A group of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have backed the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for suspending the governorship and state house of assembly elections over widespread violence in the state.
This is contained in a joint statement by the leaders of the Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD Nigeria), CLEEN Foundation (Centre for Law Enforcement Education Nigeria), Niger Delta Catholic Bishops Forum, Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, Stakeholder Democracy Network, and We the People-Centre for Social Studies and Development.
According to them, their organisations supported election observation activities across Rivers State during the elections and concurred that there were repeated abuses that impacted voters, and ad-hoc and permanent staff of INEC.
They listed the abuses to include the hijacking of election materials by groups accompanied by persons in military uniform, abduction of election officials, and multiple incidents around collation centres.
“We are particularly alarmed by our observer reports of partisan conduct by security services around collation centres, and reports of abduction, assault, and harassment of election officials,” the statement signed by Agianpe Ashang, Situation Room; Benson Olugbuo, CLEEN Foundation; Father Edward Obi, Niger Delta Bishops Forum; Joseph Ekong, SDN; Shamsudeen Yusuf, CDD and Ken Henshaw, CSSD said.
They said that local and national civil society organisations are calling for INEC and its staff to be protected from further pressure and intimidation over the Rivers State suspended elections.
They said, “INEC must be allowed to play its mandated role and carefully identify next steps that are safe for voters and electoral officials, and do not contribute to further injury and loss of life that has been associated with every poll held since 2015.
“The political parties in Nigeria should acknowledge that their collective actions in Rivers state have generated conflict that has cost numerous lives and damaged the credibility of our elections.
“They should take immediate steps requiring their candidates and supporters to respect the rule of law and the rights of voters and election officials.
“The Federal Government bodies overseeing security services should take immediate steps to investigate the conduct of various arms during the Presidential and State elections in Rivers State and take specific steps to assure the protection of electoral officials and the fair conduct of polls,” it noted.
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