Igbo think-tank group, Aka Ikenga has has called on Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), to redeem its credibility as true independent bodies in the governorship and States House of Assembly elections.
The group in statement signed by its Deputy Publicity Secretary, Collins Steve Ugwu and the Secretary General, Mark Anthony Nduka-eze, advised INEC to uphold Nigeria democracy today by being transparent and impartial in the Saturday, March 18 electrons.
Aka Ikenga said the electoral umpire must follow its laws to give Nigerians the desires of their votes without compromise or theatre.
The group said, “We demand that INEC should today, unreservedly regenerate the confidence of Nigerians whose unprecedented energy and legitimate expectations for free, credible and transparent elections, before and during the Presidential elections was savaged by a cocktail of institutional errors and scandalously unprotected ballots, contrary to their strident but now clearly overrated assurances.
“We want to make it even clearer, that we align totally with all Nigerians who have awakened in vehement resolve to walk away from the dictatorship of corruption, and tragic detention of bad governance, for a leap in leadership only credible and transparent elections give.
“Our citizens democratic preferences are inviolate, must be respected, and should never be criminalized, commercialized or battered away. Our eyes are seeing and ears hearing.
“We equally call on all our Security Agencies to please give Nigerians protection for at least one day to do a simple election. You were absent for critical needs of protection in the Presidential elections, and appear to have been on leave since then.
“Because we note with grim apprehensions the unchecked threats of ethnic reprisals and open schemes of voters suppressions that are not being addressed for clear containment, especially in several states with significant resident populations like Lagos and Rivers State.
“These grave flashes of poison to our democracy are red flags that demand intensive investigations, arrests, prosecution and deterrent consequences. Please get up to your national patriotic duty today to prevent bottled explosions from putting our already fragile state into deeper tragedy.
“We must note that Nigeria has paid a huge prize for corporate Nationhood in the war we fought, and insurgencies we are still trying to contain. Nigeria paid a prize for military dictatorship, and we are still reeling from the pangs. Nigerians now has chosen democracy and INEC and our Security formations must not be complicit to make us loose it.”
