ‘failed’ general election which are evident based extensive study of tonnes of photographic and video pieces of evidence gathered by a team of experts, corporate partners, election observers, the press, and investigative journalists.”
The group listed a number of irregularities:
“Very late arrival of INEC officials at many polling stations across the six geopolitical zones, though it appears worse in the Southern geopolitical zones, where several election officials either turned up for election duties in the afternoon or arrived with incomplete materials;
“Omission of the Labour Party (LP) logo on the election ballot papers in several states in the southern geopolitical zones, for example, Lagos State.
“Blurred logo of political parties on ballot papers, a serious error raised by the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) presidential candidate during an interview with the Arise News on February 25, 2023,
“Large quantities of PVCs illegally dumped in bushes, drains, holes, and bins across several states (like Anambra, Rivers, Lagos) in the southern geopolitical zones.
“Under-aged children were accredited and allowed to vote in some states in the northern geopolitical zones’ contrary to the provisions of the law.
“Deliberate violation of procedures by election officials who failed or refused to upload and electronically transmit most of the election results. In places where some electronic transfer of results took place, INEC officials successfully uploaded some National Assembly results, but were unable or deliberately prevented from uploading the presidential election results.
“Using compromised BVAS that were apparently programmed to block the uploading of presidential election results,
“Hoodlums armed with weapons freely roamed over parts of Rivers, Lagos, Edo, Kogi and several other states, engaging in daylight snatching and deliberate destruction of election materials in several polling units.
“Armed brutes taking over several polling units in parts of the South-West and South-South, though this appeared more rampant in Lagos and Rivers State, to intimidate both the voters and election officials, destroy election materials, and maim people.
“Discriminatory ethnic profiling was at play and people of a particular tribe were warned in parts of Lagos State and prevented from voting and forced to stay away from polling units or face dire consequence,
“Large-scale mutilation, manufacturing, and falsification of election results in a manner that is unimaginable and unprecedented in Nigeria’s history.
“Inadequate security at several polling units given how miscreants easily overpowered security personnel, and stole or destroyed election materials, thereby preventing several voters from carrying out their civil duty to vote,
“Some rogue security agents and compromised election officials openly colluding with antisocial elements to create confusion, cause a breach of the peace, and violate the integrity of the ballot. In one case reported by a section of the press, some of the suspects were apprehended in Akwa Ibom State by gallant personnel of the Nigerian Military and handed over to the Nigerian Police Force for interrogation/prosecution.”
The group urged the Nigerian government under the leadership of the President Muhammadu Buhari, to ensure that the law enforcement agencies are alive in their responsibilities to maintain law and order, arrest and diligently prosecute criminals that violate the law or disrupt the peace no matter their sponsors.
The Peter Obi Support Network Diaspora (Europe) also craved the assistance of the International Community, particularly the Commonwealth, African Union, Europe, United Nations, United States, France, Germany, United Kingdom, Israel, and other strong democracies around the globe to ensure that the integrity of the ballot is protected by prevailing on the national authorities in Nigeria to ensure a free, fair, transparent, credible, and peaceful General Elections 2023.
It however, called on Nigerians to shun violence, but should insist that INEC must as a matter of urgency begin to show unfettered openness and transparency in the conduct of elections and result circulation by uploading into their systems (servers) all authentic election results, sack corrupt election officials, and use non-compromised election materials and devices.
VANGUARD
