Cancel Abia North Senatorial Election, Observers Urge INEC

BY ORJIME MOSES, Abuja

Coalition of Election Observers has expressed utter disappointment over the Feb 25, 2023, Abia North senatorial election saying it was below the standard and acceptable electoral practice, contrary to the Electoral Act 2022 and Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) guidelines for the election and is also against the expectations of the electorates and constituents.

The coalition expressed disappointment over the late distribution of electoral materials to the various RAC centres across five local government areas in Abia North especially Arochukwu and Ohafia LGAs, where some candidates have to volunteer by releasing their vehicles to convey the INEC electoral materials to the various polling units.

In a press release which was jointly signed by the head of the Coalition for Abia North 2023 election, Rasheed Shuaib and Future Leaders Global Institute, Fidelis Nweke, it stated that in some instances, there were no attached law enforcement agencies that will escort the INEC materials to the various polling units. As a result, a greater number of INEC ad-hoc staff could not proceed to their place of primary assignment on election day since the election time was almost up.

They said that like Bende LGA, the election materials moved to the LGA headquarters early but took some time to reach most polling units, while voters were waiting.

The coalition called on INEC to as a matter of urgency help to calm the growing agitation in these areas where elections never held and fix a date for rerun election or cancel the elections as a result of irregularities which took place during the collation of the results which is not in line with the new Electoral Act.

“INEC should critically look into the distribution of both sensitive and nonsensitive materials ahead of the governorship and state assembly election. As this was the major setback for the Feb 25, 2023 presidential and national assembly elections.

“There should be proper orientation to the INEC ad-hoc staff not to compromise or being influenced by political parties to do their biddings.

“There should be proper retraining of the INEC presiding officers who are going to handle the BVAS, so as to have a hitch free March 18, 2023 governorship and state assembly elections.

“INEC should probably communicate to both the state and non-state actors where there is any issue that will warrant delay in the election process,” they said.