Don’t interfere with Edo election, civil rights group urges Buhari

Prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Monday, advised President Muhammadu Buhari not to interfere in Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State.

Similarly, it has admonished the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to use the exercise to restore confidence in its ability to conduct polls that reflect the will of his electorate.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja, the group also called for the immediate withdrawal of troops allegedly deployed to the private residences of the immediate past National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Comrade Adams Oshiomhole in both Benin City and Iyamho, Edo State.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, who spoke at the conference, maintained that President Buhari should not be seen to be extremely concerned about the result of the election because he holds the office on behalf of all Nigerians irrespective of political persuasion.

The group said: “The Nigerian President is by his oath of office expected to be above board and must not be seen actively promoting one-sided agenda but should be the champion of a pan-Nigerian agenda. A pan-Nigerian agenda as it concerns election is that tendency which ensures that there is electoral integrity, transparency and accountability.

“We have observed with shock and disappointment that the campaign council set up by the All Progressives Congress headed by the governor of Kano State, Abdullahi Ganduje who flew into Benin, the Edo State capital on a presidential jet belonging to all of Nigeria. If this trending news report is anything to go by, then we absolutely condemn this reckless display of political rascality and flagrant abuse of power which offends section 15(5) of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“We, in HURIWA view this naked show of reckless executive power manifested in the illegal use of the people’s public jet for a partisan affair such as conveying the campaign team of the APC to Benin City as reported.

“We hereby warn INEC to ensure that the governorship poll is free, fair, transparent and peaceful.

“INEC must not be intimidated by either the federally controlled security forces or should they out of intimidation already displayed by the fact that the presidential jet was deployed to convey the campaign team of APC, to then manipulate the electoral process.

“We want to caution INEC that any attempt to rig the poll may not augur well for the stability of Nigeria. We appeal to both the PDP and the APC as well as other political players participating in the poll to see the election as an opportunity for the good people of Edo state to democratically elect their freely chosen governor.

“The people of Edo must be allowed to exercise their fundamental human rights to freely choose who should be their governor.

“There must be no interference from external persons be they former governors, current governors or the president of Nigeria. INEC has failed on many occasions to deliver free, fair, transparent and peaceful polls; Nigerians are watching to see if the Edo election will be a great opportunity for the morally depraved INEC to redeem themselves from past misdeeds.

“We ask the security forces to stay objective and to only work for the public good and must not be used as agents by their commander-in-chief to undermine the will of the Nigerian people.

“We also condemn the reported posting of soldiers to protect the former national chairman of APC Adams Oshiomole. This report, if proven, amounts to a gross abuse of power by the President because soldiers ought not to be posted as gatemen. This is against the constitution of the Nigerian Armed Forces as can be seen from relevant provisions from section 217-220.”

 

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