Bauchi: CSO cautions INEC against ‘subversive reversal’

The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC cannot reprobate and approbate over its own decisions, a civil society group has warned. The group also cautioned against what it called the commission’s “subversive reversal,” in Bauchi State.

The pro-democracy group, Conscience Nigeria which observed the governorship election in Bauchi State, is worried that the arbitrary decision by INEC to resume collation of the governorship election results from some units previously declared inconclusive, could endanger democracy.

“It is our considered opinion that the impartiality of INEC has been imperiled by its decision to embark on this subversive reversal which was capable of endangering the peace of Bauchi State. Apparently carried away by the brazenness of its extra-constitutional guidelines on Inconclusive elections introduced by Prof. Yakubu, the commission has now graduated to becoming an electoral court where just any ‘binding decision’ could be dished out. The commission under Yakubu has now arrogated to himself, the power to determine what mode of post-election decision should apply in each state which against the principle of Fair Play and electoral justice,” said Joe Mesele, the Director of Programmes of Conscience Nigeria.

The group noted that “the inconsistency of inconclusiveness in different states within the same country has now exposed INEC under Yakubu as a commission motivated by either partisanship or factors other than altruism”.

“Consequently, we are asking INEC to revert to the status quo of inconclusive election in Bauchi State and ensure that election holds on March 23, 2019, as applicable in other five states.

“We want INEC to seriously consider the peace of the state which is currently threaten by its subversive reversal and ensure that the affected constituencies are allowed to vote freely for their choice as earlier admitted,” the CSO maintained.