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… Say conscience pricking them
From Okwe Obi, Abuja
Twenty civil society organisations under the aegis of Coalition of INEC Accredited Domestic Election Observers, yesterday alleged that the outcome of Imo North Senatorial poll was marred by falsification of results.
The groups are Grassroot Development and Peace Initiative; Initiative for Peace, Humanity and Social Advancement for Women; Youth Education on Human Rights and Civic Responsibilities; Centre for Development and Transformation Initiative; Future Leaders Global Initiative among others.
Team Lead of the Coalition, Victor Kalu, who addressed newsmen in Abuja, said representatives of the groups had to speak up because they were disturbed by their conscience.
Kalu said: “The Coalition of INEC Accredited Domestic Election Observers for the Nigeria General Elections, 2023, having observed the Presidential and National Assembly Elections in Imo State, wish to use this medium to express dissatisfaction with the outcome of the National Assembly elections, especially the Imo North Senatorial Election and, particularly in Okigwe Local Government Area.
“The Imo North Senatorial District comprised of following six Local Government Areas; Obowo, Ihitte Uboma, Ehime Mbano, Onuimo, Okigwe, and Isiala Mbano.
“As INEC accredited ‘foot soldiers’ and electoral process stakeholders, we are miffed by the results turned out by INEC as winners and losers in that electoral contest.
“To the best of our knowledge and understanding, the result of the Imo North Senatorial District, as dished out by INEC, run completely ultra-viras to the visible collated results at the polling units and the collation centers.
“Worse still, Wards and communities numbering about seven had no elections there.
“While we commend INEC for considerable efforts at some other places where elections held successfully, we differ to say that Okigwe Local Government Area was a different case.
“Elections did not take place in towns and communities like Okigwe, Ihube,Ezinnachi, etc.
“So, as INEC accredited observers who were present at the polling units and collation centers, our consciences are pricked by this apparent electoral aberration and fraud, where the real winners are mysteriously replaced by runners up along the way.”
He continued: “We opine that this situation is a general phenomenon in Imo state but the Imo North issue and, particularly Okigwe, is very heartrending and capable of exacerbating an already election tension soaked zone.
“It is no gainsaying that, in the last elections, INEC has not lived up to its promises to deliver the freest and fairest election ever in Nigeria.
“More so, INEC has totally failed Nigerians in the high expectations which it prompted in the people.
“Therefore, as accredited INEC observers to that election, we have resolved to open this situation up to the Nigerian public as well as the Election Tribunal Committee for the Imo state National Assembly elections for them to be guided in their duty and assignment with good conscience to be fair and just to deliver clinically processed and justifiable conclusions with a view to ameliorating INEC’s overbearing excesses in that election, by giving INEC a face saving and soft landing platform of equity for that electoral overzealousness and reckless patronage of such systemic alteration against electoral wish and desire of the people of Okigwe North.
“Since the Election Tribunals, like the courts, are the last hope of a helpless and distressed electoral candidate, we urge the Tribunal members to be courageous and duty bound to do the needful by reversing the many elections mysteriously declared against those that might have been robbed of victory – those that might have rightly been voted for by the people.
If the INEC could no longer ensure that the right votes count, the Tribunal should effect a correction of this ugly trend and set the records straight, so as to forestall future negation of the people’s electoral legitimacy, rights and franchise.”
