CNPP, CSOs Suspend Planned Protest Against INEC Chairman

Conference Of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) under the aegis of the Coalition of National Civil Society Organisations (CNCSOs) have put off their planned protest against the continued stay in office of the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu.

The CNPP and the CSOs had two weeks ago issued a 14-day ultimatum to Prof. Yakubu to step aside or be democratically and legally forced to do so.

In a statement jointly signed by the CNPP secretary general, Chief Willy Ezugwu and the national secretary of the CSO Coalition, Alhaji Ali Abacha, they explained that the suspension followed an intelligence report that certain interests have mobilised hoodlums to disrupt the groups’ protest action.

The political parties and the civil society groups said they have opted to get answers to their questions through other means.

In the statement, they explained that “there is credible intelligence that certain interests are working to hijack our initial actions against the commission.

“Even though the plots against our action were not traced to the Commission itself, there are interests within the polity willing to cause havoc.

“It is therefore our resolve to suspend the protest action to avoid imminent bloodbath and explore other legal and democratic means to engage the electoral body.

“The CNPP and the CSOs are therefore opting for alternative means of dealing with the issues we have raised without endangering the life of any citizen”, the statement noted.