Follow Us on Google
From Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The Conference of Northern States Civil Society Networks has observed that February 25th Presidential elections conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) failed to meet the expectations of Nigerians.
The conference, which consists of Civil Society groups in the nineteen Northern States and FCT, stated this at a press conference in Kano, insisting that a majority of Nigerians who had participated in the exercise were unhappy with the outcomes because it was characterized by many irregularities.
The Chairman of the conference, Ibrahim Waiya, who addressed the media, noted that some of the witnessed irregularities were rooted in the pre- election activities such as the violence that accompanied many candidates’ campaign activities and the commercialization of party’s primaries, which resurfaced as vote buying during the elections.
He regretted that the election went along religious and ethnic lines, noting the North and South placed emotive attachment to candidates on the basis of these faulty considerations.
He said the polarisation further divided Nigerians and overheated the polity, describing the situation as a red flag to the corporate existence of Nigeria.
The conference, however, admitted that the election was largely peaceful across Nigeria, while commending the security agencies for ensuring a peaceful exercise.
It recommended full compliance with the provisions of the Electoral Act in the subsequent elections and suggested that those found to have breached the electoral law during the presidential election should be made to face the law while demanding that the impunity of state governors should be addressed by the relevant authorities.
