Observers call for action against RECs for alleged sabotage
A pro-democracy organization, Center for Transparency and Advocacy, demanded that the resident election commissioners of the Independent National Election Commission in the last presidential election be investigated for their alleged partisanship and colluding with politicians to sabotage and derail the exercise.
The organization also called on INEC to investigate its officials, especially some RECs, election officials in local government areas, supervisory chairpersons and questionable ad hoc personnel, while that all those implicated in electoral malfeasance should be arrested, prosecuted, and punished appropriately, to deter others.
CTA Executive Director Faith Nwadishi said so in Abuja while reporting on the group's sightings in the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The organization's report was titled "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly".
Nwadishi said, "INEC officials on the ground claimed they had no code to transmit the results, while in a statement released by INEC, he said said there were technical issues. These explanations did not stop Nigerians from firmly believing that some of the election arbiter's staff were compromised. Some results that were uploaded were either mutilated or had photographs of people and, in fact, illegible."
Under the headline "Sabotage by some INEC Field Officers and Election Officials in Local Government Areas", the group said: "These groups of Nigerians have always rolled back the clock of democracy due to their fraudulent activities in collusion with dubious politicians.
“The role of Resident Election Commissioners at present should be questioned as some of them are allegedly partisan and colluding with politicians to derail due process.
“You may recall that the CTA and other civil society organizations condemned the appointment of some partisan Resident Election Commissioners ahead of the election. It seems that these sets of INEC officials usually work in contravention of guidelines and orders issued by INEC headquarters. It was alleged that they hoarded the results sheets and distributed them to the highest bidders who apparently used the results sheets to falsify the actual polling station results.
“It has also been alleged that this same group of INEC staff hoarded the codes and access to the BVAS hence the non-transmission of the results of the polling stations as provided for the law. This is unacceptable and should be discouraged.
“The INEC should as a matter of priority open an investigation to investigate its personnel, in particular certain Resident Electoral Commissioners, LGA Electoral Officers, Oversight Chairpersons and questionable ad hoc personnel. We demand that anyone implicated in electoral fraud be arrested, prosecuted, and adequately punished. This will have a deterrent effect.
“INEC should have the political will to cleanse itself of those putrid impurities that have cast doubt on its integrity and neutrality. The use of BVAS for uploading poll results is expected to be used in the March 11, 2023 elections for Governors and State Houses of Assembly. »
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A pro-democracy organization, Center for Transparency and Advocacy, demanded that the resident election commissioners of the Independent National Election Commission in the last presidential election be investigated for their alleged partisanship and colluding with politicians to sabotage and derail the exercise.
The organization also called on INEC to investigate its officials, especially some RECs, election officials in local government areas, supervisory chairpersons and questionable ad hoc personnel, while that all those implicated in electoral malfeasance should be arrested, prosecuted, and punished appropriately, to deter others.
CTA Executive Director Faith Nwadishi said so in Abuja while reporting on the group's sightings in the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The organization's report was titled "The Good, The Bad, The Ugly".
Nwadishi said, "INEC officials on the ground claimed they had no code to transmit the results, while in a statement released by INEC, he said said there were technical issues. These explanations did not stop Nigerians from firmly believing that some of the election arbiter's staff were compromised. Some results that were uploaded were either mutilated or had photographs of people and, in fact, illegible."
Under the headline "Sabotage by some INEC Field Officers and Election Officials in Local Government Areas", the group said: "These groups of Nigerians have always rolled back the clock of democracy due to their fraudulent activities in collusion with dubious politicians.
“The role of Resident Election Commissioners at present should be questioned as some of them are allegedly partisan and colluding with politicians to derail due process.
“You may recall that the CTA and other civil society organizations condemned the appointment of some partisan Resident Election Commissioners ahead of the election. It seems that these sets of INEC officials usually work in contravention of guidelines and orders issued by INEC headquarters. It was alleged that they hoarded the results sheets and distributed them to the highest bidders who apparently used the results sheets to falsify the actual polling station results.
“It has also been alleged that this same group of INEC staff hoarded the codes and access to the BVAS hence the non-transmission of the results of the polling stations as provided for the law. This is unacceptable and should be discouraged.
“The INEC should as a matter of priority open an investigation to investigate its personnel, in particular certain Resident Electoral Commissioners, LGA Electoral Officers, Oversight Chairpersons and questionable ad hoc personnel. We demand that anyone implicated in electoral fraud be arrested, prosecuted, and adequately punished. This will have a deterrent effect.
“INEC should have the political will to cleanse itself of those putrid impurities that have cast doubt on its integrity and neutrality. The use of BVAS for uploading poll results is expected to be used in the March 11, 2023 elections for Governors and State Houses of Assembly. »
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