An election observer, Yiaga Africa, yesterday condemned the attacks on Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) national commissioners during the Adamawa supplementary election.
Yiaga while noting that it was senseless for the electoral officials to be attacked while performing their oversight responsibilities, said it should not go unaddressed.
In a statement jointly signed by the chairman, Watching The Vote Working Group, Dr Hussain Abdu and its executive director, Samson Itodo, Yiaga Africa flayed the conduct of the Adamawa State Resident Electoral Commission (REC), Hudu Yunusa-Ari, saying it is inimical to democracy.
It also condemned the illegal declaration of the All Progressive Congress, governorship candidate, Aisha Binani as governor-elect mid-way into the exercise.
“The President and the Nigerian Senate should initiate removal proceedings against the Adamawa REC in defense of the Constitution, the independence of INEC, and the overall integrity of the electoral process.”
Urging the police and INEC to swiftly prosecute the Adamawa REC for gross misconduct, insubordination and fraud, Yiaga Africa called for a thorough investigation into the attacks on two of the National Commissioners deployed to oversee the supplementary elections in Adamawa, with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.
It stated: “The fact that the REC committed this dastardly act in company of security operatives is unfortunate and unacceptable. Consequently, the conduct of the REC, which is criminal and unbecoming of an electoral officer, is inimical to democratic norms and ethos.”
“The action of the REC portends danger for democracy in Nigeria as it signals that the Constitution and other laws can be subverted, thereby opening a floodgate of lawlessness and anarchy in the face of such crass disregard for the rule of law. This gross misconduct is an ominous sign of democratic backsliding and INEC capture, which was highlighted Election Manipulation Risk Index (EMRI) published before the 2023 general elections.
“Yiaga Africa commends INEC’s swift response to nullify the illegal declaration and immediate suspension of the REC from performing INEC duties in line with Paragraph 15(H) 3rd schedule, Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 (as altered).
“The appropriate sanction for this gross misconduct is removal from office in line Section 157 of the Constitution.
ca therefore, demands immediate removal of the REC as well as prompt prosecution for this reckless electoral offence, which is of a nature that can bring democracy to its knees.
“It is necessary for the President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Nigerian Senate to act swiftly by removing the REC whose conduct threatens the democracy and constitutional order that the nation has nurtured over the past two decades. His prosecution will have a deterrent effect on others who have similar traits of illegality. This is a task for the Nigeria Police Force and the INEC to ensure electoral justice is dispensed without delay.”
Yiaga Africa further said action must be taken against hoodlums that attacked INEC officials in the state.
“Yiaga Africa strongly condemns the attacks on INEC National commissioners performing oversight responsibilities in the supplementary elections. These senseless attacks assault the independence of INEC and should not go unaddressed,” it added.
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