Inconclusive Elections: Protesters storm INEC headquarters
Tom Okpe, Abuja
A group of protesters under the platform of Save Nigeria Democracy Group (SNDG) Wednesday took protest to the national headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) over inconclusive election of the just concluded governorship elections in some states.
The protesters said the results from the just concluded elections did not reflect the true voting direction of Nigerians.
The protesters who came in their numbers, were seen carrying different placards with inscriptions such as “The People’s mandate can not be stolen”, “Prof.Yakubu must resign”, “Inconclusive election is a shame”.
Speaking in the presence of some INEC staff who came out to receive the protesters, leader of the group, Comrade Tijani Abdulmumuni, said it has become necessary at this point for all well meaning Nigerians to halt and take a critical review of the events that characterize the just concluded round of elections which he added portend danger to democracy in Nigeria.
“This latest show of desperation has further strengthened earlier concerns of widespread voter suppression, violence, militarization of the political space and systematic inflation of figures that punctuated the presidential and National Assembly elections.
“It also heightens the fear of the dire consequences of the federal government muscling INEC and the nation’s security into turning blind eyes to obvious infractions and violations of the Federal Constitutional provisions and Electoral Law and the Regulations/Guidelines regulating the 2019 general elections and went ahead to uphold and announce a taylored result that only serve the ruling All Progressives Congress.
“We wish to place on record that the monumental electoral fraud, manipulation which have very negative implications on the credibility, transparency and integrity of the entire elections constitute a latent threat to our democratic development.
“Against all known rules of decency and fairness, the deliberate violations which include the widespread non-usage or selective enforcement of the use of Smart Card Reader (SCR) machines are also an indictment in the sight of the international community.
“Other infractions observed nationwide, included the deliberate non-deployment of result form EC 8 to polling centres, the barricade by armed military personnel to deny the agents of opposition political parties access to collation centres, the recording of falsified figures and violent attacks at opposition strongholds.
The protesters, however asked Nigerians to rise and reject the results and push for immediate redress.
While receiving the protesters on behalf of the commission, INEC’s Assistant Director of Security, Kelechi Madumere, commended the group for a peaceful exercise, assuring them the commission will do everything possible not to betray the trust and wish of Nigerians.
