From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Human Rights and Pro Democracy Groups in Abia have called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to intervene in the ongoing gubernatorial election dispute in order to prevent a crisis.
The groups expressed their concerns over the situation and urged INEC to resist any pressure or inducement to accept flawed results from a particular Local Government Area, which could have severe consequences.
In a joint statement signed by Damian Ogudike, State Coordinator Congress of Civil Society Groups, Abia Chapter; Nwogu Chukwudi, President, Abia Stakeholders Forum (ASF), and Nelson Nnanna Nwafor, Abia civil society network on Equity and Justice (ACSNEJ), the groups said that “the majority of the people of Abia State spoke in loud voices with their votes on whom they want to represent them in government starting from the Presidential/National Assembly polls till last Saturday when they reechoed their stance once more by ensuring they voted credible persons in House of Assembly and in various local government results for the governorship elections.”
They emphasised the importance of upholding the legitimacy of the democratic process, and the need for public officials to emerge into public office through a fair and credible election process.
The groups warned that subverting the will of the people and denying them their guaranteed democratic rights could lead to unrest and tension in the state.
The groups implored INEC and politicians to avoid actions or inactions that could set Abia state on fire.
They stated that “the people deserve the kind of leader they gave their consent to, through the democratic process of voting and no more shall they be deprived of this their guaranteed democratic rights.”