Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
The National Coalition for Good Governance (NCGG) has picked holes in the conduct by Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) of the senatorial election for Delta South senatorial district, five weeks after the February 25, 2023 exercise.
The NCGG accused the INEC of connivance to favour the candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Joel Onowakpo-Thomas, who was returned as elected in the district.
Addressing newsmen at a press conference in Asaba yesterday, spokesman of the group, Mr Brisby Ken Ombe, said that members of the coalition felt obliged to speak out, despite the seeming delay in doing so, due to the gravity of electoral malpractice allegedly carried out by INEC officials in order to give undue advantage to a particular political party especially across the eight local government areas it did monitor.
The NCGG, which described itself as “well-known credible independent electoral observers” that also participated actively in the last general election in Nigeria, alleged, “In Delta South Senatorial District, specifically in Warri South and Isoko South Local government Areas, we were appalled by the level of conspiracy masterminded by some INEC officials, who released falsified figures to the utter detriment of other candidates who participated in the said election.
“What we saw was simply an electoral umpire that blatantly went against its own rules and regulations, by working assiduously with agents of the ruling party, APC, to undermine the smooth working of the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System (BVAS).
“We observed that the results from the various polling units in Isoko South Local Government Area altered in favour of the candidate of the APC, while Warri South Local Government Area was outrightly cancelled to the disadvantage of other candidates.”
The NCGG’s spokesman, who was flanked by members of the coalition including Chioma Ekeocha, Chioma Morrison and Nicholas Osazee, said that alleged electoral fraud was perpetrated in spite of the generally peaceful nature of the election “apart from pockets of hitches arising from inflation of total votes cast in Isoko South, and the questionable cancellation of the result of Warri South.”
He further claimed that the “application of BVAS was limited in Isoko South,” alleging that agents of APC connived with INEC to alter the results from various polling units.
Ombe said, “We regard this unfortunate development not only a minus for our democratic process, but a perfect set back against the will and the overall best interest of all eligible voters in locality.
“We are therefore using this medium to urge relevant stakeholders cum statutory bodies, not to resign to fate but to rigorously ensure that justice is done.”
He said that although the coalition had already “made our misgivings known to INEC”, it stood to reason that the took a further step in addressing the press because politics is dynamic but what is at stake ultimately is the country’s democracy.
