Don’t set Abia on fire, let people’s will prevail – group tells INEC boss
By Polycarp Ifeanyi, Onitsha
The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu has been urged to immediately rise up to the occasion and save Abia State from avoidable crises by resolving the logjam encountered in the gubernatorial election held last Saturday.
Briefing newsmen in Umuahia on Monday on the out come of the election, a group under the aegis of Abia State Human Right & Pro Democracy Group represented by Abia State coordinator Congress of Civil Society Group, Comrade Damian Ogudike, President of Abia stakeholders Forum (ASF), Comrade Nwosu Chukwudi and Abia State Civil Society Net Work on Equity & Justice ( ACSNEJ), Comrade Nelson Nnanna Nwafor.
The group however noted with dismay that INEC State returning officer, Resident Electoral Commission and other actors in the Commission are being pressured with the out come of the results from Obingwa LGA of Abia State.
The right group said, the incontrovertible evidence from the out come of the polls have shown that the majority of the people of Abia State spoke in loud voice with their votes on whom they want to represent them in government ranging from the presidential and National Assembly polls till last Saturday when they re-echoed their stance once again by ensuring they voted for credible persons in House of Assembly in various local government and demanding the results of governorship election.
The group called on the INEC Chairman to resist any form of pressure or inducement in accepting the evidently flawed results procured from a particular local Government Area and therefore save the commission and its agents from public odium and disgrace with its attendant consequences which might literally set Abia State on fire.
They continued saying ” Tension is building up already across different parts of the state by the restive youths who are not taking chances these days in allowing their mandate to be stolen by any political actor or parties . The desperation to take power by hook or crook being exhibited by some forces leaves much to be desired while those who read the signs of the present time don’t need any prophet or fortune teller to tell them that things have changed.
It is our unshake position that input legitimacy should not be toyed with at any time in the democratic process as the process through which a public official emerge into public office is very much vital because the same way the public person will do in the office after getting power.
Subverting the people’s will in a brazen manner and resort to the provocation slogan ” If you are not satisfied, go to court” Wil not be accepted anymore in Abia State. The people deserve the kind of a leader they gave their consent to through the democratic process of voting and no more shall they be deprived of this their guaranteed democratic right.
Contrary to this, poses serious danger to the society and we implore INEC and other desperate politicians to avoid setting Abia State on fire by their actions or inactions. Let the out come of the final results be a reflection of the wish of the electorates who braved all odds to come out and exercise their franchise” Said the group.
