and especially in Rivers State whereby collation centers were invaded by
suspected armed thugs and guarded by armed security forces to destroy or
cart away election results, a call for the withdrawal of the Professorial
title of Yakubu Mahmood the Chairman of the IndependentNational Electoral
Commission (INEC) has been made. The election has also been described as
sham and the shameless desecration of democratic values.
A prominent Non Governmental organisation – HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS
ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) which made the call in a statement against
the backdrops of reported sporadic violence and bliodsheds that
characterised Saturday’s governorship polls across the Country has also
asked the outgoing National Assembly to investigate the Independent
National Electoral Commission to uncover why the management staff unduly
conducted a floored and fraudulent election in which the armed security
services were allowed to deliberately attack leaders of the leading
opposition Peoples Democratic party (PDP) IN PARTS OF NIGERIA Including
the outright refusal of the armed forces to allow accredited agents of the
PDP into collation centers in Rivers State. The interference by armed
security forces in the actual conduct of the polls has been described as
coup plot and high treason.
HURIWA which also commended the pronouncements of the Chief of Army staff
Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai to investigate alleged violations
of the rules of engagement in internal security operations by some Army
operatives who were videod invading houses of leaders of the Peoples
Democratic party in Rivers State and also reportedly captured by video
stealing with the force of arms the results of some of the elections in
some Local government areas of Rivers State. The forceful take over of the
INEC COLLATION CENTER IN PORT HARCOURT BY THE ARMED FORCES HAS BEEN
DESCRIBED AS TREASON.
However, the Rights group has asked categorically that those armed
security operatives captured on photos perpetrating violence and anarchy
during the polls should be tried for attempted coup plot because their
criminal actions are tantamount to staging a military take over of the
democratic process in parts of Nigeria which must never be swept under the
carpets to avoid an imminent implosion and ultimate collapse of
constitutional democracy.
“The brazen criminality by these shameless men in uniform must never be
tolerated by Nigeria and the chief of Army staff Lieutenant General Tukur
Yusuf Buratai who is a consummate professional must never allow his
legacies to be tarnished by these actions of some bad elements embeded in
the Armed forces of Nigeria. We will get in touch with the Chief of Army
staff Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai by way of a petition to table
before him some damaging evidences our people generated from the fields
showing some bad elements armed with weapons bought with tax payers money
to unleash violence of unmitigated dimension. We are hopeful that the
highest military authority are aware that the eyes of the international
community is on Nigeria. We will also petition the President of the
Federal Republic of Nigeria to record our displeasure and strong
disapproval of these acts of criminality perpetrated by armed security
forces invited by cabinet level mimisters in the current administration”.
HURIWA which asked that the very Universities should revoke these titles
of professorships on INEC chairman and most of those Returning officers
who supervised the travesty of justice committed by INEC during the two
sets of elections that have just happened following the absolute
manipulation of the elections and the ethical challenges trailing the
actions of these academic professors show that they are not deserving of
these high honour since by their actions they have demonstrated the total
lack of honour that ought to be associated with holders of the prestigious
academic title of professors. HURIWA has also called for the resignation
and prosecution of INEC chairman for attempting to drag Nigeria into a
state of civil war by deliberately messing up the electoral process.