Police prevent APC protesters from gaining access to INEC office
(Nigeria) Armed Policemen on Thursday barricaded the headquarters of
the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC and prevented the All
Progressives Congress, APC, protesters from gaining access into the
commission’s office.
APC is protesting against the outcome of the November 16
Anambra Anambra governorship election.
The APC is calling for an outright cancellation of the
election, alleging that it was not free and fair.
Sen. Bola Tinubu, a Chieftain of the APC, expressed
dissatisfaction at the presence of the armed policemen.
According to him, they will have no job to do today because
this is a peaceful demonstration.
``INEC is our institution and we owe a duty to express our
grievances when it is not performing its duty properly,’’ he said.
Tinubu stressed that the APC was determined to liberate
Nigerians from election malpractice.
Another Chieftain of the party, Chief Ogbonnaya Onu, said
that Nigerians had the duty to ensure free and fair elections.
He said that the protest was a peaceful demonstration to
condemn the outcome of the November 16 Anambra governorship elections.
Chief Bisi Akande, the Interim National Chairman of the
party, observed that the time had come to rescue the nation’s democracy.
``We are not comfortable with a supplementary election in
Anambra. We want outright cancellation,’’ Akande said.
However, there was no INEC official to receive the
protesters at the commission’s office.
Meanwhile, a police officer simply identified as Insp.
Eliagwu at the INEC headquarters, said that the police presence at the office
was to forestall any eventuality.
``As long as the protesters are law abiding and they go
about their protest in a peaceful manner, there will be no need for possible
police action,’’ he said.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, on Wednesday, at a Civil
Society Election Situation Room meeting, said there was no substantial evidence
to cancel the election.
He said that the commission would take responsibility for
the lapses at the Anambra polls, even though they were not convincing enough to
annul the election.
Jega said that most of those complaining about the election
could not bring forth concrete evidence on why the poll should be annulled.
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