Amnesty International in trouble over comments on Kano election
Our reporter
Comments by Amnesty International criticizing the conduct of 2019 general election especially as it concerns the governorship supplementary conducted in Kano is attracting the anger of many organizations which have accused the body of bias and partisanship.
The latest reaction is coming from a regional African group on election matters known as the West African Network of Election Observers (WANEO), a coalition of Civil Society Organizations involved in election monitoring in the sub-region.
In a communiqué after its meeting on Thursday in Abuja to review and deliberate on the issues around the just concluded elections in Nigeria came up with some conclusions which include that ‘The elections where generally free and fair across the country although there were a few challenges experienced across the country;
that there is a need to improve on the electoral process further especially as it relates to the uniform application of the Electoral Act; and that network welcomes the comments contributions of other international observers like the ECOWAS teams, European Union and Commonwealth.
The communiqué which was signed by Lukman Musa Abiola, General Secretary of the coalition however frowned at what it described as the overbearing and unnecessary meddlesomeness of some foreign bodies like the Amnesty International, adding that Africa is no longer a colonial puppet that cannot handle its own affairs.
“The network has observed with dismay the unnecessary meddling and negative comments made by groups like Amnesty International.
Our network condemns in very strong terms the comments credited to Amnesty International that seeks to suggest that Kano is an exceptional case of electoral violence.
We insist that these comments were made in bad faith and in pursuit of a predetermined agenda.
“That network wishes to state that Amnesty International is not an election observer but a human rights organization.
Those who observed elections like us can confirm that elections have held and a winner has been declared. Nigerians in Kano, Plateau and other parts of the country have made their choices.
“We wish to counsel Amnesty International and their agents to desist from making comments capable of inciting the God fearing citizens of Nigeria especially in Kano State and urge the Executive Governor of Kano State to immediately establish a commission of Inquiry to look into the cases of electoral violence and bring the perpetrators to book,” the coalition stated.
