A group known as the Coalition of Democratic
Watchdog of Nigeria has shown displeasure over the activities of the
Independent National Electoral Commission especially on the on the APC party
primaries conducted in Zamfara State.
This was disclosed at a joint World press conference
in Abuja on Thursday by Bob Robert Opara, Engr. Hugo Okafor, Alhaji Danfulani
Umar and Momodu Olayinka.
The coalition called on INEC to rectify the Zamfara
primaries issues to save Nigeria from the unending laughing stock for which the
commission has plunged the nation.
Excerpt is the full text of the press conference:
A WORLD PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE COALITION OF
DEMOCRATIC WATCHDOG OF NIGERIA ON THE APC PARTY PRIMARIES CONDUCTED IN ZAMFARA
STATE AND INECs POSITION.
Welcome Gentlemen of the fourth realm.
We, as a coalition has been monitoring events as it
unfolds as a result of the fallout of the APC Primary elections held on the 3rd
and 4th of October, 2018 in Zamfara state.
This primaries held in the presence of the Zamfara
State Resident Electoral Commissioner, 2 Assistant Inspector General of police,
the state Commissioner of police, the State Director DSS, etc. across the 147
wards that make up the 16 Local Government Areas of the state. Violence erupted
in 7 wards out of the 147 wards that make up the state. This led to the
cancellation of the elections in the affected 7 LGAs which held the next day
being 4th of October, 2018.
But to the dismay and chagrin of everyone, INEC
headquarter Abuja already issued a statement stating that the elections did not
hold in the state consequent to violence.
Now, the questions are:
1. Why was
INEC Headquarters, Abuja so much in a hurry to issue a statement even while the Primaries
was still ongoing?
2. Could
an election primaries that held in 140 wards but could not hold in 7 wards which later held on the 4th of October, 2018 be nullified
and assumed to be marred with violence? What is the
percentage of 7 to 140?
3. Could
election primaries witnessed, observed and signed by the state INEC Resident
Electoral Commissioner, 2 Assistant Inspectors General of Police, State Commissioner of police, etc be
assumed to be all violent prone or void?
4. Is it
possible that INEC is replicating a script written by some clandestine group in Abuja who are not in consonance with the
outcome of the primaries?
5. Could
there be an external force muzzling INEC to do its bid against her constitutional role of neutrality
and supposed Independence?
In line with the provisions of section 153 of the
Electoral Act (2010 as Amended), INEC is empowered to make regulations
governing any election. In this instance, INECs stipulation that party
primaries should end on the 7th of October was adhered to. Then what on earth
could have pushed INEC to this great blunder of our time especially considering
the recent macreba dance of shame in Ekiti and Osun?
Ordinarily as a civil society coalition, we do not
really mind which political party is involved because we are neutral, but with
the countdown to 2019 General elections, Nigerians are fast losing confidence in
INEC daily and whether or not INEC still retains any iota of integrity to
conduct credible election in 2019 is a billion dollar question yearning for
answer but has malignantly remained bizarre in the mind of Nigerians.
The international community is also watching with
keen interest how an entire state controlled by the ruling party (the APC) is
barred from fielding candidates in a primary that was well conducted.
Democracy in Nigeria is under threat and Nigeria in
the league of Nations is being consistently mocked.
There is a deliberate attempt to truncate due
process and thwart democratic due diligence and procedure in Nigeria. The
reputation of INEC is fast eroded.
Fortunately, INEC still has some time to correct
these orchestrated shame and national disgrace by doing the needful.
INEC, by this medium is given the maximum of a
fortnight to rectify these issues to save Nigeria from the unending laughing
stock for which the commission has plunged the nation.
MAY GOD SAVE NIGERIA.
Thank you.
Signed:
1. BOB
ROBERT OPARA
2. Engr.
Hugo Okafor
3. Alhaji
Danfulani Umar
4. Momodu
Olayinka.
For the coalition.
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