The Nigeria Civil Society, NSC, Situation Room has condemned what it termed ‘the abuse of the electoral process’ by politicians in Saturday’s supplementary elections.
Mr Clement Nwankwo, Convener of the coalition of over 70 Civil Society Organisations, CSO, expressed their disappointment with and condemnation of the act in a statement in Abuja.
There have been reports of ballot box snatching, burning and attacks on the electorates as well as staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, in some states where the supplementary elections held on Saturday.
In Benue an attack on the convoy of the INEC staff as well as security agencies at Tarka LGA, left the Collation Officer, Prof. Comfort Tuleun,with bullets wounds.
Nwankwo said: “The Situation Room is concerned about abuses of the electoral process and the violence that trails it.
“This is in spite of the deployment of top-level police officials, including a Deputy Inspector General, DIG, three Assistant Inspectors General and Commissioners of Police.
“In the previous elections, the state commissioners of police took charge without senior level officers.”
He said it was therefore, ironic and curious that the level of violence and political thuggery would increase with the number of senior police officers deployed.
Nwankwo noted that the situation room had always advocated against redeployment of commissioners of police ahead of elections.
He also said the group was concerned about reports from Kano State showing that there was extensive use of thugs to perpetrate electoral malpractice, intimidation and violence.
Nwankwo said that the situation room condemned the actions of political parties in the build up to the supplementary elections and on election day.
In Gama ward, Nassarawa Local Government Area, Nwankwo said large numbers of thugs were seen intimidating voters, observers and even INEC officials around the polling units, unchecked, despite the presence of security personnel.
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He said also there were incidents of large deployment of unaccredited party agents to polling units who contributed to the disruption of the voting process.
Other incidences observed, according to Nwankwo include, vote buying facilitated by thugs and party agents and attempted inducement of observers with cash.
He said that the trend was seen particularly in Gama ward, Kano.
He recommended that given the widespread violence in some areas where the supplementary elections held in Kano State, the electoral body should ignore elections and proceed to make a declaration based on the polls already concluded.
Nwankwo said that this was because the country would be in no mood to accept the conduct of another supplementary election on the back of a supplementary election.
