Supplementary polls: Attacks on media, observers, INEC mar polls – CDD

The Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD) on Saturday
condemned attacks on ad hoc staff, media, observers and other
electoral participants during the supplementary polls.

It said the attacks marred the polls.

The CDD Director, MS Idayat Hassan who was represented by an
analyst of CDD, Dr Jideofor Adibe in Abuja, said that the group’s
observers noted incidents of violence and disruption of voting
process.

Hassan said the cases were reported in Kano, Sokoto, Benue and
Bauchi states where supplementary governorship and state houses of
assembly elections held.

“In Kano State, violence and disruption of polling were
widespread as an army of thugs reportedly took over polling
activities in several local government areas, including Nasarawa,
Dala, Karaye and Gaya.

“It is distressing that political thugs took over the elections,
forcing voters to vote along a party line, stoning voters and
violently disrupting the elections. ‘’

Hassan said that this was because Gama ward in Nasarawa LGA in
Kano State was strategic to winning the supplementary elections by
either of the two leading candidates.

She said that in Sokoto, particularly in Bodinga LGA, Bodinga
ward (PU11), a dispute which eventually disrupted the election,
erupted between the agents of the two leading parties.

She said it was disrupted over attempts by a party agent to
assist voters in voting.

She said that evidence suggested that the deliberate deployment
of political thuggery during elections seemed to have become the
norm in Nigeria.

She said that the trend was extremely disturbing, and it was
imperative to safeguard Nigeria’s democracy by holding the
perpetrators accountable.

Hassan said that the way thuggery was instrumentalised in the
elections queried the essence of the massive deployment of security
agents to guard the polls, especially when brigandage ruled.

She said in several instances, the security agents were reported
to have turned a blind eye to the act of brigandage perpetrated by
the political thugs.

She said that the electoral cycle witnessed so much
intimidation, harassment and attack on voters, journalists,
observers and INEC officials.

“This unfortunate development, however, took an unprecedented
turn in the Kano supplementary elections where party agents and
thugs intimidated and attacked voters and observers in the course
of exercising their franchise or monitoring the process.’’

Hassan said there was a clear case of where party agents and
thugs coerced and intimidated voters to vote for their
candidates.

She said that the high level of intolerance against poll
monitors was not limited to observers.

She said that in spite of several attempts to entrench
peacefully electoral democracy in Nigeria, elections have been
marred by upsurge of violence.

She said that the level of impunity at which this gruesome act
was being prosecuted by hoodlums at the ballot box and the
inability of security agents to respond adequately and hold
perpetrators accountable were sources of concern.

Hassan said that incidences of underage voting and vote buying
were also recorded where votes were sold for N10,000 and
N15,000.

She said there was need to emphasise that the act of vote buying
was an offence punishable under the laws and those involved in the
act should be arrested and prosecuted according to law.

This, she said, would discourage the increasing rate of the
practice (NAN)

Cultism: Nigerian Army Disowns Deserter

The attention of Headquarters 4 Brigade Nigerian Army has been
drawn to a media publication dated 23 March, 2019.

In the said publication, it was alleged that Private Igbavbou
Lucky and not Private Opiri Stephen as erroneously published was
alleged to have been arrested and paraded by the State Police
Command for cultist activities.

For emphasis, Nigerian Army (NA) is a professional organization
with extant policies that regulates the conduct of its personnel.
The NA does not allow any of its personel to belong to any
confraternity such as cult groups and related associations.
Consequently, any of its personnel who crosses the red line in this
regard will face the full rigours of military discipline.

The alleged case of Private Igbavbou Lucky who was arrested is
an isolated case. Additionally, it is germane to state that
preliminary investigation revealed that the said suspect is not a
personnel of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army as erroneously stated in the
said publication but a deserter from 101 SF Bn in the North East of
the country since January 2019.

Thus, his conduct is a complete negation of the minimum
behavioural conduct expected from a personnel of the Nigerian Army.
I also wish to use this medium to appeal to journalists to verify
their stories before publication in order to avoid negative
reportage capable of bringing the image of the Brigade or the NA
into disrepute.

The general public should be rest assured that the case will be
thoroughly investigated and the military justice system will take
it course.

Mohammed Maidawa
Captain
Assistant Director
Army Public Relations