Buhari, Tinubu, Others Storm INEC over Marred Anambra Poll!

Muhammadu Buhari

• Party demands outright cancellation of election, REC's removal  
•  Umeh: Nobody can stop commission

From Anambra State, the protest over the conduct of the November 16 governorship election in the state moved  Thursday to the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) where a throng of All Progressives Congress (APC) members converged to march to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

Among the crowd of the party's members and supporters who staged the protest in furtherance of their demand for the cancellation of the election results and conduct a fresh poll were Major-General Muhammadu Buhari (rtd), Senator Bola Tinubu, 34 senators and 100 members of the House of Representatives.

In the last few days, APC had staged a series of protests in Anambra State to protest the outcome of the election, which INEC declared inconclusive and ordered a supplementary poll, slated to hold tomorrow.

However, during the FCT protest, the party members had to contend with a contingent of soldiers, officials of the Department of the State Services (DSS) and the police which cordoned off the entrance of the commission to deny them access.

The police had earlier rejected the party's request to march to INEC headquarters and advised the party to hold a press conference at its headquarters to ventilate its grievances.

While the party members where converging on the APC national secretariat on Blantyre Street, Wuse 2, preparatory to the protest, security agents had thrown a cordon around the INEC headquarters, located on Zambezi Crescent in Maitama, and its environs.

They blocked both entrances to the commission, thereby making access to INEC’s office by visitors and even members of staff of the commission impossible.

A police Bedford vehicle, equipped with tear gas gadgets, with registration number 3630 NPF, blocked the western entrance to the commission, while another Bedford vehicle blocked the eastern entrance to the commission. Also, infantry soldiers, wielding guns, mounted sentry.
There were more than 20 Toyota Hilux vans at the entrance to the commission, waiting for the APC protesters in order to prevent them from beating the security cordon.

THISDAY counted over 100 riot policemen and several officials of the DSS among the security agents deployed to deter the protesters.

But this did not stop Buhari and other APC leaders from submitting their protest letter over the marred governorship election to INEC’s Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega.

APC’s Secretary, Tunusa Ibrahim, handed the letter to a member of staff of the commission.
In the letter signed by the party's interim National Chairman, Chief Bisi Akande, APC demanded the “outright cancellation of the Anambra state election, having been marred by serious irregularities and non-compliance with the Electoral Act.

“INEC should discard the present fake multiple voters’ register and produce one authentic voters’ register that will not disenfranchise any voter and that would be published 30 days before any election can take place in the state.

“The suspension and prosecution of all officials of the commission who have ever been indicted for electoral perfidy to purge the commission of such compromised officials.

“The immediate redeployment and investigation of the current state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Professor Chukwuemeka Onukogu,” the party added in the letter.
A chieftain of the party, Senator Osita Izunaso, said the protesters, including 34 senators were led by Senator George Akume, while the members of the House were led by Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila.

Other APC leaders among the protesters included Akande, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu, former Governor of Zamfara State, Senator Sani Yerima; former House Speaker, Alhaji Bello Masari; and a former lawmaker, Hon. Dino Melaye.

Addressing the protesters in front of INEC headquarters, Buhari said the party was at the commission’s office to further press home its demand for the total cancellation of the state governorship election result and the conduct of a fresh poll.

He added: “We are here mainly to give the letter to INEC on our representation to do away with the election in the state that was conducted and to demand the total cancellation of the election and fix another day for the election. The reasons we have put in the letter, which will be handed over to INEC.

“As an institution, INEC does not represent the interest of Nigeria. They are all compromised electoral officers. They have committed criminal offences by rigging elections in Nigeria. The electoral commissioners represent 90 percent of card-carry members of PDP. We are calling for the dissolution of INEC immediately.

“Jega cannot manage the people; he should resign immediately. No one will accept this result from him.
“We have engaged him enough with excuses, we are no more taking them. This is our institution. Police, your children are involved, your lives are involved. Nigeria police, your children's future lies here.

“We can obey you to the extent, we are going back now. We have delivered the letter but next time, next time, we will not tolerate you to become the armed wing of PDP."

When Tinubu mounted the rostrum, he called for the immediate dissolution of INEC, adding that the commission is now made up of compromised electoral officers.

“Why should our president promise us in Onitsha that the Anambra State governorship election will be free and fair? And everybody knows that that election was not free and fair. Why is it that the president has kept quiet? We want him to speak up, we want free and fair elections in our country,” he said.

However, the National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Victor Umeh said yesterday that no political party has the right to stop any election scheduled by INEC.
Speaking to journalists in Awka, Umeh said any attempt to stop INEC from discharging its constitutional duties was a breach of the law and should attract serious sanctions.

Umeh, while commending INEC for being firm in its resolution to conduct a supplementary governorship poll in the state, alleged that there was elaborate plan by some political parties to derail the process to put the exercise to question.

He dismissed the threat by APC to use the courts to stop the election, stressing that no court has the powers to stop INEC from carrying out its mandate.
He also enjoined them to shun any acts of provocation to ensure a hitch-free exercise, while urging security agencies to provide a conducive environment for the poll.

A Nigeria ThisDay report.