Enugu, Abia shouldn’t go up in flames, nothing must happen to results – Intersociety warns INEC

The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, Intersociety, has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to ensure that nothing happens to the results of the two governorship polls of Enugu and Abia States, insisting it must not be tampered with or suppressed.

The group also said the INEC’s decision to suspend the collation of the results, involving Nkanu East and Nsukka Local Government Areas in Enugu State and Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia State should not be an opportunity to subvert the sacred electoral wishes of the People of the two States.

The human rights organisation made the demand during a press briefing in Enugu on Tuesday.

The text of the briefing addressed by Emeka Umeagbalasi, Board Chair, Intersociety, was also signed by Chinwe Umeche Esquire, Head of Democracy and Good Governance Program and Chidinma Udegbunam Esquire, Head of Campaign and Publicity Department.

The group said the task before the INEC Headquarters on the issue is to find out the actual number of registered voters/PVC holders (eligible voters) and the number of accredited voters (actual voters) as contained in the BVAS in the areas where results were being disputed.

While noting that the group had investigated and found the real issues at the centre of a controversy involving Nkanu East (Enugu) and Obingwa (Abia) Governorship results, Intersociety said the desperate attempts by gubernatorial incumbents in Enugu and Abia to smuggle in magic results into the main results was at the centre of it.

Part of the Statement read: “The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety), Nigeria’s leading and uncompromising democracy, human rights, the rule of law and citizens’ security and safety advocacy Organization since 2008, is strongly warning the integrity-challenged Independent National Electoral Commission to ensure that nothing roguish happens to Enugu and Abia Governorship results.

“While Collation Officers for Enugu (Prof Maduebibisi Iwe) and Abia (Prof Nnenna Oti) deserve interim commendation for refusing to compromise their positions in the eyes of the law, it is our strong warning that the results of the two Governorship polls must not be tampered with or brutally suppressed.

“The decision of the INEC National Headquarters to suspend the collation of the results involving Nkanu East and Nsukka Local Government Areas in Enugu State and Obingwa Local Government Area in Abia State and look into issues critically raised must not be a seized opportunity to subvert the sacred electoral wishes of the People of the two States.

“The task before INEC Headquarters on the issue is very simple: what is the actual number of registered voters/PVC holders (eligible voters) and the number of accredited voters (actual voters) in Nkanu East and Nsukka in Enugu State and Obingwa in Abia State? Flowing from the above: how many accredited voters voted, and were they greater or lesser in number than the number of registered/accredited voters?

“In other words: is it correct to say that the ’30 000 votes’ padded and added in Nkanu East were greater or lesser than the number of its registered/PVC holders/accredited voters? In Obingwa, Abia State, is it also correct to say that the ‘72,000 votes’ being smuggled in were greater or lesser in number than the number of registered/PVC holders/accredited voters?

“Intersociety has investigated and found that the real issues in contention and at the centre of a controversy involving Nkanu East (Enugu) and Obingwa (Abia) Governorship results’ conundrum are desperate attempts by gubernatorial incumbents in Enugu and Abia to smuggle in magic results into the main results so as to outnumber and corner the majority results to their favoured Governorship Candidates.

“This is more so when the manufactured results are strongly believed to be far above the total registered or accredited voters with PVCs in Nkanu East, Enugu State and Obingwa, Abia State.”