2023: Why Attacks on INEC Facilities Persist in Nigeria – Igini
A former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, has suggested why gunmen continued to attack and raze Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities.< /p>
Mr. Igini spoke when he appeared as a guest on Channels TV's Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.
He said gunmen continued to attack commission facilities across the country because successive Nigerian governments failed to follow up on the perpetrators and punish them accordingly.
“The tragedy of our country is that (there have been) sustained attacks on INEC offices across the country, over the years, not just this time.
"I am afraid that we have not been able to deal with this situation. The attack on the INEC office is an attack on democracy. That for several years it has happened and that we couldn't get anyone to book, that's why this thing continued,” he said.
Last Sunday, a local INEC office was set on fire in Ebonyi State, southeastern Nigeria, by unidentified people. An as yet undetermined amount of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) was destroyed in the attack.
PREMIUM reported that similar attacks took place against the offices of the commission in Ogun and Osun states on November 10.
Several other INEC offices in different parts of the country have also been attacked in the past.
Mr. Igini, a lawyer, said governments' failure to arrest and prosecute those responsible for attacks on INEC facilities has left attackers feeling like "they can always get away with the attacks" .
He challenged the country's security agencies to rise to the task of tracking down and arresting the perpetrators of the attacks.
“Democracy works and works on the premise that everyone who has a role to play should do so,” he said.
The former REC said it was inappropriate that the attacks were renewed just months before the 2023 general election.
He said the attacks by the thugs were meant to discourage Nigerian voters and give them the impression that the elections would not take place.
He accused political elites of sponsoring the attacks to destabilize the country's democracy.
READ ALSO:Mr. Igini urged Nigerians not to be deterred by the attacks, assuring that INEC has the capacity to reprint PVCs razed by attackers at various INEC offices "within days".
Mr. Igini said, “INEC has the voter identification numbers of all PVCs (burned). They (INEC) have information about the PVCs at their state headquarters. If they don't, INEC will have all the information on the PVCs burned at its headquarters in Abuja. INEC will produce the PVCs that have been burnt. »
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A former Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Akwa Ibom State, Mike Igini, has suggested why gunmen continued to attack and raze Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) facilities.< /p>
Mr. Igini spoke when he appeared as a guest on Channels TV's Sunrise Daily on Tuesday.
He said gunmen continued to attack commission facilities across the country because successive Nigerian governments failed to follow up on the perpetrators and punish them accordingly.
“The tragedy of our country is that (there have been) sustained attacks on INEC offices across the country, over the years, not just this time.
"I am afraid that we have not been able to deal with this situation. The attack on the INEC office is an attack on democracy. That for several years it has happened and that we couldn't get anyone to book, that's why this thing continued,” he said.
Last Sunday, a local INEC office was set on fire in Ebonyi State, southeastern Nigeria, by unidentified people. An as yet undetermined amount of Permanent Voter Cards (PVC) was destroyed in the attack.
PREMIUM reported that similar attacks took place against the offices of the commission in Ogun and Osun states on November 10.
Several other INEC offices in different parts of the country have also been attacked in the past.
Mr. Igini, a lawyer, said governments' failure to arrest and prosecute those responsible for attacks on INEC facilities has left attackers feeling like "they can always get away with the attacks" .
He challenged the country's security agencies to rise to the task of tracking down and arresting the perpetrators of the attacks.
“Democracy works and works on the premise that everyone who has a role to play should do so,” he said.
The former REC said it was inappropriate that the attacks were renewed just months before the 2023 general election.
He said the attacks by the thugs were meant to discourage Nigerian voters and give them the impression that the elections would not take place.
He accused political elites of sponsoring the attacks to destabilize the country's democracy.
READ ALSO:Mr. Igini urged Nigerians not to be deterred by the attacks, assuring that INEC has the capacity to reprint PVCs razed by attackers at various INEC offices "within days".
Mr. Igini said, “INEC has the voter identification numbers of all PVCs (burned). They (INEC) have information about the PVCs at their state headquarters. If they don't, INEC will have all the information on the PVCs burned at its headquarters in Abuja. INEC will produce the PVCs that have been burnt. »
Support the integrity and credibility journalism of PREMIUM TIMES Good journalism costs a lot of money. Yet only good journalism can guarantee the possibility of a good society, an accountable democracy and a transparent government. For free and continued access to the best investigative journalism in the country, we ask that you consider providing modest support to this noble endeavour. By contributing to PREMIUM TIMES, you are helping to perpetuate news journalism...What's Your Reaction?
