The Centre for Human Rights and Civic Education (CHRICED) has called for the involvement of the International Criminal Court (ICC) to save electorates and election officials from the brigandage of politicians and others political actors in the country.
The Executive Director of the CHRICED, Dr. Ibrahim M. Zikirullahi, made the call on Monday at a news conference in Abuja.
He said he was making the call on the heels of the pockets of violence and other forms of electoral malpractices recorded in the November 16 governorship and other bye-elections in Bayelsa and Kogi states.
“Bayelsa and Kogi states elections have come and gone but leaving behind a trail of sorrow, tears and blood.
“For us at CHRICED, we cannot consider the shows in the two states as democratic elections because both failed to meet the minimum standards for free, fair and credible polls that are universally recognized for election to be accepted.
“The recent elections in Kogi and Bayelsa states testify to the degeneration of the electoral process, and the assault on the sanctity of the vote.
“It is unacceptable that 20 years after the advent of the current democratic order, the political actors, who are busy talking about hate speech and social media regulation cannot regulate their unruly conduct, which has undermined our electoral process.
“CHRICED calls on stakeholders to consider steps to invoke the ICC’s principle of the right to protect and save innocent voters in Nigeria from the hands of politicians weaponizing thugs to win elections,” Zikirullahi said.
He said the dastardly acts on the Election Day were followed by the very wicked act wherein thugs celebrating their blood-soaked victory in the election set ablaze the home of the PDP women leader in Ofu Local Government Area of Kogi state.
He said that in the face of the lackadaisical attitude of the ruling party to ensure such electoral criminals are held to account, citizens and citizen groups must now consider exploring other alternatives like the ICC.
